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Grab A Bite And A Personalized Shirt

By LAURA KINSLER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 1, 2007

NEW TAMPA - After 30 years in the restaurant business, Pat Spiddle was ready to open his own place, and he wanted it to be unique.

The West Meadows resident decided to pair his favorite hobby, graphic design, with simple cafe foods and menu items such as artichoke cheesy bread and Hofmann coney dogs shipped from Syracuse, N.Y. The result is Bear Creek Graphics & Cafe.

"I'm taking my two passions and putting them together," Spiddle said.

Spiddle taught himself to design logos and signs. At the store, he will be able to work with customers to print personalized coffee mugs and embroidered hats and shirts.

"We're going to have birthday packages where kids can design their own T-shirts," he said.

Spiddle uses a system called "sublimation" to transfer digital graphics or photos onto products. It's more permanent than traditional ink-press printing. The process takes about 15 minutes.

The cafe menu also contains plenty of coffee drinks, sandwiches, pizza and family recipes, such as salt-boiled potatoes and "poor man's" soup.

"That's a soup my grandmother started making back in the Depression," Spiddle said. "It's a tomato broth with lots of pastas. I've changed it a little over the years."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Bear Creek Graphics & Cafe

WHERE: 17503-B Preserve Walk Lane

WHEN: Open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

INFORMATION: Call (813) 971-7670.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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