As home sales in Ave Maria continue to break records each year, a number of new businesses have also made their way into the town, providing an insurmountable number of new experiences and services to the community.
Ave Pack & Ship
Ave Pack & Ship has unpacked its boxes and moved into Olmi Medical Supply, located in the Publix Retail Shops, bringing the community a solution to all their packing and shipping needs.
Owner Nicole Manning was inspired to make the addition after observing the necessity for a nearby location that offered this essential service.
“The decision to open Ave Pack & Ship in Ave Maria was primarily driven by demand. The community also lacked a nearby medical supply store, with the closest one being at least 30 minutes away,” Manning said. “I saw this as an opportunity to not only fulfill a need but also to contribute to the community by providing a much-needed service.”
Ave Pack & Ship gives visitors the option to browse the medical products offered in-store, ship off their packages, or partake in any of the other services provided by the business.
“We sell boxes, provide passport photo services, and are working on adding additional services based on community feedback,” Manning said. “We offer copy machine and fax services for our customers’ convenience. Additionally, we have access to hundreds of thousands of medical supplies and can drop-ship directly to our customers’ homes.”
Manning emphasizes customer satisfaction as a pillar of her business’s values. She believes that feedback from the community and their support allows her to cater to her customer’s needs.
“Ave Maria is a great location to own a business because of the town’s passion for bringing entertainment, services, and retail options to the area,” said Manning. “Business owners in Ave Maria work hard to provide the best customer service and cater to the needs of the community.”
Ave Pack & Ship employee Joseph Alvarez JULIANNA PEREZ/ AVE MARIA SUN
Blue Agave Mexican Restaurant
On May 1, Blue Agave Mexican Restaurant opened its doors to the public, debuting a fresh, modernized take on authentic Mexican cuisine.
Allan Garcia, owner of Blue Agave, based the restaurant’s menu off of his own mother’s recipes. With the aid of his team, Garcia conceptualized an expansive menu of authentic Mexican dishes altered to wow any American palette.
“The whole menu was built and bred by the whole staff. My mama’s remedies and recipes came in and, essentially, we changed them and Americanized them with a little Mexican spice,” Garcia said. “We want it to be an experience as soon as you bite into the food.”
Teamwork and collaboration are at the core of Blue Agave’s company values; Garcia attributes the success of his endeavor to his close-knit and supportive staff.
“I have a team of awesome people,” said Garcia. “This did not happen alone, it happened with the whole team. It takes something that big to run an operation like this.”
In addition to the amicable staff and flavorful dishes offered at the restaurant, Blue Agave’s clean-cut and cool interior creates an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere to enjoy your meal. From the eye-catching neon signage to the painted mural dedicated to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Blue Agave offers the perfect background for your next Instagram post.
“We made it very Instagrammable for you to take out your phone and show the world that your memories and experiences are happening at Blue Agave,” said Garcia. “We want to give the experience of an upscale restaurant without the upscale prices.”
Blue Agave serving staff.
Vicky Bakery
Owned and managed by local businessman Phong Ho, Vicky Bakery brings to Ave Maria an array of authentic Cuban pastries, dishes and desserts, perfect for anything from breakfast on-the-go to a delicious afternoon treat.
“We want to keep it authentic since it is a family-owned business. For over 50 years they’ve had the product and now they want to share it across the country; I’m happy to be a part of the family brand,” Ho said.
Vicky Bakery has been one of the most highly anticipated and sought-after franchises by members of the community, with some even taking to local Facebook pages to voice their wishes. Upon seeing this demand, Ho decided to take action.
“A lot of people in town are from Florida’s east coast and the name has popped up hundreds of times, so I looked into it. I met with the corporate office, we chatted and I was sold,” said Ho. “There has been an extremely high demand for a business like this. For one, it has a nice hometown feel and I think that the demand for a variety of breakfast options was always in the picture.”
A longtime resident of Ave Maria, Ho is always looking for new business ventures that would cater to the needs of the community. Since opening a Tropical Smoothie Cafe 16 years ago, the businessman has brought a number of eateries to the Town Center.
“I’ve been here since 2008. I have always wanted to help develop and grow this town,” he said. In a way, it makes me feel good to provide what I feel are some essential things for this town, whether that’s dinner, breakfast, or a fun treat like Tropical Smoothie, which has been my rock since I started.”
Ho inside Vicky Bakery. JULIANNA PEREZ / AVE MARIA SUN
