Why is this in Brandon? and other Tampa, FL Shopping Tips

Name of Shop: Sound Idea

Imagine the most creative milk crate display that one of your college buddies came up with to store his music in. Now, in your head, imagine that growing to about eightY times its size. Ta-da! You've got Sound Idea.
Sound Idea looks like nothing special from the outside, but on the inside there are more records / C.D.s / tapes than you can imagine - all of them punk ***ing rock. (Well, except for this one record they had a long time ago of 'El Vez: the Mexican Elvis', but you'd break with the continuity to have a gem like that around, too!)
They also have shows here and record swaps semi-regularly. Every Sunday at 3 p.m. there's free shows for local bands.
It's owned by a very nice man named Bob, who I once saw naked in a issue of the zine Greedy Bastard. It's an image I can't shake, but I deal with it because Sound Idea is so great.

What To Buy: Sound Idea has books, records, zines, etc. Buy all you can and support this local business.

What To Pay: The stuff here is dirt cheap considering most of it had to be specially ordered.

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Theme: Music
Directions: Sound Idea is located in on State Road 60 (Brandon Blvd) in Brandon,
just outside of the Tampa city limits. From I-75, take the BRANDON EXIT
Website: http://www.soundideadistribution.com

Old Hyde Park Village is a group of stores and eatteries in the middle of South Tampa. Most of these stores are pretty yuppie (i.e. Talbot's and Pottery Barn), but there's a really awesome stuffed animal / puppet store, an ice cream shop, and a Nicholson House that make up for all that. Plus, there are some really good art shows that come through here every now and then.
During Christmas, they really cute it up, too, with evergreens and white lights and other vomitaciously charming upscale-Christmas whatnots.
Check the website for special events and directions.



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Website: http://www.oldhydepark.com/

Name of Shop: International Plaza

Normally, I avoid malls like the plague. I hate shopping like that. However, I have a severe addiction / obsession with Sanrio products (you know, like Hello Kitty, Pochacco, etc.), and this mall houses the only Sanrio Suprises in town.
This mall is the "classy" mall of Tampa, what with stores like Saks gracing it's presence. It's right by the airport, so if you are hungry for some shoe shopping and California Pizza Kitchen right off the plane, you're in luck.



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Address: 2223 N. West Shore Blvd. Tampa, Florida, 33607
Directions: If you are coming from the North, Take I-75 South to I-275 South, take Exit 40B (Old 22) Lois Ave and head North. Take Lois to Boy Scout Blvd. and into International Plaza.
Website: http://www.shopinternationalplaza.com/

Name of Shop: University Mall

Okay, so International Mall is probably Tampa's classiest Mall. University Mall is the most ghetto. When I was in high school, someone was shot in University Mall. The violence has gone down, but the completely ghetto vibe hasn't. I'm not complaining, though.
First of all, there's Steve and Barry's - - also known as the "everything is $7.98" store. They sell clothes from parkas to gym shorts. The best deal is their college sweat shirts. They have really nice, embrordered ones for . . . . you guessed it - $7.98!
Then, there's the "probably stolen / fell off a truck / has a slightly altered name from the brand name" toy store, Toyopia. Everything in the store is supposedly 75% off, but really the employees seem to make up prices based on how poor you, the customer, look. Dress down.
This mall does have regular stores, too, but they don't have nearly as much flavor as these or other gems such as Anna's Linnen Mart and the like. It's ghetto fabulous.

What To Buy: Some people I know buy the 7.98 sweat shirts and sell them on ebay for a lot more.


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Address: 2200 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33612
Directions: Take I-75 to Fowler - exit toward USF. You'll see it .