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Babes In The 'Hood

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By HAROLD VALENTINE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 26, 2008

FOREST HILLS - A business trend that started in Seattle has landed on the southwest corner of Fletcher and Florida avenues, on a small leased parcel of the Northpoint Crossing plaza parking lot.

In the Northwest, coffee cafes are so competitive that Barista Babes went with a tried-and-true method of gaining an edge: scantily clad young women. Shawn Torres, owner of the new coffee shop, says it's the same as Hooters, except he is selling coffee.

"It's definitely new; it's definitely independent; and it's definitely different," Torres said. "It's a bikini barista drive-through."

Torres said he hired the servers through advertising, adding that he expected most who responded would be exotic dancers. He thought that might be good because it would have "brought them to something a little bit more conservative."

Co-owner Tina Torres, Shawn's wife, said one "babe" works as a go-go dancer at clubs in Ybor City, but the other three are University of South Florida students. She is looking to hire more servers for the job, which offers $8 hourly base pay and good tips.

Barista Babes, painted pink and white and easily seen from Fletcher, previously was the Your Place Cafe, which sold Cuban sandwiches, hot dogs and shaved-ice beverages. Shawn Torres said he plans "a promotional team of girls" to get the word out for the coffee stand. Tina Torres said she has upcoming events to sell coffee with her employees.

Tina Torres, 34, has worked in an office as a loan processor for several years. Now she dresses provocatively and sells coffee. "At first it was shorts and a tank top," she said, "then little by little I wore a bit less."

The cafe sells latte, cappuccino, Cuban coffee, mochaccino, smoothies and sandwiches. Prices range from $2 to $3.85 for the 12-, 16- and 20-ounce drinks. Tina Torres said she can make anything Starbucks has.

Shawn Torres said the public response has been positive, sprinkled with "your occasional honks and hoots and hollers."

Though many customers have been women, Tina Torres said most are men, and their main reason is not necessarily the beverages.

"I have some law enforcement officers that come through," she said. "One of them said, 'I don't even drink coffee. Should I pour it out here or should I pull around the corner?'"

Tina Torres said only one male customer was "kind of creepy," and another incident included a woman who was irate about the dress code.

"She couldn't even get her seat belt off," Tina Torres said. "I thought she just really needed caffeine."

Tina Torres said employees of neighboring businesses have been welcoming. Tanna Williams, store manager at the plaza's Bealls Outlet, said she "loves" the cappuccinos.

"They're really nice people, and the customers like it, too," Williams said.

Tina Torres said she considered other locations, such as near MacDill Air Force Base, where "there are lots of men." But her current location was reasonably priced, and "it kind of chose us," she said.

Barista Babes is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed on Sunday. Tina Torres said business picks up on Wednesdays. But she added that Babes has been open only since March 1, and customer patterns are developing.

"It's a simple concept," Tina Torres said. "We'll see where business takes us."

BARISTA BABES

LOCATION: 162 W. Fletcher Ave.

HOURS: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday

PRICES: $2 to $3.85 for 12-, 16- and 20-ounce specialty drinks

Reporter Harold Valentine can be reached at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

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