What is Special about Pasco County?
The friendly attitude of all the residents.
I started my business in downtown Dade City in 1997.  I was from Tampa and knew nothing of small rural towns. What I found to be incredible was the friendliness. I was always astounded by the hospitality and kindness of the local residents. From the day I opened, they came to visit and look around the store. They were eager to support my new local business. I felt like they were cheering for me. There were a few older couples that seemed to magically stop in to my store on slow days. They would talk and look around until they found something to buy. They asked me how things were, and if I told them it was slow, they would assure me that things would be all right. It felt like the community had a watchful eye on my store. They seemed to know when I was struggling and my business was slow. Then the alert would go out, and one of these couples would come visit me. I know it seems far-fetched, but I swear that when I would ask them if this was happening; they would just give a laugh and a little suspicious grin.

I experienced the most memorable moment of Americana on my tenth day of business in my new little jewelry store. The store was located on Seventh Avenue, the main street of the downtown. On this day, I happened to be on the phone with my wife, telling her about my day. It was around 3 in the afternoon. Looking out my glass storefront, I noticed that a few people had set up and sat in some lawn chairs. They were lining up on the sidewalk in front of my store.  I asked my one employee, who was a longtime local resident, what was going on. She said that the county fair opens today, and there is a parade to kick it off. Shortly after, I was witness to a scene from Norman Rockwell, as pickup trucks pulling trailers were parading in colorful and decorative fashion down the street – right out my front door. All the floats were, I guess you (would) say, home-made. From politicians to cheerleaders, mixed in with the high school and middle school marching bands, there was nothing fancy and expensive here. But it was so down-home and spoke to the culture of this small town. I folded my arms, leaned back with a big smile and felt all the years of stress from the big city just flow out from my body.

David Hevia, owner of Kiefer Village Jewels

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