Tampa, Florida — A new neighborhood grocery store and café has opened in Tampa’s growing Encore District, bringing groceries, prepared meals, coffee, baked goods and local products to an area connecting downtown Tampa with Ybor City.
Totum Market & Eatery is located at the corner of Nebraska Avenue and Ray Charles Boulevard, placing the new store near several apartment communities and within reach of downtown, Channelside and Ybor City.
The store is designed to offer more than a traditional grocery-shopping experience, giving nearby residents another place to grab a meal, pick up everyday essentials or spend time in the neighborhood.
New Grocery Store Brings More to Encore District
Totum Market & Eatery is positioned as a neighborhood-focused destination rather than simply a place to make a quick grocery run.
The store offers fresh groceries, pre-prepared meals, local brands, a café, coffee bar and bakery, giving customers several reasons to visit.
Staff were still putting the finishing touches on the space and stocking shelves when the market held its soft opening last week. The arrival comes as the Encore District continues to grow and add new residential and commercial activity.
With apartment complexes located close to the store, Totum Market could provide residents with a convenient option for groceries and prepared food without requiring a trip farther into Tampa.
Location Connects Several Tampa Neighborhoods
The market’s location is one of its biggest features.
Sitting along Nebraska Avenue and Ray Charles Boulevard, the store is positioned between Channelside, downtown Tampa and Ybor City.
That puts Totum Market in an area where several parts of the city increasingly intersect. For residents, the new business could become a convenient meeting point as the surrounding neighborhoods continue developing.
The market’s combination of groceries and food-service offerings also gives it a broader role than a conventional supermarket.
Instead of simply picking up a few items and leaving, customers can stop for coffee, grab something from the bakery or choose a prepared meal.
Residents Welcome Another Downtown Tampa Destination
The new store has already received attention from residents who see it as another piece of Tampa’s ongoing development.
Tampa resident Tina Lagassey said she appreciates the fact that the market is designed to encourage people to spend time there rather than simply shop and leave.
“I absolutely love that it’s a destination instead of a place where you just stop and pick up a couple of groceries,” Tampa resident Tina Lagassey said. “You really want to hang out. It’s absolutely combining the downtown core with Channelside, with Ybor, and just bringing all the neighborhoods together. We need that central area.”
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Her comments reflect the broader appeal of having everyday services and gathering spaces located closer to residential neighborhoods.
Totum Market Plans October Grand Opening
Although the market has already held its soft opening, the business is preparing for a larger celebration. Staff say the grand opening is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 10 and Oct. 11.
The event will give residents another opportunity to check out the new grocery store, café and other offerings as the business moves beyond its initial opening phase.
For the Encore District, the arrival of Totum Market adds another neighborhood amenity at a time when development is continuing around downtown Tampa.
The combination of groceries, prepared food, coffee, bakery items and local products could make the market a regular stop for people living nearby as well as visitors moving between Tampa’s downtown core and surrounding districts.
As Tampa’s urban neighborhoods continue to evolve, businesses like Totum Market are becoming part of the effort to create areas where residents can shop, eat and socialize within the same community.
Would you visit Totum Market & Eatery when you’re in Tampa? What do you think the growing Encore District needs next? Share your thoughts in the comments.
