LAND O' LAKES, Fla. — The pandemic has not stopped new businesses from opening in Land O’ Lakes.
Aroma Joe's Coffee House opened its doors in Land O’ Lakes a year ago during the peak of the pandemic.
“Something that we would’ve have chosen but through faith we really just kept plugging away and we actually did a lot better than we thought we would,” said Glenn Cote, Owner of Aroma Joe’s Coffee.
Cotes said having a drive-thru allowed the new business to remain open while many closed their doors.
“We were deemed an essential business so we were able to stay open, continue to serve our community and give the best quality cup of coffee that we could,” said Cote.
Aroma Joe's is one of several new businesses setting up shop along heavily traveled Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.
A car wash, gas stations, and new restaurants are coming soon.
“We actually had our best year ever in economic development last year in terms of new companies and job announcements coming to Pasco in spite of the pandemic,” said Bill Cronin, President and CEO of Pasco County Economic Development Council.
The president of Pasco County Economic Development Council said economic growth is not exclusive to U.S. 41 but Pasco County is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state.
“Pasco County’s on fire in a good way. We continue to see a lot of growth both at the large commercial level, industrial level in terms of job creation and job growth. But with that there's a multiplying factor of every one of these big companies for example, that we recruit to Pasco County each of them are going to be buying gas, they’re going to be buying goods and services here locally,” Cronin said.
