Goody Goody isn't quite ready to serve up its hamburger patties and secret sauce, but lots of little details are coming together behind its facade in Hyde Park Village.
Green-and-yellow mosaic tile deck out the back wall; old-fashioned light fixtures hang over what will become the banquette and counter seating areas. It's all part of Tampa restaurateur Richard Gonzmart's plans to resurrect the Tampa brand as a modern-day staple of the Bay region's growing dining scene.
"This is a representation of what it was like back in the '40s, back in Tampa’s heyday," said Keith Sedita, vice president of new business development for Columbia Restaurant Group, the parent company of Goody Goody.
Hiring has begun, and Goody Goody estimates more than 80 permanent jobs will be created.
Goody Goody is also a key part of the redevelopment of Hyde Park Village. Boston-based WS Development has been working to refresh its storefronts and tenant mix, as well as the infrastructure of the South Tampa shopping district. Goody Goody is one of several local tenants WS has landed in the last two years, helping create a unique sense of place.
Between the green-and-white awnings, original signage, tiles and lighting fixtures, Goody Goody manages to be retro and fresh at the same time.
"The color, the feel — there are splashes of the '40s, but it's certainly for 2016 and beyond," Sedita said.
It's still too soon to say when the restaurant will open exactly, though Gonzmart has said it will likely be in mid- to late July.
Parkland Builders is the general contractor on the project. Bert Thomas is architect of record, and Morris Nathanson Design of Rhode Island was the designer on the project.