New York, NY – December 6, 2007 – Today, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, CEO of H3 Enterprises (HTRE), announced the opening of the inaugural HipHopSodaShop in Tampa Bay, FL to take place on December 18, 2007.
The HipHopSodaShop concept is a recipe for success: combine popular music with healthful dining options and flavor with socially-responsible capitalism. That's the business model behind H3 Enterprises' rollout of HipHopSodaShop (HHSS), the first of a worldwide dining franchise that will open in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday, December 18. The restaurant concept brings together ample portions of healthy food, hip-hop music and video-gaming with a community-conscious approach to business. New Restaurant Concept Brings Hip-Hop Culture to the Dining Table "Hip-hop as a cultural force is changing the world as we know it, and young people are at the center of that change," said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, chief executive of H3 Enterprises, Inc., the parent of HHSS, "The HipHopSodaShop is on the one hand a contemporary celebration of the global impact of hip-hop music and culture, and on the other hand it is a unique synergy between entrepreneurial development, stock market investments, and community empowerment." A longtime social activist, Dr. Chavis is the former head of the NAACP and a co-founder, with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, of the nonprofit Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, an organization aimed at recapturing the social consciousness of original hip-hop using its popularity to effect social change.
Located at Tampa's former Bull Ring Sports Bar at 1241 East Fowler Avenue, the 11,000-square-foot space has undergone renovations to become a full-service, conceptually-chic restaurant. It is equipped with a recording studio, multiple 4'X5' video screens, tableside video-gaming apparatuses and a DJ/MC booth with surround sound. Targeted to a youthful demographic, aged 13-35, the restaurant will hold special events like open mic nights, live HD sportscasts and cyber gaming. An emphasis will be placed on wholesome hip-hop music to appeal to both sexes. The store will also carry clothing, MP3 players and recorded music. HipHopSodaShop Offers Menu To Nourish The Mind and Body. The eclectic menu includes limited fried foods and no monounsaturated or polyunsaturated (trans) fats. The shop will feature "rap" sandwiches with few carbohydrates and a beverage line made with antioxidant-rich white tea and sweetened with chicory syrup instead of sugar. Clever monikers, sprinkled throughout the menu, are geared to strike a chord with diners while encouraging financial literacy. Appetizers include: Boneless "Keep It Real" Buffalo Wings, Recording Studio Lump Crabcakes, and Classic Onion Rims. Prices range from $7 to $10. Soup and salad options include: Stock Market soup of the day, Rapper's Delight Cobb Salad, Greek Salad ranging in price from $7 to $11. Burgers and sandwiches, range from $7 to $10 and include Mama's BBQ Burger, East Coast Break Dance Wrap, West Coast Graffiti Wrap, and Wall Street Shareholder's Wrap. Gourmet pizzas offerings, from $8 to $12, include Meat Lover's pizza, Chicken Caesar pizza and Margherita pizza. Dinner entrees, from $9 to $18, include Southern BBQ Chicken, Fish and Chips, Shrimp Scampi and Grilled Salmon. Desserts ranging from $4 to $6 include: Bananas Foster Cheesecake, Cherry Pie a la Mode, and Messy Dirty Sloppy Chocolate Cake. As well a selection of fountain drinks (shakes, ice cream sodas and malts), fruit juices, specialty drinks and cocktails, along with domestic and imported beer are available.
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About H3 Enterprises, Inc. and the HipHopSodaShop: H3 Enterprises, Inc. is the parent company of the HipHopSodaShop, a Florida corporation with its corporate headquarters located at 116, John Street, New York, NY 10036. As the first publicly traded Hip-Hop company, H3 Enterprises, Inc. is dedicated to the mission of empowering young people through investment, education and economic development.
Media Contact:
Larry Kopp
The T.A.S.C. Group Phone: 646-723-4344/ Cell: 917-282-2357 larry@thetascgroup.com
