TOWN 'N' COUNTRY, Fla. — Town 'n' Country is an unincorporated area of Tampa that stretches from the airport west to the Upper Tampa Bay coastline and south to Rocky Point. It is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Tampa Bay area — and one of the most overlooked.
For the people who call it home, that suits them just fine.
"It's a good, quiet neighborhood. No problems. Very little crime. We love it," said one resident.
The community's identity is built around diversity. From the smell of fresh Cuban bread in the morning at the family-owned Cuban American Original Bakery to spots serving up flavors from Greece, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Colombia and beyond, Town 'n' Country is a place where cultures come together.
Its proximity to the water allows for a variety of water sports, and several parks offer options for those who prefer to stay on land. The area is also home to the Shriners International Headquarters.
Jimmie, a longtime resident, has watched the neighborhood grow and change over the decades.
"I've seen it grow quite a bit in the last 40-some years; people are really nice. Close-knit is what it is," said Jimmie.
The neighborhood is built on hard work, strong families, and small businesses that know their customers by name.
That resilience was tested in 2024, when back-to-back hurricanes brought devastating flooding and wind damage to parts of the community.
"It's all hardworking people, and a lot of them were devastated, you know, by the hurricanes. The water here in the area rises very quickly," Jimmie said.
When asked whether the community had come back since the hurricanes, Jimmie said recovery is ongoing but visible. "I think so. Yeah, I think there's still a lot of people that are dealing with it, but yeah, it's come back quite a bit," Jimmie said.
There is a deep sense of pride that keeps people rooted in Town 'n' Country — pride in where they live, how far they have come, and excitement about what is next.
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