TAMPA – 
Just across the street from University of Tampa is a great spot for locals that also works for travelers. The Oxford Exchange is a sort of restaurant, club and mini department store, with bookstore, coffee shop, dining room, Warby Parker eyeglass store and business suites. Oxford Exchange looks the part of an old 1920s shopping arcade, though populated by students, families and millennials.
The expansive dining room feels a bit like a brasserie, with sunny indoor terrace, wide open dining room, and tap drinking water in sensible, heavy glasses. The meals are about $15, and are plentiful. For instance, a ham omelette came with large number of potatoes and thick toast. On a Sunday, there were plenty of families and extended families, as well as couples, baby shower chicks and a hipster millennial group with a guy sporting a 35mm analog camera around his neck.
The center atrium has a lounge with comfortable chairs. While the steps heading up to the balcony feel more of a London men’s club, the experience is sort of an old train station. I get the feeling that if every Amtrak station was run by Oxford Exchange, the raiload might actually turn a profit. There, you can order coffee, tea or take outs and read the paper or check phones. The center has comfy club chairs. Upstairs there are offices and a workspace “Commerce Club.” There, you can make a quiet telephone call or use the club as an in-town office for $125 a month. Its hourly rates for meetings are reasonable.
The place is run by Caspers Company, a Florida franchisee of McDonalds; CEO Blake Casper apparently attended London School of Economics.
The bookstore focuses on highly selected best-sellers, autographed editions and classics. I happened to find a book by Ethan Canin, my favorite author, on the center table. Also quite special for me on the table was a Modern Library reissue of the Jane Jacobs classic, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. They also get great authors for book signings; just this month Shark Tank‘s Daymond John visited.
Oxford Exchange
420 West Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33606
oxfordexchange.com
