Some of the best mornings in Florida start with a wrong turn. I pulled into a small lot north of Tampa because the cars parked there made me curious, and what looked like a couple of old buildings turned out to be a whole cluster of little shops, gardens, and rooms full of handmade things.
An hour disappeared before I noticed. If you like places where nothing is mass-produced and nobody rushes you, this one deserves a slow morning.
Where the Old Whistle Stop Sits
Fourth Avenue NW in Lutz, Florida, does not announce itself as a shopping destination. Then a group of small buildings appears at number 100, cars filling the lot, and a hand-lettered look about the whole property.
Officially, Lutz Whistle Stop Depot is listed as a home goods store. That label undersells it badly…