A Genteel Space

The Oxford Exchange, a rehabbed brick structure near downtown Tampa, wasn't supposed to be a money-maker. It was intended as a community gathering place, a setting for the exchange of ideas, and a way for Blake Casper and his sister, Allison Casper Adams, to give back to the community.

Barely 5 months old, the Exchange has indeed become a gathering place, an upscale hangout that draws CEOs and university students alike. Its soaring interior houses a restaurant, coffee and tea bars, lounge chairs, shops and a club where members can rent conference space by the hour or sit quietly with a laptop. The Oxford Exchange is Tampa's new go-to place for lunch or conversation, and patrons say it fills a void by providing Tampa with an elegant gathering space that could easily fit in New York or London.

Tampa residents fell in love with the eateries and shops, and the concept of thought-provoking speakers. They flocked to the restaurant, snatched up honey jars and candles at the shop, and have already prompted the Exchange's founder and director to expand into baked goods, new catering and branded merchandise. At lunch, the restaurant is so busy reservations are needed. Casper has rented a 3,500-square-foot adjacent store to build a second kitchen and bakery, a new shop that will be called the Marketplace.

Casper and Adams are partners in Caspers Co., a Tampa-based family firm that has owned McDonald's restaurants for more than half a century. Blake Casper, a graduate of the London School of Economics, is chairman and CEO of the firm. Adams is an entrepreneur and director of the Oxford Exchange. Caspers Co. owns 53 McDonald's.