In Kat DeRosa’s opinion, Plant City means more than people realize.
DeRosa, raised in a military family, has lived all over the world. But the small-town nature of Plant City has kept her coming back and, now that she’s settled down for good, DeRosa spends her time helping the community that welcomed her with open arms.
“The world changes, but you can’t forget where you came from,” DeRosa said.
Best known as the owner of the Original Big Dog’s Patio, DeRosa spends large chunks of her time developing the business scene in Historic Downtown and using her bar to raise money for local causes.
“It’s more, to me, than serving a drink,” DeRosa said. “It’s an avenue to reach out to people.”
FIRST HOMETOWN
Born in Paris, France, DeRosa’s family moved wherever her father was stationed. In 1975, when her father retired, the family moved to Plant City and DeRosa, who was working in law enforcement in the District of Columbia, transferred to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.
Although she didn’t stay permanently, Plant City kept drawing her back in.
“I’ve moved and gone three times and kept coming back here because of the town,” DeRosa said.
She eventually got into the bar business and, on two separate occasions, owned and operated Big Dog’s. After selling the property and seeing it change hands and names several times, DeRosa came back into the picture when the then-Rail Ale Pub went on the market. This time, she hopes to buy the building.
DeRosa approached the Plant City Photo Archive and History Center to get a greater insight on the history of the building and enjoys telling curious patrons about the history of the Big Dog’s building and the history of other Plant City locations.
HELPING HAND
DeRosa feels the need to give back to Plant City in any way she can — especially since her early life never gave her the opportunity to have a real hometown.
“This is like home … I guess this sounds silly to you, but people take it for granted,” DeRosa said. “People tell those stories like, ‘Oh, do you remember doing this in high school?’ I don’t have that. I don’t have anybody to tell those stories to.”
One of her primary goals is to help revitalize the downtown business scene and help the Midtown project become successful. DeRosa got involved with the Main Street program and spends much of her time traveling to business conventions to market Plant City.
“We have a lot of empty places down here,” DeRosa said. “My goal is to fill it up. That’s why I got on the board.”
But she also likes to give back to the community itself. DeRosa wants people to know her bar is always available for those who need a fundraising venue.
“Sometimes, people don’t want to ask for help, don’t know where to go for help or feel like they’re alone,” DeRosa said. “All of us know that any time, our life could change tomorrow … I would do them 24/7 if people came to me.”
DeRosa’s favorite thing to do is help kids have access to school supplies and clothing.
“I think a lot of people drive by like, ‘Oh, that’s just a bar,’” DeRosa said. “No. This is a hundred-year-old building with a story, that’s making news stories, that’s making impacts in people’s lives.”
DeRosa says, regardless of what she wants to use Big Dog’s for, downtown business owners have been supportive and willing to lend a hand.
“I’ve been real lucky that the women in the same industry downtown, we work really well together,” DeRosa said. “They’re very supportive. This town is blessed with some really strong women.”
(Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that DeRosa and her husband own the Original Big Dog's Patio and its building. It has since been corrected. We regret the error.)