Organization
For more than five years, Oxford Exchange has served as a premier, upscale gathering place in the Tampa Bay area.
Oxford Exchange is truly one of a kind. It is a restaurant, shared workspace, bookstore and shop all in one. True to its name, Oxford Exchange – on Kennedy Boulevard near the University of Tampa – borrows from the best of British culture and architecture, with a workspace inspired by London’s historic libraries and clubs, and a shop featuring a potpourri of the finest gifts and decor. The restaurant serves fresh, seasonal American fare; on weekends, the restaurant offers a brunch for which it is well-known. What’s more, Oxford Exchange hosts private events such as weddings, cocktail parties and corporate dinners, and programming including book clubs and lectures to complement the robust intellectual culture of the bookstore. All told, Oxford Exchange is a sort of all-inclusive gathering space for the bon vivants, intellectuals and socialites of Tampa Bay.
For more than five years, Oxford Exchange has served as a premier, upscale gathering place in the Tampa Bay area.
Oxford Exchange is truly one of a kind. It is a restaurant, shared workspace, bookstore and shop all in one. True to its name, Oxford Exchange – on Kennedy Boulevard near the University of Tampa – borrows from the best of British culture and architecture, with a workspace inspired by London’s historic libraries and clubs, and a shop featuring a potpourri of the finest gifts and decor. The restaurant serves fresh, seasonal American fare; on weekends, the restaurant offers a brunch for which it is well-known. What’s more, Oxford Exchange hosts private events such as weddings, cocktail parties and corporate dinners, and programming including book clubs and lectures to complement the robust intellectual culture of the bookstore. All told, Oxford Exchange is a sort of all-inclusive gathering space for the bon vivants, intellectuals and socialites of Tampa Bay.
Company Overview
Company Name
Oxford Exchange
Year Established
2012
Number of Employees
40
Profile
If community is the heart of Oxford Exchange, then history is most certainly its soul. Oxford Exchange's space is seated across the street from what was once Henry B. Plant’s legendary Tampa Bay Hotel. It has undergone several transformations throughout its lifetime. Originally constructed in 1891, it is believed to have begun as a humble stable. Then in the 1920s, an arcade of local shops and businesses occupied the space, a principal feature echoed in the current design. Following painstaking restoration, most notably of the century old brickwork, Oxford Exchange opened on Sept. 24, 2012.
Core values/mission statement
Oxford Exchange is a gathering place where culture and commerce converge to inspire social interaction.
Company Leadership
Co-owner
In addition to owning Oxford Exchange, Blake Casper and his sister Allison run Caspers Company, a family business. They are the third generation of Caspers ownership. Their grandfather, Fritz Casper, opened the very first McDonald’s in Tampa on South Dale Mabry almost 60 years ago, and they carry on the legacy of their father, Joe Casper, and continue their legacy of a people-first culture and a commitment to their people and community. Blake Casper joined the company in 1996 after graduating from the London School of Economics. He entered the operator program and worked as an assistant manager, manager, and supervisor. In 1998, Blake became operations manager for seven restaurants in St. Petersburg. A year later, he purchased the original Caspers Company McDonald's from Joe. In late 2000, a new chapter opened for Caspers Company when Blake purchased 13 restaurants in Tallahassee. Thirteen soon became 27 as Blake and his team catapulted the restaurants to success. Following his father's death in 2005, Blake assumed the role of chairman and CEO of Caspers Company.
Co-owner
After graduating from Southern Methodist University Law School in 1995, Allison and her husband Robby Adams both joined Caspers Company and enrolled in the second-generation operator program (only because a third-generation program did not exist). They worked in operations as assistant managers, store managers, and area supervisors. In 1999, they opened their first restaurant. Today they own two locations and Allison is a partner with Blake in Caspers Company. Blake and Allison's vision for Caspers Company is based firmly in the solid principles of business and community learned from Joe; they face the future with a razor-sharp focus on innovation, strategic growth, and a commitment to excellence.
