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Faine Bringing Fashion Boutiques To Orlando, Tampa

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 1, 2008

LAKE BUENA VISTA Jeff Faine used to be a T-shirt and jeans kind of guy. Not anymore.

Like his reputation for being a physical and sometimes nasty center, Faine's fashion sense and business acumen have grown dramatically since he left Notre Dame with a communications degree six years ago. Now he is combining the two.

A boutique that Faine says he will take a hands-on approach to will open shortly after the start of the 2008 NFL season in downtown Orlando. Another will open in Tampa as soon as Faine can find a suitable location.

"We're looking for the perfect location," Faine said of opening a Forty Seven boutique in the Bay area. "We want an area that needs to be revitalized and brought back to life with restaurants and shops."

Faine found just such a spot in downtown Orlando, on the first floor of the Solaire condominium building on the corner of Magnolia and Church. The 3,600-square-foot shop will offer exclusive men's designs.

"We're bringing in a lot of lines that aren't carried around here," said Faine, who grew up in Orlando and came to the Bucs as a free agent in March. "Everything from boutique lines to streetwear to handmade suits."

Forty Seven is short for 407, the downtown Orlando area code, and it is Faine's first venture into the fashion industry. It is not, however, his first business venture.

He was involved with several restaurants and bars in Cleveland, his first stop in the NFL. He said he wasn't as hands-on with those projects as he intends to be with this one.

"I have people that work with me, but I'm very hands-on with this," he said. "With this, I pretty much check in with it day-to-day, and that will continue into the season."

Faine said his decision to open a boutique in Orlando and in Tampa is as much about improving the cities as it is feeding his passion for business and fashion.

"In order to become a real downtown, Orlando needs more restaurants and shops," he said. "They've got all these condos down there, and they're half full or a quarter full. So I hope to bring something unique there to help it grow."

Not Far Off
WR Joey Galloway's return to workouts doesn't appear to be far off. He spent a portion of Thursday's workout running sprints with a parachute tied to his back for resistance, and he took throws from former Bucs quarterback and current pro personnel director Doug Williams.

Galloway wasn't the only Buccaneer running sprints with a parachute. RB Cadillac Williams ran through similar drills. The running back's return to action is still a long way off, though. The Bucs plan to keep him out of team workouts until at least the start of the season.

Quote Of The Day
"For people to say we have the best offensive line in the history of our franchise before we've even played one game, that's just ridiculous." - Bucs coach Jon Gruden on claims that the Bucs' offensive line is one of the best in the league and perhaps the best in franchise history

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