“Discover Ocala has been a trademark of Showcase Properties for years, but it’s more than just a motto or a catchphrase,” explains Valerie Dailey, Owner/Broker of Showcase and podcast host. “For people who live here, it’s a rediscovery of things they might have forgotten or even known existed. For others who may not be familiar with our area, we wanted this to be a good window into what it’s like – and why we love the region so much.”
Central Florida doesn’t really fit that image; we’re about horses and agriculture, environmental conservation, sustainable farming, nature and forest conservation, sparkling springs, a robust art culture, and a much slower-paced way of life.
“Discover Ocala has been a trademark of Showcase Properties for years, but it’s more than just a motto or a catchphrase. For people who live here, it’s a rediscovery of things they might have forgotten or even known existed.”
— Valerie Dailey, Owner/Broker of Showcase and podcast host
We have some of the most beautiful and pristine wildlife, natural springs and conservation areas in the country, where ecotourists, nature lovers, hikers, and campers come in droves to enjoy. Our vibrant, robust art culture adds an inclusive energy to the community, with art shows, exhibits, a thriving theatre and music circle, and popular arts and crafts markets and festivals. With our proximity to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, we’re situated very handily within a day’s trip to either one (if you’re into the vibe of sub-tropical night life), and our central location makes Ocala a key hub for commercial suppliers and distributors.
If you’re a regular or even occasional reader of our blog, then you know how much we enjoy writing about what’s going on in Ocala. We love having conversations about the things that enrich and contribute to our community– and believe us, there’s a lot to talk about.
This is the Horse Capital of the World®, where legends in the equestrian community come to raise, breed, and train the best thoroughbreds in the business, and where horses are the nucleus around which much of our economic development thrives. It’s made Ocala a famous and much-sought-after destination for professionals in the equine industry. Arguably, Ocala became the equine powerhouse it is now because of the thoroughbred industry that was generated and built around it. Our climate, limestone-rich soil – which is full of minerals that make super-nutritious and delicious horse food – and sustainable agriculture literally laid the foundation for steady growth as more trainers, riders, and breeders put down stakes. Iconic horse farms sprouted up and flourished for decades, further strengthening an almost exclusively-concentrated equine infrastructure and economic impact.
In short, it’s a juggernaut built by horses.
Beyond that, there’s also a variety of businesses both small and large that create a unique landscape for workers and consumers alike. In fact, Ocala is home to distribution centers, including Chewy, Amazon, Dollar Tree, FedEx, Autozone, E-One, Signature Brands – and with a variety of warehouses currently under construction, we’ll likely welcome even more in the future. There’s also plenty of small businesses and restaurants that dot the landscape, offering plenty of unique products, services, and experiences.
So we think this is a wonderful place to live and grow roots.
“We really want our audience to have the opportunity of discovering the different aspects of the community that they may not have known about before, and to hear about them directly from the organizations, efforts and individuals who make the landscape so interesting.”
— Valerie Dailey, Owner/Broker of Showcase and podcast host
Through the podcast, we wanted to develop a space to get together with amazing people in the community to talk about what’s happening, where it’s happening, and why we’re interested in it. We want to offer a platform that encourages dialogue and informs, illuminates, and hopefully inspires others to get involved. It doesn’t matter if it’s a local charity, a community organization, educational program, or small business – every individual can make a difference that impacts others for the better. Our podcast was created to explore and celebrate all of these things.
“We really want our audience to have the opportunity of discovering the different aspects of the community that they may not have known about before,” Dailey says,” and to hear about them directly from the organizations, efforts and individuals who make the landscape so interesting.”
“It’s been almost a complete change, a whole new era – a whole new vision of what they want to see a horse show become,” he says in the podcast. “We started here with Ocala. This is a location that has been part of the HITS family for almost forty years, and we’re thrilled to be here. Traub really believed in the investment to make Ocala special for the HITS family, and it’s just the start.”
Discover Ocala is hosted by Showcase Owner/Broker Valerie Dailey, and can be found on these platforms:
-
- Spotify
- Google Podcasts
- iHeartRadio
- Podcast Index
- Podcast Addict
-
- Podchaser
- PocketCasts
- Deezer
- Listen Notes
- Player FM