Business Briefs

NEW RETAIL

Finally! A shop specializing in kaleidoscopes! The Kaleidoscope Shop in Briarcliff Village features the work of more than 125 kaleidoscope artists from around the world. Shop owner Bobby Boal and her husband Jan also have a museum of early scopes. The couple previously operated the Veranda Historic Inn in Senoia, where they left tiny scopes on guests’ beds at night. The new shop is located at 2186 Henderson Mill Road, (404) 321-9978. www.kaleidoscopeshop.com.

Bargain hunters alert! Ross Dress for Less, the nation’s second largest discount store, has opened a new Atlanta location at The District at Howell Mill. Other stores can be found in South Buckhead, Edgewood, Sandy Springs and Perimeter. The stores offer discounts on department store clothing and accessories for the whole family as well as accent furniture, dÈcor and housewares. The store is open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. 1801 Howell Mill Road.

Golf & Tennis Pro Shop, Inc. has opened a superstore in Buckhead on a loop connecting Piedmont Road with Lindbergh Drive. The 65,000-square-foot store – formerly Home Depot Expo – is the fourth store in the metro area and features golf and tennis equipment as well as technology (swing simultors and launch monitors) for game improvement and accessories for home dÈcor. The new store includes an indoor tennis court, 10 hitting bays and seven PGA pros as well as repair staff and a community meeting room for local gatherings. It also has an indoor chipping green and large putting green as well as a large assortmentn of golf and tennis apparel. 515 Garson Road, (404) 364-6900 or www.pgatoursuperstore.com.

Apples and Beans is a baby and children’s gifts online store founded by Stephenson and Rebecca Strang in Atlanta. Gifts range in price from $7 to $53 and come from such vendors as Jellycat, Angel Dear, Kaloo, Sweet William, Dabberdoo and more. Visit www.applesandbeans.com.

EVENTS AND SALES

Paddywax – the candle store brainchild of Atlanta couple Gretchen Hollingsworth and David Duncan – is hosting a Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. including Champagne cocktails, cookies and a free gift with each $50 purchase. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 235 Dekalb Industrial Way, Decatur; (404) 378-7422 or www.paddywax.com.

Sam Flax is offering Scrapbooking/Paper Crafting demonstrations on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Instructor Nancy Gee will host the sessions in scrapbooking and design in a new classroom a the store. For more information on paper crafting demos or classes, please call Katie Jensen at 404-352-7200 Ex. 117.

Foxgloves & Ivy Floral Design Studio celebrates its 10th Annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, Nov. 11, all day. All holiday and select other items will be on sale. Food will be provided by Sun in My Belly. 1058 St. Charles Ave., www. Foxgloves.biz. (404) 892-7272.

Affairs to Remember Caterers and Theatre Decatur have teamed up to offer a "Party and a Play Package," which includes a party for kids and a visit to a play. The package begins with the opening of The Third Howl, Nov. 16 through Dec. 17 at Theatre Decatur, Trinity Avenue. The cost, $45 per adult, $35 per child, includes food and show. Minimum 20 guests. For more information, call (404) 876.6314.

Nov. 24, Sage boutiques in Midtown and Buckhead kick off the holiday season with their annual Toys-for-Tots holiday toy drive to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Visit either location through Dec. 20 and donate a new, unwrapped toy worth $10 or more and Sage will spread the holiday cheer with 25 percent off of a single clothing item. Sage in Midtown is located at 1745 Peachtree St. (404-815-0555) and in Buckhead at 37 West Paces Ferry Rd. (404-233-8280). Visit www.sageclothing.com.

HEALTH AND WELL BEING

Longtime former Atlanta attorney Dan McDougald has opened a local affiliate of CrossFit, a gym focusing on strength and conditioning programs consisting of compound movements and short, high-intensity cardiovascular sessions. CrossFit Atlanta, caters to all ages and abilities and advocates nutritional parameters, too – "Avoid sugar like the plague" is their advice. McDougall said he had been coaching rugby at Georgia Tech and discovered the CrossFit system through collegiate championships. The per session rate is $20; group sessions are $150 a month (unlimited). First-timers get a break the first week at $5 per session. No longterm contracts. 964 Watkins Street, (404) 419-6528 or www.crossfitatlanta.com.

Optique Atlanta is offering designer glasses and sunglasses – including Prada, Versace, Juicy, Dior and others – for $199. The store, opened in the new Lindbergh Plaza on Sidney Marcus, offers a 60-day guarantee. Dr. Peter Moresi, optometrist/owner, offers comprehensive eye exams, which include testing for glaucoma, cataracts and Matrix visual field as well as detection of early signs of macular degeneration, hypertension, diabetes and poor vision in children. Moresi, a 1985 graduate of the New England College of Optometry in Boston, has been practicing in Atlanta for more than 20 years. He also provides eye care to indigent natives in remote Mexican villages. (404) 467-0717.

Midtown Atlanta Wellness Center now offers weekend yoga classes to complement its menu of holistic healing therapies. The 75-minute beginner-level classes are held each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and noon to 1:15 p.m., in the center’s calming, intimate MindSpace yoga room. Classes are $15 and can be purchased as a series of six classes for $75. For more information, call 404-347-9444 or visit www.midtownatlantawellness.com.

The Intown Acupuncture Center in Oakhurst Village is celebrating its third anniversary with the addition of a new practitioner, Faith Russler. Free 20-minute consultations are available to determine if acupuncture serves your needs to treat pain, allergies, fatigue, fertility, mood swings and other issues. The center also offers massage therapy and psychotherapy. 340 Mead Rd. in Decatur; (404) 378-1543. www.IntownAcupuncture.com.

UPDATES

Worthwhile magazine resurfaces this month with a new look and a new name: Motto. After spending time and money fighting a suit from owners of another publication over the name, co-founders Anita Sharpe and Kevin Salwen opted to change the name rather than engage in expensive and time-consuming litigation. "The concept behind the name Motto is simple," they said in a letter to investors. "It is the principle behind one’s life....[and] reflects the strong values our magazine stands for, one that reflects our view that we can individually and collectively change the world and improve lives through our work...."

The Metro Atlanta Arts and Culture Coalition (MAACC) is celebrating its third anniversary and a new high in visitors to its Web site, www.AtlantaPlanIt.com (linked from www.AtlantaINtownPaper). More than 1.7 million visitors have dropped in over the 10 months to check on the best activities in arts and entertainment each day. Re-launched in August, AtlantaPlanIt.com lists updated event information from more than 400 arts and culture organizations in the metro Atlanta area.

Bennie’s, an Atlanta fixture since 1912, noted for over 35 years for its array of styles for men is getting in touch with its feminine side, adding women’s shoes to is inventory. Styles include a variety from Clarks and Privo, to name a few. Stores are located in Buckhead Crossing (Piedmont Road, 404-262-1966), The Esplanade (770-427-2945) and Norcross (770-447-1577). Visit www.benniesshoes.com.

The Pokey Pup is a new online shopping source for kids and parents featuring CDs, DVDs, books and more, planning to add clothes, too. Founder Bryan Townsend says he and his wife founded Pokey Pup to counter "dancing dinosaurs and singing aliens" that have flooded the market. The mission: To offer music, entertainment, books and toys that parents enjoy as much as their kids do. For more information about The Pokey Pup, visit www.pokeypup.com.

The Peach is a new MARTA route (Route 110) featuring specially designed buses traveling the Peachtree Corridor to improve connections between Buckhead and Downtown. The buses will run every 30 minutes between 6 a.m. and 1 a.m., seven days a week. Fare is $1.75, which includes transfers to MARTA rail or bus. For more information about The Peach, please contact MARTA customer service at 404/848-5000 or visit www.itsmarta.com.

BANKS AND MONEY

Private Bank of Buckhead is scheduled to open in renovated space in Building Three at Piedmont Center in mid-November. The bank will target private businesses and affluent individuals. Charlie Crawford, previously president of Riverside Bank of Buckhead, is president and chief executive officer of the bank. www.privatebankofbuckhead.com.

Sterling & Rhodes Mortgage Services has opened for business and has become the official sponsor of High Point Estates, a southwest Atlanta development of 180 new homes, and Alexander Lakes, a subdivision at Lake Oconee. President Akpo Igherighe – who formerly worked for McKinsey & Company and ING Financial Services – says the company specializes in working with young professionals buying or refinancing property. 1230 Peachtree St., Suite 1900, www.sterlingrhodes.com  or (404) 942-3627.