IN Business

 RETAIL SPOTLIGHT

Pistachio Hill, a high-end stationary design company known for its wedding invitations, is teaming up with Atlanta letterpress company, The Press Room, to launch a deluxe line of stationery called "The Mayfair Collection." The line has six originally designed notecards depicting unique motifs and calligraphic swirls. Each piece is printed on 120-pound cardstock with a weave finish and richly textured surface. Once pressed into the paper, each intricate detail of the design is illuminated by the light and shadow effect that letterpress gives. The cards come with matching envelopes available in a package of 20 un-customized stationery or a package of 50 with customer’s choice of name or greeting. "There’s been such a demand for letterpress recently," said The Press Room owner, David Brough. "People just love the handcrafted feel of the impression on paper. In my opinion, the revival of letterpress is a reaction to the high-tech digital age. There is a resurgence going on in general in the popularity of materials that are made by craftsmen. People just value more the quality of handmade items." www.atlantapressroom.com.

RETAIL NEWS

Gado Gado has opened a new location in Decatur at 431-1 West Ponce de Leon Ave. The 2,200-square-foot showroom showcases the store’s imported handcrafted teak and solid-wood furniture, home accessories, silver jewelry and textiles. (404) 377-9755 or www.gadogado.com.

Looking for something unusual and not mass-market in lighting? The Coalition Society offers handmade pieces created in limited editions of 100. Rob Kennedy, Mary Beth Simpson and Bryan Albrecht, formerly of Domus, have come together to form the Coalition Society team. (404) 352-7290 or CS@CoalitionSociety.com.

Flower Bar has opened a Buckhead location at Jake’s Ice Cream on Kings Circle in Peachtree Hills. Owner Amber Schoepp has duplicated her urban market stall concept – offering a selection of creative goods – started at the Inman Park ice creamery, adding flowers, cupcakes from Sweet Pockets and Sally B’s organic skincare products. www.kingscirclemarket.com, www.irwinstreetmarket.com  or www.flowerbar.org.  

Bob Doster and Dan Fulkerson have opened Glance Gallery at 2131 Liddell Drive in Buckhead. This is a sister location to the successful Glance Gallery in Raleigh, N.C. The gallery held its first show last month featuring artists like Mia Yoon, Wanda Steppe and Jill Bullitt. It specializes in corporate sales and artist representation. www.glancegallery.com.

Affairs to Remember Caterers will move from its Midtown digs to a 24,000-square-foot facility on the West Side this spring. The $5 million facility will be fitted with state-of-the-art kitchens, dining and event rooms. www.affairs.com.  

Scrap Chic Boutique (SCB), a new scrapbook and paper-crafting store has opened in Decatur. The owners – four women (teachers and moms) who began scrapbooking three years ago to relieve stress and create family memories – each have their own style, which is reflected in the specialty papers, scrapbooks, products and embellishments. The store also offers an "art bar" where customers can experiment with new hardware, get design input and learn about other paper-crafting projects. The scrapbook shop is located at 906 W. College Ave. (404) 378-2115 or www.scrapchicboutique.com.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Fun Fitness is bringing back its popular Boot Camp outdoor fitness program to Candler Park from March 26 to May 14. The sixth annual boot camp is led by certified trainer and former Army reservist Jaye Crawford. The eight-week program uses old-fashioned drills and calisthenics for a challenging 90-minute workout. You can select one to three days a week and different levels for your fitness ability. Cost: eight classes for $120; 16 for $230; or 24 for $350. Registration ends Friday, March 21. Fun Fitness will also begin a new program called Fit Moms, a six-week class using your baby and stroller as part of the fun. Classes will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. from April 10 to May 15. Cost: six classes for $90 or 12 for $180. Husbands or partners can take part for free. Registration ends April 6. For more info visit www.funfitnessonline.com.  

MRI & Imaging of Georgia is offering for the first time in Georgia a state-of-the-art, non-surgical, outpatient treatment option for uterine fibroids. The procedure is performed with ExAblate 2000, the only FDA-approved magnetic-resonance-guided focused ultrasound device for treating uterine fibroid tumors. Visit www.MRIofGA.com   to find where the new treatment is available.

Repose Med Spa in Sandy Springs is holding a "Woman to Woman Progressive Pampering Day" the second Tuesday of every month sponsored by the women-owned businesses of The Shoppes at Perimeter Place. Shop, enjoy refreshments and win prizes. A portion of sales benefits the Fragile Kids Foundation. 452 Olde Perimeter Way, Suite 200. www.reposemedspa.com.

Northside Hospital has opened a comprehensive Spine Center to address a broad range of lower back problems experienced by approximately 80 percent of Americans at some time in their lives. The center provides evaluation, diagnostic testing and treatment in neurosurgery, pain management, general surgery, orthopedics, radiology, weight loss, exercise and more. 5670 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road. (The Tower at Northside), Suite 950. (404) 459-1809.

Facial toning is one way to fight off sagging jowls or wrinkled foreheads. Happy Face Yoga offers a series of toning and strengthening exercises designed to stimulate the 57 muscles of the face and neck. Instructor Gary Sikorski is starting up the business with 75-minute classes that will meet once a week for six weeks. Classes will be held at Urban Body Studios in Midtown, Decatur Hot Yoga, Marietta Yoga Center and the International School of Skin & Nail Care in Sandy Springs. (404) 872-0082, e-mail SikorskiG@earthlink.net or visit www.HappyFaceYoga.com.

Race officials at the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon are offering more than $30,000 in award money to runners at the inaugural race, Sunday, March 25. The first-place male and female in the Open Division of the Marathon will receive $5,000 each. The Half Marathon will pay $1,500 to each first-place finisher in the Open Division. An additional $9,000 will be awarded to participants in the Wheelchair Division of the Half Marathon. Other payouts will be made in both races. The race will begin at 7 a.m. from Underground Atlanta. www.inggeorgiamarathon.com.

Hospice Atlanta needs volunteers at the Hospice Atlanta Center in assisted living communities and in the homes of families dealing with a life-limiting illness. Opportunities at the center include general office work, and music and art activities. The organization also needs help with its speakers’ bureau and fundraising events. No hands-on care or previous experience necessary. For more information, contact Barbara_moore@vnhs.org or (404) 869-3086.

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta is now open at the Midtown luxury hotel on 14th Street. The 3,000-square-foot facility cost $1.3 million to build and will have 10 treatment rooms and plenty of technicians on hand for pedicures, manicures and more. The Spa, which is open to the public, will feature a 25-minute "de-stress" massage for $70 and a full, 50-minute rubdown for $120. The Spa will also carry high-end skin-care lotions, shampoos and more. To book an appointment: (404) 253-3848.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has opened a 33,500-square-foot expansion with 54 beds called the Emergency Department at Children’s Healthcare at Scottish Rite. This will provide patient families with private triage rooms, less waiting time and larger trauma rooms. The peacock-themed emergency department includes a full-service specialty orthopedic space specifically for treating fractures and a new "Fast Track" service, allowing less downtime between registration, treatment and discharge. www.choa.org.

NETWORKING

International networking group Gather The Women (GTW) will meet in Atlanta on Saturday, March 10, to mark its first Southeastern event. Susan Trammell, regional coordinator for GTW/Atlanta, said the nonprofit is a multicultural, intergenerational network that connects via the Internet and in face-to-face gatherings to ignite passions, discover new vehicles for expression and create greater understanding and compassion in the world. The program, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The Galloway School in northwest Atlanta, will include a panel of local women exploring what inspires and sustains them in fulfilling their passions. Registration is $10 cash or check at the door, or participants can register online while learning more about GTW at www.gatherthewomen.org.  

The Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC) welcomes the Atlanta community to the ninth Annual Community and Business Awards to be held at the Fox Theatre on Wednesday, March 14. The AGLCC produces the event to celebrate business success and leadership among the GLBT and allied community. Tickets are $85 for general admission and $125 for VIP admission, and can be purchased at www.atlantagaychamber.org or by calling (404) 377-4258.

MONEY AND FINANCE

Need help preparing your taxes this year? The Atlanta-Fulton County Library has set up tax aide sites at a number of its branches, with free assistance through April 16. The Intown branches include:

• Buckhead, 269 Buckhead Ave. Mondays, 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Thursdays, from noon to 4 p.m.

• Sandy Springs, 395 Mount Vernon Highway. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• West End, 525 Peeples St. Thursdays, noon to 4 p.m.

Visit www.afplweb.com.  

Bank of North Georgia announced that Linda D. Davis, senior vice president and private client services relationship manager, has been promoted to team leader. Davis is located at the bank’s Buckhead office at 3495 Piedmont Road. Davis joined Bank of North Georgia in 2006, and has more than 30 years of banking experience. Previously, she worked for Wachovia Bank as vice president and senior credit advisor.

AWARDS AND BOARDS

Pull-A-Part, the Atlanta-based automotive used parts retailer, has been given a 2006 Keep Georgia Beautiful Award from the state Department of Community Affairs for waste reduction and recycling. The company also recently received a proclamation from Gov. Sonny Purdue and the House of Representatives for its recycling efforts. Pull-A-Part, which has a location on Buford Highway and another in Conley, was acknowledged for its efforts to keep abandoned vehicles off neighborhood streets, create new systems to ensure safe drainage and for recycling all fluids and hazardous materials remaining in the vehicles it processes. The company also opens its facilities to police- and fire-training programs in the areas it serves throughout the nation. Based on recycling an average of 2,000 tons of automobiles each month at the two Georgia locations, Pull-A-Part annually prevents 2.9 million pounds of waste from entering Georgia landfills. www.pullapart.com.

Miles J. Alexander, intellectual property partner with Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, received the State Bar of Georgia’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the Atlanta community….Sally Dorsey was named "Woman of the Year" by the Buckhead Girls Club for her volunteer leadership at Piedmont Hospital, the Atlanta History Center, the Georgia Museum of Art and the Governor’s Fine Arts Commission. Dorsey selected Project Open Hand to receive the organization’s grant this year.

The Atlanta Community ToolBank seeks donations of used and new tools to to expand its capacity to equip volunteers in metro Atlanta. The ToolBank will accept tool donations at five locations throughout Atlanta from March 29 until April 1 at the Ace Hardware stores on East College Avenue and Scott Boulevard in Decatur, West Paces Ferry Road in Buckhead, R.D. Abernathy Boulevard in West End, as well as the Home & Design Show at the Galleria. The donated tools will support the ToolBank’s Tool Library, which provides tools to Atlanta’s nonprofit organizations for use in volunteer service projects. The ToolBank equipped more than 54,000 volunteers in 2006. The ToolBank is the country’s largest tool lending program, providing tools and equipment for nonprofit organizations, public schools, faith-based groups and neighborhood associations. More than 700 projects used ToolBank equipment in 2006 in nearly every park, public school, senior’s home and playground in metro Atlanta. www.toolbank.org.