By Osayi Endolyn

Maple Street Guitars has been around since 1981, but owners George and Claire Petsch still hear the same thing from new comers: “We’ve lived here for ages, but never knew you were here!”

Housed in its current location at the corner of Maple Street and Peachtree Road in Buckhead since 1987, the Petsch family and their diverse, talented staff fancy themselves a community resource for all things guitar  – lessons, repairs and sales. They’ve crafted quite the local following and determined customers even come from out of state to experience the care and robust knowledge the team shares with masters and novices alike.

Entering the store, you’ll find rows of beautiful, shiny guitars hanging side-by-side, the soft aroma of various woods honed to specification and of course, the shopper who (with the help of a staff member) points out one gleaming instrument with eyes aglow, is carefully handed the piece and begins to play. It’s fairly romantic.

When a person introduces themselves to a guitar, it is an intimate encounter. That guitar might become the thing that allows a musician to express herself in a way she never could before. It’s magical. That’s why Maple Street Guitars focuses so much of their attention on teaching.

Don’t let the candy-like allure of gorgeous guitars fool you – head towards the back of the shop and you’ll find several rooms where lessons take place. Behind all that beauty lies a committed work ethic and a lot of practice. A lot. Just ask the Petschs, they should know. When George and Claire met in the 1970s, it was at the now-closed Sutherland’s House of Guitars. It was located near where Maple Street Guitars is now. They both took classical guitar lessons there. “Eventually, we opted to go our own way,” says Claire. After that, “we just grew, mostly by word of mouth.”

The Petschs intention was to provide a space for high-quality lessons. “We wanted teachers who played well, followed music education, enjoyed teaching and working with people,” Claire says.

They found several seasoned professionals, the newest of which is Johnna Jeong, who has been at Maple Street for about seven years. “The teaching staff have had our hands in recording, performing extensively, producing and composing,” Jeong says. We all share a desire and drive to improve even more on the guitar.”

“Initially we didn’t intend to sell guitars, too,” says George. “But it turns out lessons and sales are symbiotic. When you have a student who wants to play, it makes sense to offer something that can help them achieve their goals. We found we were good at doing that.”

Before a guitar makes it to the sales floor, the team puts them through a tedious review and servicing process. “We go to tremendous lengths to make sure they’ve been selected and adjusted and are not going to sabotage anyone’s efforts to play,” Claire says.

When homegrown businesses must compete with huge online retailers, it is that kind of attention to detail and compassion for a guitar’s future owner that makes shopping local stand out.

“Our first priority is sound quality,” says Lindsay Petsch, son of George and Claire. About as old as the store itself, Lindsay literally grew up playing with Legos in the back. Now he works in the front as manager, “doing whatever needs to be done.”

When it comes to customers, the focus is clear: “We try to educate people on different brands and we ask a lot of questions about their needs. So it has less to do with sales and more to do with the customer making an informed decision,” Lindsay says.

“They’re a very friendly, very knowledgeable staff,” says Ede Wright, an Atlanta-based guitar player whose credits include jazz vocalist Lizz Wright (no relation) and the acclaimed kd lang. He’s been coming to Maple Street since 1989. “Everyone there has a passion for all things guitar, as it should be.”

“Now,” says George, “it’s pretty cool – we’re starting to see the children of customers who took lessons here as kids.” He grins, “You know, I figure I haven’t aged a bit.”

Visit Maple Street on the web at maplestreetguitars.com.

You sent in your nominations, we tabulated the finalists and now it’s time to to vote for Atlanta INtown’s Best of the Holidays 2011.  Voting is open now through Oct. 31 and the final results will appear in our December edition.

Following our new KEEP IT INtown campaign, we asked readers to nominate local businesses, events and restaurants rather than the usual national chains. Best of the Holidays is designed to showcase what our unique Intown neighborhoods have to offer. Those receiving the most nominations are on the final ballot.

Some of this year’s categories include Best Place for Last Minute Gifts, Best Global Cuisine, Best Place to Ring in the New Year, Best Salon or Spa, Best Pet Care and Boarding and many more.

By Sydia Bell

When was the last time you sat down and had a conversation that allowed you to share creative business solutions, be inspired by your peers and network among friends? That is exactly what happens every day at The Stove Works, a restored industrial complex on Krog Street in Inman Park.

Many might only know the building as the home of Rathbun’s restaurant and Krog Bar, but there’s a multitude of creative businesses that also inhabit this historic space.

I recently sat down with Shachar Oren of Neurotic Media, Richard Taylor of Taylor Architecture, Erik Stadler founder of Blue Sombrero, and Cliff Bramble, general manager of Rathbun’s. We gathered in Dolly Evans’ space, where she has operated Small Business Services for more than a decade, to discuss the collaborative atmosphere at The Stove Works.

“It’s always good to do business with people you know,” said Bramble. Since the complex is home to more than 15 different creative companies, the ability to network, learn from and be inspired by other businesses can only help with delivering the best possible product.

The collaborative process is highlighted by the work between three enterprises in The Stove Works: Mountain View Group, Mira Design & Strategy and Three Squared. All have benefited from collaborating with one another and have gone so far as hiring each other as contractors on certain projects.

This isn’t a complex that feels dry and sterile; on the contrary The Stove Works attracts companies whose owners and employees alike “don’t own a pair of slacks,” according to Oren.

Every business just seems to “fit” and that is exactly what Jeanie Wooster, owner of The Stove Works, strived for when choosing tenants. Bramble credits Wooster with creating such a healthy work environment because “the person who owns the building knows the building and cares.”

For Wooster it isn’t just about the bottom line or collecting a check, she understands that the personality found at The Stove Works is one of its greatest assets and is exactly what fosters credibility amongst the group.

Whether it is the food trucks found there every Wednesday, dog friendliness or free parking, The Stove Works has put the familiar saying, “Two heads are better than one,” into practice.

By Wendy Binns

How do you fit into this picture of KEEP IT INtown? This September issue kicks-off the new KEEP IT INtown campaign to support local business. How does this apply to you? Perhaps you are an owner or an employee of a local business. You could enjoy local arts, services and products. You might appreciate the environmental benefits and the economy it provides. You might recognize that there is a unique flavor, talent and story behind each business, which adds to the quality of life in your neighborhood. If any part of that sounds like you, we hope to hear from you.

Atlanta INtown isn’t big or corporate and we don’t have a big budget. What we do have are thousands of readers in print and online and a huge affinity for local business – a perfect setting to promote KEEP IT INtown. As we go into the fall and holiday season, we especially hope to encourage neighbors to choose local and shop local when they can.

A camera lens isn’t large enough to capture the entire local business scene, but the uber-talented Scott Lowden stepped in to help us capture a part of it. Scott was eager to work with us on this cover shoot because, like us, he believes in local. The photo encompasses a multi-faceted group and is intended to represent the diverse mix of talents and parts of Intown. You’ll see more testimonials in support as you flip through this issue and future issues. You can also hear from more people in our video online. We’d like to hear from you, too.

The cover photo is set in the Historic Fourth Ward Park, which is one of the first completed urban parks of the Atlanta BeltLine. Front and center in the blue shirt is Kwanza Hall who is Atlanta City Councilman for district 2 in which the park is located. Just over Kwanza’s right shoulder, is the Acting Executive Director of the Park Conservancy, Alisa Chambers. The local branded apparel and promotional product company, The Icebox, jumped on board to help the campaign with KEEP IT INtown decals you may have already started seeing in the windows of local storefronts. Please let me know if you’d like one or would like to help sponsor the next order of decals (we’re almost out!).

As a small business owner myself, I find what we do soul fulfilling. It’s motivating to hear feedback and offers to help with KEEP IT INtown. Please be in touch if you have an idea or contribution. This is an inclusive collaborative effort and the campaign can use your help. And, thank you for supporting our advertisers. They make all of INtown’s efforts possible.

Why KEEP IT INtown?
Please send your reason to wendy@atlantaintownpaper.com.

A few reasons from localfirst.com:
• Environmental Impact is Reduced: Local businesses make more local purchases and require less transportation. This reduces urban sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.
• Local Business Owners Invest in Community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community,
are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the city’s future.
• Customer Service is Better: Local businesses often hire people with more specific product or service expertise

By Brigette Flood

There is a bit of irony about a social media article in a printed newspaper. Although Atlanta INtown has an excellent mobile version and has nearly 13,000 followers on Twitter (@ATLINtownPaper), the majority of its content can be found in the paper you’re holding in your hands. Why? Because it’s locally-focused. Meant to be found, read and enjoyed at locations all over the city.

Why is an under-explored concept in social media. Even though the social sphere is changing rapidly, or maybe because it’s changing rapidly, many businesses and organizations see the need to jump in without exploring why beyond answers like “because Facebook has 750 million users so my information needs to be there, too.” Really they should be answering why. Why it’s good for customers and for the business.

There are some local standouts. Here’s my short list of favorite local businesses and organizations using social. A quick glance with an eye to why and providing Twitter handles for each. Find them on Facebook, too. Keep in mind that not only do they have a good social presence, each offers a uniquely awesome product or service. That’s something no amount of Twittering will change.

Atlanta Street Food Coalition and King of Pops (@ATLStreetFood, @theKingofPops) – Why? Location, location, location. It’s all about where they are and what they’re serving, with these mobile businesses. Only takes a quick look at Facebook and Twitter to see what’s for lunch and if they’re in the hood. Plus, Atlanta Street Food comes with a side of advocacy, promoting a single mission of tasty food cart and trucks to make meals more local by the day.

The Plaza (@plazaatlanta) – The oldest, hippest movie house in town has become a non-profit. So besides finding their latest indie events, movie listings and specials you can find volunteer opportunities and other ways to help keep The Plaza alive and kicking as the best local movie theater around.

Scoutmob and Half Off Depot (@scoutmob, @halfoffdepot) – Local deals.  By the day and by the hour. Why? Customer engagement, both to and from the community. Why check a website when you can easily see the latest offering in your news stream or Twitter feed? They both have an app for that too.

Who are your local favorites? Let me know @brigflood using the hashtag #LocalBest and we’ll include the results in a future column.

Local artists will eventually give Buck a unique look of their own to be displayed in the Bucks on the Streets public art exhibit. And, this month the community can celebrate with Buck at the Buck Naked Party on Thursday, Sept. 22, at Phipps Plaza Court of the South. This event will launch the project and tickets are $10.

The Bucks on the Street project will raise money for Livable Buckhead to develop green space with a network of trails and parks. Project GreenSpace identified Atlanta City Council District 7, greater Buckhead, as having fewer parks per capita than any other district in the entire city.

Spearheading Bucks on the Street are Donna Kain and Elizabeth Gill, both past Buckhead Business Association presidents. “The reaction has been very favorable in the community,” says Gill. “I think, like us, people in Buckhead want to have fun again and see this an opportunity to rebuild a vibrant Buckhead community. The Buckhead Business Foundation selected Livable Buckhead because we thought it was in line with our vision to give back specifically to Buckhead.”

Buckhead CID executive director Jim Durrett attended the Buckhead Business Association quarterly lunch in July and raised a big applause for this effort. “The funds will help us get us this biking and pedestrian greenway built. And, it’s an opportunity for a lot of people to have ownership of it – to have a share in this new investment,” he says. “Not only is it a quirky, interesting and fun project, but all the proceeds are going to benefit all of us. It’s a slam dunk opportunity.”

Sponsors will choose an artist and location of their designed 8-foot tall statue. The final statues will be unveiled at an auction party in 2012 and the whole project will be displayed on the streets in spring 2012. For information to become a sponsor, contact Elizabeth.gill@expresspros.com or donnalkain@charter.net.

For information about The Buck Naked Party and Bucks on the Street, visit BucksontheStreet.org.

Donna Kain

In the years following the financial collapse of 2008, Georgia’s banks have been hit particularly hard. Even harder hit have been the community banks in and around Atlanta. This economic shake-up has meant big changes for the folks behind the scenes, so Atlanta INtown decided to catch up with some of these community bankers to get their take on the state of community banking today and where they see it in the future.

With over 40 years in the banking industry, Marvin Cosgray has certainly ridden the highs and lows of this ever-changing economic climate. He’s served as president and CEO of several community banks in metro Atlanta since 1985, including The Buckhead Community Bank, which was acquired by State Bank & Trust in late 2009. The Buckhead Community Bank grew quickly during the real estate boom in the early 2000s, and like so many other community banks, took a big hit once the housing market collapsed.

But nearly two years later, Cosgray is pleased to report that he is no longer in survival mode. “I feel that there is a bright future for a well capitalized, well managed community bank,” he says.  “Unfortunately there will be more community banks closed in Georgia, but it will present an opportunity for the surviving banks to develop new business and grow.”

Today he’s managing director of Private Banking at Georgia Commerce Bank where his focus has shifted from real estate to local business development. “Georgia Commerce Bank raised additional capital from the local marketplace, allowing us to become the first bank in Georgia to pay back our TARP money to the U. S. Treasury,” he says. “We opened a new office in Buckhead that has been successful in developing a strong private banking customer base.”

As senior vice president of human resources at Georgia Commerce Bank, Katherine Kay has a unique perspective on the changes in community banking. She, too, was with The Buckhead Community Bank until its acquisition in 2009, but today she is happy to put those difficult times behind her.

“Being in HR in a community bank in 2008, my job was focused on cost reductions and doing more with less,” she says. “Now I’m with a well-capitalized bank and we are growing, hiring people, and most importantly, able to help our customers and the communities we serve. It’s a great feeling to get back to what community banking should be.”

Another veteran of The Buckhead Community Bank is Donna Kain, who has 30 years of experience working with local business owners. She moved to Fifth Third Bank in early 2011, and today she says the banking climate is growing stronger and more competitive all the time.

Brian McGuire

“My first love in banking has always been working directly with clients, and I am back to doing that on a daily basis,” she says. “The previous three years, I spent most of my time trying to manage problems. I’m thankful for that to be history.”

Kain believes Atlanta is still a great place to do business, but she recognizes the importance of keeping strong relationships with her clients. “I will say that banks are much more interested in the total relationship now than they might have been in the past,” she says. “Contrary to what many people think, banks are eager to lend money and are offering competitive rates.”

It is this community banking model that keeps Brian McGuire, Vice President of treasury management services at Private Bank of Buckhead, optimistic about the economic future of Atlanta.

“If anything, community bank customers have been more loyal during the challenging economy because they are getting the service other consumers are not,” he says. “Clients of a community bank don’t necessarily think bigger is better. On the contrary, they choose to do business with a local community bank that is small enough to know their customer and tailor their services to the needs of the local businesses and consumers.”

As with many places, community banking in Atlanta remains in flux, but according to McGuire, that’s not altogether a bad thing for consumers. “That climate of change has in many ways presented them with choices and opportunity,” he says. “There are some banks that remain on regulatory watch lists, but there also are some strong healthy banks. I am pleased to say that both through luck and strategic vision, ours is one of those healthy banks.”

After three years of big changes for community banks, one thing’s for sure. This crew remains committed to the local market. “Community bankers have always been viewed as the most trusted advisors in their communities,” Kay says. “Even during these difficult times, we have always maintained that level of trust. Our customers are loyal, and they’ve weathered the storm with us.”

By Collin Kelley

Five years ago, the Midtown Mile was set to be Atlanta’s answer to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and New York’s Madison Avenue. The stretch of Peachtree Street from 15^th Street to North Avenue was going to be a tree-line boulevard filled with luxury apartments, hotels, restaurants, one million square feet of retail space and a streetcar to ferry residents and visitors.

Then the economic meltdown began and the rapid construction that had been taking place in Midtown ground to a halt. The planned streetcar line was removed from the city’s short list of transportation priorities.

After more than two years of recession and the bottoming out of the real estate market, the Midtown Mile is showing signs of life once again.

Daniel Corp and Selig Enterprises announced construction of 77 12^th Street, a 22-story apartment building at 12^th and Crescent with 300 units and 20,000 square feet of street level retail. Construction is set to begin this fall, and the developers also have plans for a hotel and office space as part of the 12^th & Midtown project.

And although not on the Midtown Mile, Novare Group has announced it will build SkyHouse, a 23-story building with 320 luxury apartments on West Peachtree at 12^th Street. It will be quick walk to the Mile and its amenities.

The Midtown Alliance’s new CEO, Kevin Green, said  the economy slowed the pace of new development and there is still plenty of catching up to do with job growth, but Midtown is positioned to bounce back faster than other parts of the city.

“The tide is slowly coming back in and Midtown will come back faster because we have available housing, job options, urban amenities and transportation,” Green said.

Green said there is a growing segment of the population who want to live in the city and bee able to walk to work, shops and restaurants. “They want to be here instead of getting here,” he said.

Since the recession, there has been more discussion about building a denser city core and Green agrees that more high-rise apartments are needed. “It’s become an attractive option for many,” he said. “It’s great to see Daniel, Selig and Novare are recognizing the need.”

As INtown reported last month, condo sales are on the upswing again, but bringing in new retail to the Midtown Mile will be a different challenge.

Before the recession, there were rumors that Apple was interested in building a flagship store on the Mile along with other high-end national retailers. While those stores have never come to fruition, smaller shops and restaurants – including Ri Ra Irish Pub and the soon to open STK – have made their home on the Mile. Modern home furnishing store CB2 opened a 14,000 square foot retail store at 1080 Peachtree. Green said new retailers will be coming to the Mile and announcements will be made soon.

In the meantime, Green said the Midtown Alliance is working on projects like new unified signage to direct visitors to parking spaces and producing “pop up shopping” events to help existing retailers. On Sept. 8 -11 will see the Vogue Fashion Night Out on the Mile with apparel and jewelry. The popular Holiday Pop Up Shops will also return. The Street Food Thursday event, which brings the city’s food trucks to the park at 15^th Street, draws hundreds every week.

Green, who had only been on the job a week when this interview was conducted, said he left his post as executive director at the Clean Air Campaign because of the amazing opportunity to help Midtown grow.

“I’m looking out my window right now and I can already see the efforts that have been achieved and there is much more to come,” Green said.