Blog Topic: Business, Man

Culture Briefs: Homeplace Will Close Later This Year

By Barbette Houser | January 15, 2015 10:20am

Photo Credit: Barbette Houser

Homeplace, an Athens tradition, will close later this year

Homeplace Gifts and Toys, the beloved purveyor of wooden train sets, English soaps, Christmas ornaments and linen dresses, will close its doors later this year. The Five Points shop has been open for over 45 years and has been a favorite source of gifts and homewares for many local families.

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In the Loop: Pharmaceutical Company Coming to Bogart

By Lee Becker | September 30, 2014 12:21pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

A Massachusetts biopharmaceutical company with roots at the University of Georgia has signed a lease for two buildings being completed at Gateway Technology and Business Park in Bogart.

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In the Loop: Athens Tax Revenue Increased in Spite of Losing Stores

By Lee Becker | September 29, 2014 3:24pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax revenues increased 10.1 percent in Oconee County following the opening of a cluster of stores, including Marshalls, PetSmart and Gap, in Epps Bridge Centre in the third quarter of 2013.

But Clarke County also increased its revenue from its SPLOST tax during that same period even while it was losing stores to Epps Bridge Centre.

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Grub Notes: Automatic Pizza Wins Approval for Beer and Wine

By Blake Aued | September 19, 2014 11:59am

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

The Athens-Clarke County Commission approved a waiver Thursday night for Automatic Pizza to serve beer and wine, paving the way for a mid-October opening.

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In the Loop: Senior Assisted Living Center Gets OK

By Lee Becker | September 18, 2014 1:20pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

The future site of Thrive.

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office issued a building permit on Thursday for construction of the 70-unit Thrive senior living facility on Virgil Langford Road in Resurgence Park.

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Grub Notes: Southern Brewing Co. Broke Ground Today

By Blake Aued | September 3, 2014 3:59pm

Southern Brewing Co.'s construction site. Photo courtesy of Athens-Clarke County.

Another Athens brewery, Southern Brewing Co., broke ground this morning and is scheduled to open in May 2015.

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In the Loop: Foundry Park Inn Is Becoming Graduate Athens

By Blake Aued | August 29, 2014 12:28pm

The Foundry Park Inn & Spa is being renovated into a boutique hotel and will be rechristened Graduate Athens in October, Chicago-based hospitality and real estate company AJ Capital Partners, which bought the property earlier this year, announced Thursday.

Music venue The Melting Point is being renamed the Foundry, and the Hoyt House has been converted into four suites.

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In the Loop: Giant New Space Kroger Opens in Athens

By Blake Aued | August 28, 2014 11:46am

The Space Kroger flies over New York on its way to land near Athens Tech.

East Athens residents, rejoice! No longer will you face the choice of the Madison County Ingles, whatever they're calling the old Piggly-Wiggly on North Avenue this week and schlepping across town to Publix or Broken Kroger.

Now you have your very own Kroger—Space Kroger. It opened off Highway 29 on Wednesday, and it's THE SIZE OF ONE WALMART! Wave to the Hubble before you walk in.

Seriously, it's 123,000 square feet, making it the biggest Kroger in Georgia. Not only does it sell food, but also gas, clothes and even jewelry. The shopping center also boasts a Great Clips, Posh Nails, Shane’s Rib Shack, Jersey Mikes, Pizza Hut, Panda China and AT&T. Sounds uniquely Athens.

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In the Loop: New Road Will Open Oconee Land for Development

By | August 26, 2014 1:40pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Oconee County will soon begin design work for an extension of Parkway Boulevard, which will open up new land for development behind Lowe’s and Walmart, if the Board of Commissioners approves a design services contract for the project tonight.

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In the Loop: Another Retirement Home Is Coming to Oconee

By Lee Becker | August 19, 2014 1:08pm

The proposed home of The Fairways.

Eco Development Group of Athens is asking the Oconee County Planning Commission to recommend rezoning a mothballed residential subdivision off Virgil Langford Road so it can build what it calls a “seniors continuum of care retirement community.”

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