As a way of showing their support to the Hahira community and to celebrate the groundbreaking of its new supermarket, Harveys will sponsor one final Great Hahira Pick-In on Nov. 7.

Harveys is part of the new Gateway Development, a multi-faceted community with retail, restaurant and residential areas. It’s being built on the land owned by Wilby Coleman that has long been known as the Pick-In Park. Since there is so much history behind their chosen site, the store along with their partners who are developing the property, ERA Joyner Realty, Shoneys, Wilby Coleman, Hahira and Lowndes County officials are all working together to create one final bluegrass celebration.

The original Hahira Bluegrass band will be reuniting with all of the original members plus several second and third generation additions. Wilby Coleman, Tom Odom, Sandy Odom (who will also once again emcee the event), Hoyt Hurt, Don Pettigrew, Stan Hall and Tom Bailey, plus Andy Patterson and Justin Coleman, will be playing just like the good old days.

The Pick-In ran for 16 years, but ended nearly a decade ago, so this will be a big homecoming celebration. Just like the old days, campers and RVs are welcome to come and set up on Friday night and stay until Sunday morning. Reservations are required as spaces are limited. The Hahira Bluegrass band will start the day at 10 a.m. Saturday and end it at 10 p.m. that night, with 7 bands playing throughout the day, clogging performances, and much more.

There are spaces for 20 vendors, to be filled on a first come, first served basis by application only. There is no charge for the event, so volunteers are needed throughout the day. Members of the Hahira Pick-In Committee have been hard at work on the event for several weeks and plans are really coming together.

If you are interested in volunteering, camping reservations or vendor applications, contact Avery Walden at (229) 794-8588.

And thank Harveys for helping bring back such a terrific Hahira tradition for one last time before the area is developed. What a great way to enter a community!



Business After Hours

Sonny’s Bar-B-Q is hosting a Business After Hours this week on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. The Norman Drive restaurant is the location as the folks there are eager to show off the renovations made to the building. All Chamber members are invited. To RSVP, go online to www.valdostachamber.com or email arussell@valdostachamber.com.

These events are a terrific way for business people to get together and network in an informal setting, so if you are interested, please give them a call.



Business Roundup

The folks from Taylor Insurance are moving into their new office building this weekend. They’ve taken an old, mid-century building and breathed new life into it, going green wherever possible. It’s located on N. Patterson St., right down from Wilson Eye Center, whose new expansion should be complete by early fall.

There is a new pizza place open on Baytree by the Pita Pit called Baytree Pizza. And there are new businesses moving into where the old health food store was in Remerton, Nijem Tech and the State Farm office of Bubba Highsmith. Also in Remerton, the store that was once the Baby Suite on Baytree by Little Caesars is now Sugar & Spice and has moved to Plum Street.

And I’m sorry to report that Luna’s restaurant in downtown Valdosta has closed. Maybe someone will buy it and reopen it soon? But there is good news downtown, as the Bleu Pub is now open where the Sportsman’s used to be.

A new doctor has moved to town. Dr. Sherry Colvin from Cairo has bought Lee Family Dentistry on Forrest St. and renamed it Nu-Smile. She practices general dentistry.

The Better Mood Clinic is opening this week in its new location on N. Ashley St. in the new office complex that will soon be fronted by a Quiznos. They’ve planned an open house on Thursday evening and will have a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday at 1 p.m.

A new business called Mary’s Salon opened this week at 1601 N. Ashley St.

The Ti-Lina Jewelry store has recently relocated from the strip center on St. Augustine by Crystal River Seafood to the shops on Gornto connected to the Publix supermarket.

And in this trying economy, one restaurant has decided to give back to its customers by hosting Free Tea Day on Thursday, July 23. McAlister’s Deli at the mall will be participating in the promotion. According to a press release, there are “tea freaks” who blog about the deli’s tea, and with such a loyal following, they’ve decided to give sweet tea away as a thank you to customers this week.

I’ll finish with a question — does anyone know what happened to Verizon? The store that just opened last year on Norman Drive is closed.

As always, if there’s anything I missed, please let me know!