By Kay Harris
You don’t have to go to New Orleans this year to find a fun venue to celebrate Mardi Gras. Valdosta’s own Big Easy transplant, Flavor of New Orleans owner Brian Antoine, is hosting a Masquerade Ball right here in town.
On Friday evening, revelers can buy tickets to the ball, and come dressed in their finest attire. Brian says that the balls he’s attended his whole life in his hometown are always formal, so men are expected to wear tuxes or at least suits, and ladies are expected to wear gowns.
“I just went to New Orleans and bought a couple hundred masks because I thought people might have a hard time finding them here,” he said.
So if you don’t have a Mardi Gras mask, one will be provided, and there will be live bands and entertainment along with a buffet dinner and a cash bar. And, of course, Mardi Gras beads.
The Masquerade Ball will be held in the loft above City Market on Patterson Street downtown, and tickets are available at the restaurant. The event is 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20, and if you’re one of those who have long lamented that there is no Mardi Gras celebration in town, you’ve got your wish!
Bridal Fair
Belk at the Valdosta mall is hosting a Bridal Expo on Sunday, Feb. 22. It’s free and open to the public, with several local vendors on hand to assist brides in their wedding planning. The expo is from 2 to 5 p.m. and there will be a fashion show and much more that day, so if you’re getting married anytime soon and you’re interested in attending, contact the store.
Business Roundup
Exciting news this week, at least for the quilters out there. A new store, Gone Quiltin’, is now open in the Lake Park outlet mall across from the Farmhouse restaurant, between two antique stores. The store is selling fabric, notions, quilt frames and anything else avid quilters need to complete their collection. The store opens at 10 a.m. seven days a week, and the owner also does longarm quilting, where she’ll take your completed quilt top and quilt it by machine for you.
Wilson Eye Center is expanding their building on North Patterson Street and they’re adding more exam rooms, a larger optical area, new office spaces and enlarging the lobby. They’re holding a ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday at noon.
Southeastern Federal Credit Union is hosting its official ribbon-cutting this week for its new building on the corner of North Valdosta Road and Country Club on Wednesday at 10 .m.
The Professional Academy of Barbers is opening on Monday this week, located in the old post office on Marion Street. The owner will be teaching barbering and accepting the public to practice on at a very low price. He’ll be open Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.
Another new store announcement, this one in Hahira, for Serendipity Vintage Glassware & Antiques on Main Street. They’ll be open the beginning of March.
As for the rest of the business news, Bojangles on Hill Avenue is moving along pretty well. Right in front of the new Holiday Inn, it’s a pretty good size restaurant.
The new Catfish House off Bemiss speedway by Highlands subdivision should be open in about a month, and the Ellianos right there should be open any day now.
It looks like Darby Bank in Valdosta is closing. The bank is a branch location for the company, based around Savannah.
The Ameris bank that was supposed to be built on the corner of North Valdosta Road and Country Club is apparently now going to be a Southwest Georgia Bank location. The main branch is in Moultrie. I understand they’ve been out surveying the land recently, so there may be activity going on there very soon.
The grand opening of the new Smith Drug Company distribution center is being held in Valdosta on Monday morning. I’m sure the community will welcome the company and its executives to town.
The big sale of property that I mentioned in last week’s column was the Verizon Wireless store on Norman Drive.
There is a new store opening on North Oak Street Extension called DeLoach Automotive. I’ll have more information next week.
That’s all there is this week, but if there’s something I missed, please let me know!
