Valdosta Daily Times

October 30, 2009

Business This Week: Helping students in need

Kay Harris

Do you have a business where you could use a pair of extra hands for a few days? Free?

I have a friend who is trying to put together a program so that teens 14 and over who get suspended from school will have someplace to go to do some good rather than just sit at home. The thought is to teach them a lesson, teach them responsibility and a work ethic, and expose the kids to something that may be lacking in another area of their life.

If there are any businesses who might be interested, please email me at kay.harris@gaflnews.com and I will get you in touch with the person who is trying to see if he can make this work.



Shopping for a cause!

It’s nice to shop to help a cause, and not be shopping just because. You can get a great start on your Christmas and holiday shopping this weekend at the Belk Charity Day Sale.

More than 40 charitable organizations locally are involved as beneficiaries of the ticket sales. You buy a ticket from one of them for $5, they keep that $5, and you take your ticket to Belk from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, and get some awesome discounts.





Business Roundup

Pirate’s Bluff in Five Points is open, alive and well these days after a change in ownership. The restaurant is revamping its menu a bit and is supposed to be just like the Pirate’s Bluff of old.

Good news! The Honeybaked Ham Co. & Cafe is reopening tomorrow in the same location it was in previously, next to Classic Art & Frame by the mall. It’s under new ownership.

And the Buffalo Wild Wings should be opening next weekend. Located by the mall, the new to Valdosta restaurant features a variety of wings and other menu items, and it’s a fun place to hang out, especially for sports fans.

Another new opening may take place next weekend or the week after, depending on how quickly things come together. The Creekside Tavern where Mulldoons used to be by the Y is nearly but not quite finished. The menu is supposed to be pretty creative and it’s going to be a night place and hangout for fun people.

Speaking of fun people, the newly renovated building in Remerton is open now with Bubba Highsmith’s State Farm office, NijemTech, and Coldwell Banker’s commercial office. It’s located next to the health food store in front of Charlie O’s.

Things can get a bit confusing around here at times, and some folks are under the impression that Hambrick Christmas Tree Farm is closing. Nope, not at all. They’ll be open starting Thanksgiving Day just like they’ve been since 1954, and if you’re one of those die-hards like me who wants a real Christmas tree every year, it’s a fun activity for the family.

In the strip center across from Moody AFB called Bemiss Village Square, there’s a new gym/ workout center, 4 Ever Fit, and a new dry cleaners and alterations business opening as well called Off-Base Express.

The Chick-Fil-A on Inner Perimeter is really taking shape. The walls are up and you can tell what the restaurant is going to be. It looks like it could be finished around the first of the year, weather permitting I’m sure.

The Southwest Georgia Bank hasn’t yet gone vertical, but the site prep should be about done. It’s going in on the corner of Country Club and North Valdosta Road.

And the addition to the Smok’n Pig is going right quick. They want to be open in a month and by the look of it, they may just make it.

That’s about it for this week, but if there’s anything I missed, please let me know!