AXE THROWING MOVING BROAD. NEW I-75 TO ‘EXIT STRATEGY.’
Armuchee’s Dairy Queen opens softly; entire GOP slate due here in September.
New name, new address for axe throwing in Rome: Already an indoor hit, Rome Axe Throwing is sharpening its appeal with two strategic moves.
One is physical, from East Eighth Avenue to 241 Broad St. It is the building that has been undergoing renovations for several years just down from The Vogue.
The second is a name change, to Game of Throwns, which pairs it with the downtown Cartersville axe-tossing spot off Tennessee and Cherokee adjacent to Drowned Valley Brewing.
For now, the East Eighth Avenue location remains open until updates are finished. And there might be a few more changes associated with all this. According to the Facebook post:
“Our current location has been great but it’s time to move on to bigger and better things! Our new space will allow us to create a fresh and welcoming atmosphere to be enjoyed by all. Rome Georgia, we are making this place special just for you.”
What we especially like about this one is the Broad Street shift as it brings more to do to the heart of downtown Rome. We hope they’ll consider expanded days of operation as well (currently closed Monday and Tuesday).
EXIT STRATEGY
New I-75 interchange between Adairsville, North Cartersville proposed. Thursday’s news about Duluth Trading Co. bringing a $53 million distribution center and 300 jobs to a site in northern Adairsville underscores just how hot the Bartow/gordon I-75 corridor remains.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Union Grove exit off I-75 south of Calhoun was created. These days, you need a spread sheet to track what’s going up there (just ask the Buc-ee’s folks).
Now comes word of another proposed cut, between mile markers 296 (Cassvillewhite Road) and 306 (Ga. 140) in Adairsville. Says a post on the Bartow County government Facebook page:
“... the city of Adairsville has investors interested in obtaining access to the interstate from their properties lying in the vicinity of mile marker 304. The development of an interstate interchange within this 10-mile stretch of I-75 would encourage economic development activity within the community.”
An open house on the new interchange is set for Aug. 17 from 4 until 7 p.m. at Adairsville City Hall.
As we’ve noted in recent months, the I-75 corridor is red hot in Bartow and Gordon counties. Millions of dollars in warehousing, industrial and logistics centers already are underway — and much more is coming. If this is approved (and it would take years), even more will arrive.
ARMUCHEE ICE CREAM CAKE?
As the Dairy Queen Grill & Chill at 4075 Martha Berry Highway starts a few days of “soft opening” today, the operators are using Facebook to promote some of the ice cream cakes in the freezers awaiting customers. Among the collage are a ton of “happy birthday” salutes and a few other designs as well. Our favorite suggestion, though, is: “Make an Armuchee-themed cake!” Now that one has some possibilities.
The spanking-new restaurant is owned and operated by Robby Staten, an accountant who grew up working at his dad’s pizza business in Dalton. “After the success of my first DQ location in Dalton, I knew I wanted to keep that momentum going,” said Staten.
The staff includes about 55 people, from crew members to managers. The restaurant and the drive-through are open from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
Any bets on how busy they’ll be today, especially as the Armuchee schools dismiss after the first three days of classes?
POPCORN & POLITICS
Floyd County Republican Party rally set for Sept. 10 at Coosa Valley Fairgrounds. On tap for the 18th edition of the event: What appears to be the entire Georgia GOP slate, from governor to “other local elected officials.”
Doors open at 10:30 a.m. with lunch starting at 11. It is free but there are two registration portals on the GOP Facebook page for those interested. The timing is just two months out from election day (Nov. 8) and remember, as many as 50% of voters now opt for advance polling.
Elections board meets Tuesday; precinct move (North Carolina) on the agenda. Say what you want about this new elections board; they certainly aren’t afraid to meet. Yet another called meeting has been set, this one at 5:30 p.m. at the elections office off East 12th Street. The purpose is to move the North Carolina precinct from Coosa Middle School to Pisgah Baptist Church, 5603 Alabama Highway.
PEAKS & VALLEYS: THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF NORTHWEST GEORGIA
Valley to the lack of notice about the Ledbetter bridge closing. So we’re tooling toward home Tuesday evening after a nice dinner in the River District when we notice the paving crews. Then we spot a police car with blue lights flashing. And directional cones. Meaning: The bridge from Turner Mccall to 411 East is closed. We do a quick loop up Maple, 19th and then Dean Avenue while wondering, “How did we miss that notice?” Answer: There wasn’t one. We realize this is a night project but people need to know these things.
Valley to the Calhoun Road project the very next day: “Road crews are paving on Calhoun Road south of Model High School. We encourage you to leave early or find alternate routes. Be prepared for longer than usual delays.” At least there was notice but, as one person replied, “All summer to do this and they pick the day school starts. Brilliant move ... just brilliant.” (Kind of like repaving Turner Mccall on Rome’s first day of school.)
Peak to the League of Women Voters of Rome-floyd County: In addition to everything else they do, league members have been busy staging voter registration drives at Food Truck Friday and other events. The deadline to register for the Nov. 8 general election is Oct. 11 if you’re a new, moved or lapsed voter. We applaud all efforts to recruit more voters, especially in the wake of the all the knee-jerk changes from the General Assembly the past year or so.