THE SHARP SICKLE HAS ARMUCHEE SITE BREWING. BIGGER IS BETTER FOR LA MEXICANA.
The Sharp Sickle has some growth plans coming together. Look for a second location to open on Old Summerville Road at the former Mulch & More store just off Martha Berry. On the way: Coffee, expresso, tea, breakfast and pastries.
The original just celebrated a year at 329 Broad St. where the windows say it all: faith, hope, Jesus. We checked with the operators of one of downtown Rome’s most unique shops for an update:
“We are absolutely keeping the downtown location. Rome has been good to us and we are expanding. The new one will be drive-through with all-day breakfast items and a larger area to bake.”
The business is unique enough to draw folks off Martha Berry from the mall as well as Armuchee, Redmond and West Rome.
It is the latest caffeine fix here, following the recent opening of Scooter’s on Shorter Avenue, a new Dunkin doughnuts and coffee shop also on Alabama Highway, a second stand-alone Starbucks, Swift & Finch, Lumina and a few others. That’s on top of Java Joy baristas and Shelby’s Coffee as both are always on the mobile.
LA MEXICANA: BIG AND BETTER
One of the main businesses serving West Rome’s Hispanic — and Anglo — communities has completed a move to larger quarters with more parking.
La Mexicana supermarket and restaurant moved from 2202 Shorter Ave. to a spot about a football field away in Redmond-facing Gala Plaza. It is the former home of Save-a-lot grocers, which closed in September 2019.
A quick spin inside last Friday showed a much larger layout for groceries, a business center and the relocated restaurant — all under the same roof. Already known for one of the larger meat counters in town, the new location seems even larger, sprawling across the back of the store.
The restaurant, home to some of the best sandwiches in town in addition to more traditional Mexican food, is now on your left as you enter the main entrance. A second set of doors off the parking lot leads into the restaurant area itself. There are no floor-to-ceiling walls separating the dining area from the bakery and refrigerated section of the store.
The move is basically complete, although some areas were still being stocked last Friday. The former locations are vacant with bilingual signage directing customers to the new store around the corner.
The move also comes as another Mexican restaurant prepares to open nearby, Tequila’s Bar and Grill, in the former M& J home cooking spot just below the Shorter/redmond interchange.
HOME SALES STILL OFF
Mixed numbers in February: Home sales didn’t budge much in February in Floyd County following a slow start to the year. Members of the Greater Rome Board of Realtors sold 64 homes in February, up from 53 in January but below the 79 sales from a year earlier.
Median prices were down year over year — from $220,000 in February 2022 to $197,500 last month.
In Bartow, better news: 107 homes sold last month, up 29 from January and 11 more than February 2022. Median sales prices continued to climb, from $291,000 in February of last year to $310,000 last month.
PEAKS & VALLEYS
The highs and lows of Northwest Georgia Peak to Rome Police Officer Kevin Drew: On a soggy Sunday morning, the private first class jumped into action as the traffic light at Martha Berry and Turner Mccall sank. As noted by passing motorists, Drew held the light to help ease traffic until repair crews arrived. Says RPD in a Facebook post: “If you know ‘Drew,’ you know this is just who he is, an all-around great guy.”
Valley to putting sports before doing what’s right: Police say Alabama star Brandon Miller delivered the gun used to kill a man on Jan. 14 in answer to the murder suspect’s request. Miller has not been charged but was openly identified by investigators. The murder happened in the middle of Alabama’s breakout basketball season and, with Miller back on the floor, the Crimson Tide won the SEC and sits atop tournament brackets. March Madness, indeed.
Around Town publishes each Tuesday and Friday in the Rome News-tribune. Comments and news tips can be shared by sending an
email to jdruckenmiller@rn-t.com.