Lots of movement in Rome as businesses shift to new homes
Rome sees expanded eye care options in the region, big plus at LakePoint and brunch rebounds on Broad Street
This is a busy spring for the business community, especially for shops moving to new homes. You almost need the much-cliched scorecard to track the ongoing retail and restaurant changes in Northwest Georgia. It has meant mostly pluses for downtown Rome, with one pending exit as well.
Elder Ace Hardware’s jump from Turner McCall to West Rome is showing signs of life; two new eye care franchises are setting up shops across Northwest Georgia; an upgrade for the bustling LakePoint Sports community and, as always, there’s something new on the menu for the region’s dining faithful.
Here are a few things we’re watching.
THE MOVES
Larry Alford and his brother Barry moved ServiceMaster by Twins to U.S. 411 east of the bypass more than 15 years ago. As Larry says, he never thought they’d outgrow the site.
That was before ServiceMaster by Twins locked in the counties between Rome and Cleveland, Tennessee, to the north and from Rome to Conyers and Griffin to the south. And then a certified dry cleaner restoration business in North Alabama. Add to that the changing footprint and demands of Rome Cleaners, even as the pandemic altered the basic dress code of business people and even the religious.
Larry Alford talked about what has happened in recent months and what’s next. What we’re seeing:
The company has purchased 12.5 acres near Suhner Manufacturing off U.S. 27 South with future plans to consolidate ServiceMaster and other needs there. The 411 site is “just out of warehouse space,” he says. There’s no timetable but the move is needed soon, Alford says, adding that he’s in talks with engineers to get it moving. One option is a 70,000-squarefoot building, but there could be more. Part of the main building also would be up for lease.
They’ve likewise sold multiple properties, most recently the tract at 712 Broad St. they restored a few years ago. It was swept up in Andrew Heaner’s recent buys in downtown Rome (including the Cherokee Lodge).
Also sold were spots on Commerce Court near Hollywood Baptist Church.
Purchases include Plaza Cleaners at Central Plaza, which will soon be known at Rome Cleaners at Plaza. It will replace the drop off spot that anchored 712 Broad St. as of May 2 (new hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday).
A humbled Alford says they’ve been blessed and have seen “good growth every year,” even during the pandemic. During that time, they also analyzed their operations
and business trends, and made both sale and purchase plans looking at what’s ahead. Those plans, he says, are helping power the upcoming changes.
MOVING TO BROAD STREET
Misty and Brandon Pledger’s Combat Market, home of Blackout Coffee, is moving to 214 Broad St. with an opening targeted for late this month or early May. You can track the progress on the business Facebook page. The store is between Honeymoon Bakery and Mountains ice cream shop.
The Pledgers opened the shop in February 2021 at 202 Glenn Milner Blvd. with a heavy focus on veteran-owned, veteran-made products. That focus continues as the new signage on Broad Street includes “veteran made, veteran built.”
Also now on Broad is Flippie Hippie. The boutique reopening at 300 Broad St. was highlighted by a launch party on Friday. Previously a block over on Tribune Street, Flippie Hippie specializes in “hippie and trendy finds picked with Love and Good Vibes. Woman/mom owned boutique with Boho clothing, jewelry and more.” This move is a plus, especially given neighboring Cheeky Baby Boutique in the ground floor of The Lofts at Third & Broad.
HEADING TO WEST ROME
Elder’s Ace Hardware begins move into the former IGA in West Rome. First reported in October, we’re seeing more signs of life at the one-time grocer at the corner of Shorter Avenue and Division Street.
The plan is to relocate the popular hardware, paint and plant store from Turner McCall to West Rome. We have new notes into Elder’s Chattanooga office for updates but for now, we’re watching exterior work continue (fencing, display areas) and signs go up at the new location. An Elder’s representative working at the store said they’re looking at opening in mid-May.
The store has been vacant for more than four years.
What about the current Ace spot on Turner McCall? We’re hearing a local restaurant operator has kicked the tires. More soon.
AROUND THE REGION
Baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, wakeboard riding — all have done well at LakePoint Sports in recent years. To paraphrase a too-worn cliché, it looks like the Emerson sports hub indeed is ready for some football.
NFL FLAG, the official flag football organization associated with the league, is bringing the youth sport to the newly renovated multipurpose fields at LakePoint in a different way. NFL FLAG will host Georgia’s Friday Night Lights series, consisting of over 20 weekends through the year, at LakePoint, according to a media release.
“The multipurpose fields complex at LakePoint Sports is the perfect location to expand NFL FLAG in Georgia and to encourage more of today’s youth to play football,” said Izell Reese, CEO of RCX Sports. “You can see the effort LakePoint put into the complex to make it the best in the country.”
Along with the RCX partnership, NASA TopHat, the southeast’s premier soccer organization, is partnering with LakePoint to bring elite-level soccer competition to campus this year and beyond. The organization will be holding southeast regional tournaments and practices at the multi-purpose fields complex at LakePoint.
The football addition is key as LakePoint is seeing, on average, 1 million visitors per year.
We’re also watching the quick expansion of new eye care in Northwest Georgia.
EyeDrNow is open at 136 W. Belmont in Calhoun and there’s stirrings at a Rome location between Mathis True Value and Dos Bros. behind Big Dan’s Car Wash on Shorter Avenue.
And then there’s MyEyeDr, also rapidly expanding. The nearest location is at 123
W. Main St. in Cartersville. MyEyeDr. was founded in Washington, D.C., in 2001 and now has more than 500 locations; it offers exams by optometrists as well as an expanded eyewear selection.
RESTAURANTS
Taco Bell’s back — at least part of it — in East Rome. Closed for three months-plus for a significant, almost seven-digit, upgrade, the Taco Bell in East Rome off Turner McCall is back open — sort of. The good news is the drive-through lane is open, but the dining room remains out of service. No word yet on when it will return,
Brunch rebounds on Broad Street. With all the changes in downtown Rome dining recently — the loss of Crawdaddy and “transfer” of Bistro 208 — brunch service along Broad Street was looking a bit lean. Not these days.
Sunday brunch is now on the menu at John Henry’s Grill, served from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Options include a steak-andegg bowl, pork belly bowl, John Henry’s biscuit, the restaurant’s salad bar, French toast and more. Entrees are $14 to $26 with appetizers on the side.
This is in addition to partner restaurant Melinda’s next door, which offers Saturday brunch from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. It offers a different menu (breakfast platter, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits) with entrees from $12 to $21.