What's all the Fuss over this movie. ?

Wiggle is named Best Kids Clothes by Atlanta Magazine

Congratulations to Wiggle's

Wiggles gives thanks.
A big thanks to Atlanta Magazine for noticing little old Wiggle this year. We are proud to have been named Best Kids Clothes in Atlanta this year and will be featured in the upcoming edition of the magazine.

“Best of Atlanta Kids Clothes” — Parents who want their kids to look like kids–cute, playful, neat, innocent–and not like mini versions of the cast of Gossip Girl can rejoice in the updated classics and just-hip-enough lines carried by Kolby Sanders-Lewis. Unlike the many boutiques that overemphasize party clothes for girls, Wiggle caters to both boys and girls and stocks lots of affordable play clothes (love those Charlie Rocket hoodies and CoCo Bonbons pinafore dresses).

305 East College Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404-373-2522

Decatur Travel Agency

Photo of The Decatur Travel Agency put through photo-shop

Please come and visit us.
308 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Suite E
Decatur, Georgia 30030
Phone: (404)373-9493 or (404)373-9494
(800)969-4754

Decatur CD's Upcoming Show Guide - For November

November 21st - King Khan and BBQ Show @ Lenny's
November 21st - Darrell Scott @ Eddie's Attic
November 21st - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Castanets @ Drunken Unicorn
November 21st - Tinsley Ellis @ Variety Playhouse
November 21st - Stomp & Stammer 12th Anniversary (Featuring: The Coathangers, All the Saints, Noot D' Noot) @ The EARL
November 22nd - Stomp & Stammer 12th Anniversary (Featuring: The Reigning Sound, Mary Weiss [of The Shangri-Las]) @ The EARL
November 22nd - Amy Ray @ Variety Playhouse
November 22nd - Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Carbonas @ Eyedrum
November 22nd - Eagles of Death Metal @ Center Stage
November 23rd - The Bonaventure Quartet @ Eddie's Attic
November 24th - Q Tip, The Cool Kids, Janelle Monae @ Center Stage
November 24th - Gang Gang Dance @ The EARL
November 24th - B.B. King @ Tabernacle
November 28th - Modern Skirts @ The EARL
November 29th - Shawn Mullins @ Variety Playhouse
November 29th - Snowden @ The EARL
November 30th - Edwin McCain @ Eddie's Attic

Thanks Decatur CD for making this handy show guide.

Richard’s Variety Store Opens 2nd location

Retail is risky business in restless times

By RACHEL TOBIN RAMOS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Robert Klenberg looked for 10 years for a second location for his quirky, family-owned five-and-dime, Richard’s Variety Store.

Yet fear of opening another location — with another lease payment, more stock and additional staff — kept him waiting in the wings.
But last month, he finally did it. He opened a second outpost in the Midtown Promenade shopping center, next to a Trader Joe’s and Tuesday Morning.

It may seem counterintuitive to open a retail store in the midst of a recession. But a shaky economy hides blessings and curses.

On the blessing side, independent Atlanta retailers are finding more pliable landlords, better locations and an eager work force.

“Of course it scared me to open in the middle of the recession,” said Klenberg, 54. He and his wife, Ming Yang, 45, own and operate their two stores.

But Klenberg said the downturn helped him snag a prime location near two well-known retailers, restaurants, bars and a movie theater, right near Piedmont Park.

On the curse side, however, consumers right now are tight-fisted and unpredictable. Combined with the housing crisis and credit crunch, retailers are in for tough times during the holiday season — and beyond.

Photo:Jason Getz/jgetz@ajc.com
The ‘big pretty clock,’ as employees call it, watches over Richard’s Variety Store in the Midtown Promenade shopping center. The owners took 10 years to decide on the location, and they say business is great.

Pythagoras Masonic Temple & The Paper Chase

The Paper Chase sold used books,comic books & magazines.
It closed  not long after this was taken.

Photo circa 1983

In Your Face Pete by James Dean

Pete and his friend Sadie Belle are out for a joyride! Who knows where they may end up.

All Pete The Cat Art By: James Dean

Designer Kenneth Cole to speak at Emory

Designer Cole to speak at Emory

By GAYLE WHITE

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Designer Kenneth Cole, chairman of the world’s largest HIV/AIDS research organization, will give the keynote address at an Emory University ceremony marking World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. In the fourth annual “Quilt on the Quad,” the university will display 800 panels from he AIDS Memorial Quilt from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Cole, an Emory alumnus, will speak at the opening of the exhibit. The quilt display is sponsored by Emory Hillel.

HOOPLA - Fun Stuff For Kids

Hoopla, an eclectic children’s store in Decatur, started as a friendship. Sabrina Lilly and Linda Beckstein crossed paths as fellow “retailers” in the corporate world. Jobs changed but the friendship grew over time with lots of cups of coffee, dreaming of having their own store. Finally, as any seed that is planted and nurtured, it sprouted into a brick and mortar store with “fun stuff for kids”. Books, puzzles, retro toys and children’s apparel, shoes and accessories all come together to create a store for shopping and playing.
Hoopla Store

“It was really important for us to have a place that people could not only shop in but also have fun in” Sabrina and Linda agree.

They have added additional services like monogramming and gift registry to help meet the needs of their customers. Party favors and stocking stuffers are a natural with their large selection of “bin” candy and toys.

The Decatur area has been a great community to start a business in and is a great place to spend the afternoon browsing the shops and restaurants. So Sabrina and Linda invite you to come shop and play!

PARKING OPTIONS
- Pay Lot near Johnny's Pizza
- Metered Parking on Sycamore St. or on the Square
- Parking Garage on the corner of Church and Ponce

Hoopla is just a few short steps away from MARTA (Decatur Station) on Church Street in beautiful downtown Decatur, Georgia.

Hoopla also has a blog and its been added to my blog roll


Hoopla, Inc.
414 Church St.
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone (404) 371-9485
Fax (404) 529-4888
info(at)hooplakids.com

COME IN & GO AWAY Door Mats Available at Heliotrop

This mind boggling doormat reads differently depending whether you are walking in or out of the house.

It's got to be seen to be believed but from one side this really does read "Come In" and from the other "Go Away". And when you have finished marvelling at this remarkable feat of graphic design you can wipe the mud from your boots too!!


Check out the Staff's Favorite Gift ideas

They even have Puff the Magic Dragon book & cd.


248 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, GA 30030
404.371.0100

Remembering HULLABALOO'S

"HULLABALOO"
THE "IN" PLACE FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Who remembers where this place was located.?
Put on your thinking caps for this one.

Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones

This song was the wakeup music for Space Shuttle Endeavour

Classic song by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones Live at Super Bowl 2006

Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse!

Mickey Mouse turns 80
by Sandy Maple Nov 18th 2008 5:00PM



Mickey got his start in life after his creator, Walt Disney, got screwed over by Universal Pictures. In 1928, Disney was heading up Disney Brothers Studio for Universal and riding high with his wildly popular character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Rather than reward Disney for his success, Universal stole his character, hired away his employees and offered to let him stick around at a reduced salary. That was an offer Disney could - and did - refuse.

Walt Disney and his loyal animator Ub Iwerks went back to the drawing board, transforming Oswald the Rabbit into a mouse. Mickey, briefly known as Mortimer, struggled through a few animated bombs before finally getting his big break on November 18, 1928. On that date in New York City, Steamboat Willie premiered to rave reviews. The first animation to feature synchronized music and sound effects, the film made Mickey Mouse a star.

With Mickey's popularity spreading across the country, Walt Disney kicked the marketing into high gear. Mickey Mouse merchandise was created and within two years, the lovable rodent had his own fan club - The Mickey Mouse Club. Take that, Universal Pictures!

Over the years, Mickey has undergone numerous makeovers but his appeal remains constant. He has transcended his humble beginnings to become a cultural icon recognized and loved around the world. And unlike many other Disney stars, Mickey never succumbed to the temptations of fame and remains to this day an appropriate object of affection for children everywhere. Happy Birthday, Mickey!

Druid Hills Bridge Over Ponce de Leon Ave.

Warning 10 FT will not clear in right lane.


The Druid Hills Bridge on Ponce has had many high trucks scrap and even get stuck trying to go under. 10 ft. will not clear in right lane. Do they even have a "Warning" low bridge sign before you get to to it. The sign posted on bridge I think is a little to late. Trucks flying down Ponce need a better warning.

Not annexing could be costly for Decatur

Not annexing could be costly for Decatur

By APRIL HUNT

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, November 17, 2008

Decatur residents could see their city and school taxes go up in the coming years if the city doesn’t add new property to its four-square-mile borders, according to reports released during a joint session of the city commission and school board Monday.

Despite the dire projections — showing that without new revenue the city could be up to $1 million the hole and the schools could be up to $2.2 million in the red — the reports stopped short of recommending annexation.
That, officials said, has yet to be decided.

“We are anxiously considering the options and whether we want to do this,” said Mayor Bill Floyd. “For us not to consider [annexation] would almost be irresponsible. But we are not yet for or against it, just looking at options.”

The city has weighed annexation for several years but keeps bumping against a major issue: how to find space for an influx of students into the school district.

One option to avoid that worry would be to annex only commercial areas to the north of the city. A second option calls for adding those areas, as well as two large residential neighborhoods, Forrest Hills and Midway Woods.

School superintendent Phyllis Edwards said that the district is already facing $2 million in cuts at a time when enrollment projections show a need for up to 10 additional classrooms in the coming year — even without annexation.

Adding an expected 450 new students through annexation to a district of 2,684 students would require a reconfiguration of school maps and the re-opening of another school. Opening an additional school would absorb annexation growth, as well as other yearly increases, but would require about 18 months of planning to be done right, she said.

None of the four dozen people in the audience was invited to speak on the reports. City residents have objected in the past to annexation, over concerns for the school district.

The 7,000 DeKalb residents who would join the city appear to be mixed on the move, since it would mean higher taxes. Homeowner association surveys show Midway Woods about evenly split on the issue, with 78 percent of Forrest Hill residents in favor of annexation.

The city commission will hold a public hearing on the issue on Dec. 1. The school board plans a public hearing sometime in early December as well.

The city commission is slated to vote on whether to seek state approval for annexation on Dec. 15.
More on ajc.com

* Decatur considers adding neighborhoods to city (11/17/2008)
* Online forum connects locals to issues (11/12/2008)
* DECATUR: Internet used to connect locals (11/12/2008)
* DEKALB COUNTY: Judge Hunter, Commissioner Boyer re-elected (11/06/2008)
* Runoff looms for Dekalb school board, Superior Court (11/05/2008)
* DEKALB COUNTY: Two incumbents pull away as many races runoff-bound (11/05/2008)
* More polls to open for advance voting starting Monday (10/25/2008)
* Developer, Decatur residents discuss controversial project (10/15/2008)
* Court favors cities in tax fund fight with DeKalb (10/07/2008)
* Moving up last call might keep out late-night clubs (10/01/2008)

Access Atlanta picks The Best Brew Pub around Atlanta

What’s the best brew pub around Atlanta?

By Phil Kloer | Monday, October 27, 2008, 07:30 AM

Best brew pub in Atlanta

* 1. 5 Seasons Brewing
* 2. Twain's
* 3. Max Lager's
* 4. Rock Bottom Brewing
* 5. Gordon Biersch

Access Atlanta Article here

Taco Mac expanding in town and out of state

Taco Mac, which began in 1979 as a dive bar and wings restaurant, has expanded over the years to become a serious contender in the metro Atlanta casual dining market. Here, bartender Rachel Kelly, 21, pours a Bass for a customer at Taco Mac on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. ELISSA EUBANKS / eeubanks@ajc.com

Taco Mac expanding in town and out of state
Metro Atlanta-based restaurant chain has gotten more sophisticated as it has grown

By JOE GUY COLLIER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, November 17, 2008

Bob Campbell, president of Atlanta-based Tappan Street Restaurant Group, has learned to be careful with the changes his company makes to its Taco Mac restaurants.

Taco Mac managers decided a few years ago to fix the storefront clock at the original Virginia-Highland location. It had been stuck at 7 for years.
“We got all kinds of phone calls and e-mails from people saying, ‘As long as I’ve been going to Taco Mac in Virginia-Highland, it’s always been 7 o’clock’,” Campbell said. “We fixed it for like a day.”

As Taco Mac grows, Campbell and Tappan walk a line between preserving an Atlanta fixture and opening some of the area’s most modern sports restaurants and bars.

Started in 1979 as a dive bar and wings restaurant, Taco Mac has expanded to become a major player in the Atlanta casual dining market. Taco Mac has added sites this year in Cumming, Midtown and Philips Arena to bring the chain to 22 restaurants overall.

It has three more restaurants planned in 2009. Taco Macs are expected to open in Canton, The Prado in Sandy Springs and Charlotte. The parent company also will open a new concept in Brookhaven called Deckard’s, a slightly more upscale restaurant.

In many ways, Taco Mac has grown up and out with Atlanta, said Harold Shumacher, a local restaurant real-estate broker and president of the Shumacher Group.

College-age residents became familiar with the original site in the 1980s, Shumacher said. As this first wave of customers got older, they moved to the suburbs and Taco Mac followed them, he said.

Taco Mac is becoming more polished as it opens new restaurants, Shumacher said. The Midtown location has a modern interior design inspired by a cascading glass of Guinness beer.

“They have taken their stores up not just a notch but several notches,” Shumacher said. “These are slick, state-of-the-art, very contemporary, thoughtfully built-out facilities. They don’t have a grubby pub look.”

Taco Mac, though, could soon run out of room to grow in Atlanta, Shumacher said. The challenge is transferring its brand to new markets, he said.

Taco Mac’s only location outside of metro Atlanta is in Chattanooga. People in places such as Nashville, Charlotte and Orlando might mistake it for a Mexican restaurant at first glance, Shumacher said. “The challenge there is name-brand recognition,” he said.

Taco Mac has dealt with a misunderstood identity since it was started in 1979, said Campbell, president of Taco Mac’s parent company.

The chain goes by Taco Mac, even though Buffalo wings are the main attraction, because the founders started the restaurant at the site of a former taco shack. They decided to spend money to renovate the kitchen instead of buying a new sign.

Customers wouldn’t stand for a different name now, Campbell said. “We’ll never change the name,” he said.

Taco Mac, though, has altered its strategy in some key areas, Campbell said.

It added draft beer after managers visited a tavern in California in the early 1990s that featured a wide selection of beer on tap. The move also coincided with the rise in popularity of craft beer.

It added more TVs after noticing big crowds during the Braves’ worst-to-first playoff run in 1991.

Taco Mac is now expanding with a clearer vision of the brand, Campbell said. Every new restaurant has about 100 beer taps and a dizzying array of flat-panel televisions.

The chain also is using its size in metro Atlanta to increase its credibility with beer geeks, said Fred Crudder, Tappan Street’s beverage director.

Taco Mac has negotiated exclusive releases of some craft beers as they enter the Atlanta market. The events have drawn traffic on normally slow nights, Crudder said.

It’s also landed special limited-run kegs. Taco Mac is working with three Atlanta brewers on special beers to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.

Taco Mac still has the mainstream beers, but it wants to continue building a reputation with beer lovers, Crudder said.

“We don’t want to ever be exclusive of anyone,” Crudder said. “We have the space and capacity and the clientele to be very inclusive in our beer selection.”

In addition to the beer, Taco Mac has upgraded the menu to give customers better options outside of its wings, said Matthew Deckard, Tappan Street’s corporate chef. Wings are still the biggest item, accounting for about a quarter of food sales, he said.

But Taco Mac has added more healthy items, such as salads, and started seasonal changes to the menu, Deckard said. It’s also tried to bring a consistency to items across all restaurants.

“I think food, at the time when I came in, wasn’t at the forefront,” said Deckard, who joined Taco Mac in 2005. “Beer was the strong point. Now, food is starting to evolve more.”

Taco Mac’s new growth is coming as a U.S. slowdown and higher commodity costs threaten the overall restaurant industry. Taco Mac’s same-store sales, though, are still expected to be up this year, Campbell said. During the last major slowdown in 2000 and 2001, Taco Mac lagged the industry, Campbell said. Sales stayed strong through the downturn but slowed as the economy bounced back, he said.

Patrons may have turned to Taco Mac as an affordable option in the downturn and returned to some higher-end restaurants once the outlook improved, Campbell said.

Tappan Street is closely watching the Charlotte economy, Campbell said. Charlotte is a major hub for banking, which has been hit by financial crisis, he said.

Taco Mac, though, feels confident about its expansion plans, Campbell said. “Right now, nobody is putting a hold on us,” he said. “We’re dragging our feet a little bit on Charlotte just to see what happens up there with the banking.”

Decatur Taco-Mac is located at
240 W Ponce de Leon Ave.
404-378-4140

other locations
Alpharetta 4305 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30022 770-754-9290

Athens 558 W. Broad Street, Athens, GA 3060 706-354-007

Austell 1025 East-West Connector, Austell, GA 30106 770-801-8773

Chattanooga 423 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402

Decatur 240 W. Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030 404-378-4140

Duluth 3545 Peachtree Ind. Blvd, Duluth, GA 30096 770-814-7388

Ellard Village 8440 Holcomb Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA 30022 770-518-5565

Kennesaw 2615 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-426-1515

Marietta 2650 Dallas Highway, Marietta, GA 30064 770-795-1144

Roswell 685 Crossville Road, Roswell, GA 30075 678-795-0080

Virginia Highland 1006 N. Highland Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306 404-846-6529

Windward 875 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30004 770-346-9119

Woodstock 9020 Highway 92, Woodstock, GA 30189 770-517-0030

Will Decatur be adding neighborhoods to city

Decatur considers adding neighborhoods to city

By APRIL HUNT

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, November 17, 2008

The Decatur City Council and Decatur School Board will hold a joint work session tonight to discuss the possibility of annexing two large neighborhoods and more commercial areas into the city’s borders.

A recently released study shows that the 4-square mile city relies mostly on property taxes for its revenue. Even with modest growth, the city projects it will need to raise those taxes if it does not add additional assessments, both residential and commercial.
However, the annexation of the Forrest Hills and Midway Woods neighborhoods would add about 450 students to the school district, requiring 7 to 10 new classrooms. Residents had opposed earlier talk of annexation because of the impact on the small school district.

The work session begins at 6:30 p.m. at Decatur City Hall.

Belle Isle Motors Inc. circa 1950

They sold Desoto's and Plymouth's

Belle Isle Motors Inc.
131 W Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur Ga.

Ghost hunters to explore Decatur courthouse

Ghost hunters to explore Decatur courthouse
DeKalb landmark’s stairwell instills creeps in some visitors

By DONNA WILLIAMS LEWIS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



Cathy Vogel gets a creepy feeling when she approaches the door to a rarely used marble staircase at the Old Courthouse on the Square in Decatur.

“I just felt like there was something back there,” Vogel said, of the first time she came close to the door, “an overwhelming feeling of sadness.”
A local ghost-hunter group will check out the claims of Vogel and others that something otherworldly lives in that four-story stairwell.

A metro area all-volunteer group called GRASP — Georgia Research of Apparitional Sightings and the Paranormal — will unleash its infrared cameras, electromagnetic field detectors, audiorecorders and laser thermometers on the 1898 building that has not been used as a courthouse since the 1960s.

With 10 investigations already under its belt, GRASP contacted the DeKalb History Center about a month ago.

“They asked if we knew of any haunted buildings in DeKalb County and we said, ‘Yes, our building!’ ” said heritage educator Leslie Borger.

The old granite courthouse is now home to the history center, and what was once the Superior Courtroom is now an open marble-walled, high-ceilinged ballroom that’s a popular rental spot for weddings, parties and meetings.

The staircase that leads to the back of the courtroom is said to be the lone staircase that was used to transport prisoners. It’s virtually abandoned and has not been significantly altered possibly since 1918, Borger said, when the interior of the courthouse was rebuilt after a fire.

A History Center newsletter from the 1990s recounts a volunteer’s experience with the door that Vogel, a former center board member, dreads nearing.

According to the article, the volunteer said a visitor stopped in his tracks at the door, felt cold and sensed someone was behind the stairs crying and saying he wasn’t guilty.

Vogel spent many hours at the courthouse during the early 1990s, helping reopen the building after the History Center conducted the building’s major renovation.

“I never ran into the cold,” Vogel said, of her experience at the staircase door, “but I didn’t stick around for long.”

On Saturday night, Kennesaw resident Benjamin Carroll, founder of GRASP, and 12 members of his group, will stick around for six hours — not in hopes of finding something unusual, but to try to explain the unexplained.

“Our main goal is to find the logical reason behind seemingly abnormal circumstances,” Carroll said, of his group’s pro bono work. “We’re mostly about research and about helping people who are afraid, especially children who are afraid.”

After reviewing what’s captured by eight cameras and 10 audiorecorders, GRASP will let the History Center know what it found, if anything.

Ninety percent of the time, weird phenomena can be logically explained, Carroll said.

“Even if something’s there,” Carroll said, “most of the time it’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Photo:Joey Ivansco/jivansco@ajc.com
Leslie Borger of the Dekalb History Center climbs a staircase in Decatur’s Old Courthouse that has given some visitors chills.

This week-end at Eddie's Attic

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH - 2 SHOWS!
THE SUSI FRENCH CONNECTION
Early Show time: 7:00 p.m. / Doors open: 6:00 p.m. (ALL AGES)
Individual tickets: $8

Late Show time: 9:30 p.m. / Doors open: 9:00 p.m. (21+ ONLY)
Individual tickets: $12

THERE WILL BE NO TABLE SEATING FOR THESE SHOWS

Only once or twice a year does the band The Gentle Readers morph into the 70's pop cover band THE SUSI FRENCH CONNECTION, to play the hits (and misses) of that hollowed decade. The Susi French Connection brings big harmonized vocals and a reverence for pop to its spirited performances.
Listen: Susi

EARLY SHOW:

LATE SHOW:
************************************************************************************




SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH - 2 SHOWS!
SANDRA McCRACKEN / DEREK WEBB / WATERDEEP
Early Show time: 6:00 p.m. / Doors open: 5:00 p.m. (ALL AGES)
Individual advanced tickets: $15 / At the door: $18 / Tables: $75

Late Show time: 8:30 p.m. / Doors open: 8:00 p.m. (21+ ONLY)
Individual advanced tickets: $15 / At the door: $18 / Tables: $75

The very talented SANDRA MCCRACKEN's and husband DEREK WEBB return to the Attic tonight. She is supporting the release of her brand new project "Red Balloon" and he is touring in support of his recent release "The Ringing Bell." Derek He is formerly of the band Caedman's Call and she recently had a song featured in "Grey's Anatomy." Their folk rock songs are for fans of Emmylou Harris

REMEMBER TO SHOP DECATUR!

I thought I would remind everyone of all the great products that we have at Whit's End that have something to do with Decatur, since we are all so proud to live here!

First, we have the great matted photos of Decatur, including the collage with many of our landmarks.

We have the Yuckboy line of tees, which is a locally owned Decatur business.

Also locally owned, is the Decatur Dad line of tees, along with our Decatur Dog Bandanas, Decatur Koozies, and Decatur Mom/Dad/Boy/Girl Christmas ornaments.

And of course, let's not forget the City of Decatur logo'd items. We have short and long sleeve tees, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, beer bottle openers, license plates, and the Decatur Shops Green cloth bags.

Lest we forget the DHS Spirit Wear of all kinds which directly benefit the DHS Athletics Booster Club.

Also, we are currently working with the DHS Alumni Association to get their line of tees in the store in early December.

As always this season to help everyone out, we have our Columbia upper body wear discounted 10% everyday, and our Dockers pants discounted everyday. We still have a clearance rack and table for the best buys around! And, additional discounts are available at our Terrific Thursday evenings with free wine and snacks.

There is a great article in the DHS Carpe Diem newspaper about our Toms Shoes, and also coming new is a piece on Decatur E Life about our involvement in Terrific Thursday and the community as a whole.

REMEMBER TO SHOP DECATUR!

THANKS,

JEFF




Whit's End, LLC

431 W. Ponce DeLeon Ave, #2

Decatur, GA 30030

(404) 377-3310

(404) 377-8335 Fax

whitsenddecatur@bellsouth.net

www.whitsenddecatur.com

Who Are You ?...........BOND..JAMES BOND

Opening of the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace will be big, I'm sure it will be a big box office hit. Pictured here is a 25 foot poster hanging at Lenox Square Mall, The Sony Store at Lenox, and The Poster for the movie.

I saw my first Bond movie at The Decatur Theatre the marquee simply read "DR NO"

So go to the movies this week-end, buy your popcorn and coke and sit back and enjoy...Bond..James Bond 007

Park Renewal Day this Saturday

For more info click on photo.

Renewal Construction Holds Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive

Renewal Construction Holds Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive



November 13, 2008 – In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Decatur-based Renewal Construction is collecting canned goods during the week of November 17th to the 21st.

The generous donations will then be distributed to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Those who wish to donate can stop by the Renewal office during normal business hours to drop off their goods all week. For those who are unable to stop by, Renewal offers pick-up service this Monday, November 17th only. Donors need to secure their canned goods in a bag next to their front door on Monday morning at 9AM. Those wishing for pick-up must email Kelly@renewalconstruction.com for address verification. Pick-up will only be available to those in the surrounding Decatur and Atlanta areas.

Potential donors can visit www.renewalconstruction.com/blog for more information.

Renewal Construction, 124 S. Columbia Dr., Decatur, is an award-winning, full-service general contractor for major renovations, kitchens and baths, and small projects. For information, call 404.378.6962 or visit www.RenewalConstruction.com.





Kelly Cheek
Marketing Manager
Renewal Construction
124 S. Columbia Dr.
Decatur, GA 30030

t. 404-378-6962
f. 404-378-6963
www.RenewalConstruction.com

Birdi's Building For Lease.

#740 DECATUR SQUARE RESTAURANT & BAR

SUPER SACRIFICE SALE

CLOSED & FULLY EQUIPPED

PERFECT FOR CLUB, RESTAURANT, BAR, MUSIC VENUE

SUPER VISIBILITY AND FRONTAGE

BIRDI'S is located at 115 Sycamore Street, Decatur, GA 30030. Incredible location directly on the Decatur Square in full view of all of Downtown Decatur and Court House. 3800/sf. Below market rent at under $4,000 per month. Super space with hi ceilings, big bar and fully equipped kitchen. This location is located in the heart of the county seat and shares the Decatur square with tons of restaurants, bars and retail stores and galleries plus local colleges. Any full service upscale or casual restaurant works great here or could be kept as a bar and club or a live music venue. Priced at $115,000 OBO with Owner financing.
Contact Steven Josovitz at (770) 840-2121 or steven@shumacher.com
Tell them Next Stop...Decatur sent you.
more photos here.

Decatur Schools may have to trim $2 million

DECATUR: Schools may have to trim $2 million

By Kristina Torres

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Decatur City Schools officials —- facing the same sour economy and state funding cuts as other systems —- say they may be forced to cut $2 million out of next school year’s budget.

Some budget-trimming measures are almost a given, including fewer work days in summer, less training and cuts to alternative education and after-school programs. But Decatur schools Superintendent Phyllis Edwards said the system will likely have to go further, to a “point at which people and programs are affected,” according to a letter sent this week to school board members.

That may include cuts to the system’s elementary-age foreign language program and teacher cuts, Edwards said.

No action on the budget is imminent. Rather, Edwards has begun planning and will refine the proposal during the next several months. She plans to have an open meeting with the community in December to talk about possible cuts.

The system increased by 1 mill this school year the property millage rate it charges homeowners to pay for schools. That was the first city school millage increase after four years of rate reductions.

The system’s general fund budget is $37 million. Edwards said she would not recommend another millage rate increase for next year.

Decatur’s budget discussions have started a week after DeKalb County school officials approved plans to cut more than $20 million by next year, including expected layoffs in June of 127 employees.

As Seen in Decatur: Street Scene..Vintage Packard

Vintage Packard parked on N.McDonough St.

Need a funny commercial ?

Time to Plan for your Hoilday Lights

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I just wanted you to have advance notice.

Decorate Decatur Contest

Sunday, Dec. 14
Join in the communitywide decorating contest – turn on your holiday lights, light your luminaries, and be a part of the celebration. Judges ride through Decatur and pick 10 favorite homes, a business, a neighborhood, and an overall winner who receives the Commissioners Cup from the City Commission. Call 404-37... and leave the address of your favorite holiday house. Judges will ride by all the addresses on the list plus as many other streets as possible.

Attention Neighborhoods: If you would like a load of sand to use for luminaries for your neighborhood for Decorate Decatur, call 404-371-9583 . You must have a space large enough to accommodate a load of sand and the truck delivering it.
decatur-ga.com
Here is a link to last years winners.

Early holiday shopping? Use these tips

Early holiday shopping? Use these tips

By LINDA FLOREA
Photo by flickr member : infomatique
The Orlando Sentinel

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Halloween’s over, so it’s time to map out your holiday shopping strategy. Here is a look at what early shoppers should consider.


You can either buy today or take a gamble and wait for a sale. Tod Marks, a senior editor at Consumer Reports, says consumers should consider buying clothing early in the shopping season while there are plenty of sizes and colors.

But waiting to buy electronics might pay off because if sales of items such as flat-screen TVs are slow, retailers may cut prices closer to the holidays to clear out inventory.

A word of warning, however: The credit crunch has hit retailers, too, so they are stocking smaller inventories to avoid unloading unsold items at clearance prices after the holidays.

What’s there today may be gone tomorrow. Do you feel lucky?
More here.

MO JO PIZZA Celebrating 10 Years

MO JO PIZZA & PUB
659 E Lake Dr Decatur, GA
(404) 373-1999

Heliotrope 2nd Anniversary Party

Heliotrope is having a 2nd anniversary party this Saturday.
Time 6:00 PM
Read more about it from Catherine's post over at The Decatur Minute.
This is a very cool store,
on my visit I had to take a picture.

Heliotrope
248 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, GA 30030
404.371.0100

Mon-Thu: 10am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 10am - 11pm
Sun: 11am - 8pm

Old Theatre For Lease Should be Refurbished

The city of Avondale Estates should spend some money on the old Towne Cinema Theatre. The marquee needs to be reburbished with neon lights. That little theatre could be so much more.
And someone needs to tell the city they need to remove one lamp post that is to close to the marquee.
I had to remove it in photo shop to make the picture look good.

FOR LEASE INFO CALL 404-256-3061

Anonymous comment:
The Tudor Village is owned by Newberger-Andes who won't put any money into the building and who is regularly at odds with its tenants. Word on the street is Newberger-Andes is willing to sell the Tudor Village for $2.5 million

Leon's Full Service Pub Construction

Leon's Full Service Pub is located at the corner of E. Ponce de Leon & Church St. being built into the shell of the old service station.
I think they were hoping for a late December or early January opening.

Zucca Bar & Pizzeria to Open Soon

Zucca Bar & Pizzeria to open soon next door to The Brick Store Pub.

Show Me Christmas

The city of downtown Decatur Ga. is preparing for Christmas 2008, city workers started today on the annual event of hanging the Holiday Wreaths on the downtown lamp-posts.