A year after the grand opening, The Early Way at 200 Broad St. is looking for a new home.
The “for lease” sign is up at the intersection with Second Avenue — but not for long. Debra McDaniel of Toles, Temple & Wright reports the 4,700 square feet are again under lease. No details on who’s coming in, but look for some work there over the next few months.
It remains one of the most visible spots in downtown Rome and has been home to several businesses since being restored, most recently Stella Blu cosmetics and Rontavious “Tay” Coley’s The Early Way shoes and specialty store.
Says Coley: “We are working on getting another location currently.” He continues some of his other entrepreneurial efforts around town as well.
So now the speculation on what comes next. We’ll hear some great guesses: Restaurant (insert favorite genre here), retail, office. If nothing else, the easy visibility of the window display area alone is worth half the rent. (Here’s a private hope that they bring back the Second Avenue side windows, too).
Whatever is coming, it will join a changing lineup that has welcomed Rock ‘N Roll Sushi to the former Seasons/Bistro 208 location and watched Combat Market grow to seek a city permit to add Alibi Speakeasy Lounge amid the camo and ammo.
Business, Inc.
Soggy bottom toys: We hear a good bit about trails and parks but not so much about recreational use of our rivers. There are options at Cedar Creek, Euharlee and in Rome. Among this is River Ratz Tubing and Kayak, which is doing a little hiring in advance of the late spring/summer season. A Facebook post gives you a preview of what’s ahead: Hours are 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday through Sunday — including holidays — May through August.
And this slice of ‘cold pizza:’ Add one more bright spot from the proposed battery plant. The $5 billion SK On/Hyundai battery campus coming west of Cartersville offers another perk we forgot to mention in our latest report. Due by mid 2025, the project also is expected to generate a stellar $40 million a year in tax revenue.
Elusive Varsity update: The latest “When does The Varsity open?” email arrived Monday. Answer: We don’t know. But we since learned that, after the $2.25 million building permit was issued last year, a contracting/bid site showed (and still does) construction would begin February 2023. A side note: We did find the newest Varsity, in Bethlehem, is closer. Several positions, including kitchen manager and shift manager are now advertised on ZipRecruiter.
Popcorn & Politics
Conventional wisdom: Floyd Republicans’ County Convention is set for Saturday, March 11, at 10 a.m., at the Charles C. Parker Center at Etowah Park, 1325 Kingston Highway. Agenda: Elect delegates to the district (April 22) and state (June 9-10) conventions as well as county party officers.
Peaks & Valleys
The highs and lows of Northwest Georgia
Peak to the recovery crews, from governments to Berry to Georgia Power: Dozens of trees and power lines came down as gusts of 57 mph winds whipped across Floyd County. Some damage was random while once again Berry College was a prime target. From city and county crews to Berry employees to teams of utility workers, clean up was fast and power restored as quickly as safely possible.
Valley to the real March Mayhem — our weather: Friday’s damaging gusts resurrected memories of a string of bad weather from April 2011. It started midmonth with downed trees Between the Rivers and powerlines on cars on Turner McCall. Then came April 27 with straight-line winds that blazed a destructive trail from Cave Spring to Berry College to Old Dalton Road. But it was the “super outbreak” of tornadoes after nightfall that killed seven in Catoosa County and injured 10 in our area. In March 2008, two people died in tornadoes that hit Wax Road and Polk County. And most will remember this is the 30th anniversary of the Blizzard of ‘93. We’re ready for those April showers.
