In Columbus, you may have noticed Hooper’s has closed.
The car audio specialist had been open since 1985. Randy Hooper, the owner, told The Dispatch this week the bottom line: The business was not making any money. It closed in mid-October. Hooper is now looking to sell the property, which is located at 2010 Highway 45 North.
The lot is 1.85 acres. The building is a little less than 11,000 square feet.
If you are interested, call 601-938-0449.
Also in Columbus, Smackers, the frozen yogurt shop located off Highway 45 North, beside Mi Hacienda, appears to be moving to a spot a little farther north on the highway. There is a sign on the eatery that reads, “We are moving! Come see us mid-February in the Jackson Square Shopping Center! Next to Sweet Peppers Deli.”
The Dispatch reached out to the shop’s owners but did not get a response. The business had been open about five years.
Party and Paper on Fifth Street South in downtown Columbus is downsizing. Susan Mackay, who has owned the gift shop and printing company for more than two decades, said she is shifting her focus more toward personalized printing items, like stationary, gift cards, note cards, water tumblers, etc. The plan is to close the gift shop side of the store. Everything on that side is 50 to 90 percent off. Once it is cleared out, Mackay will begin looking for a tenant to occupy the space. The telephone number is 662-329-4873.
There is a new gym in Columbus.
Top Dawg Strength & Conditioning opened Monday. The owners are Bard and Kimberlea Lessman. They moved to town in May after Brad, an Army veteran, graduated seminary and became pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church on 18th Avenue North.
The couple’s new gym — 7,000 square feet at 208 Conway Dr. — has adult and children fitness classes. What they aim to offer is personal training (led by a certified trainer), fitness assessments and one-on-one goal and progress meetings, Kimberlea said.
“We wanted to create a fitness facility that serves as a family friendly place for people to go…move their bodies, make healthy choices and be better for it,” she said.
Adult class times at the gym: 5:30 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 4 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., Monday through Friday; and 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., Saturday.
Children’s class times: 10 a.m., 4 p.m., 4:45 p.m., Monday and Wednesday; and 4:45 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday.
More class times will eventually be added.
The gym — which is named after the couple’s English mastiff, “Daisy” — will have a grand opening at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
Lastly, over in Starkville, you may remember a restaurant in the Cotton District called Jean’s Cafe that had a faithful following and cheese wontons that some swore by. And you may remember that it closed in the spring of 2014, after six years of business.
Well it appears it is coming back.
On Highway 182, at the defunct Waffle House, a sign has gone up that reads, “Jean Cafe. Noodle Bowl & Chinese. Home of the Famous Cheese Wonton.”
The Dispatch reached out to the restaurant owner’s family for specifics but as of press time had not heard back.
Browning on Business is a weekly column that runs each Thursday. We want your input. Send items and tips to [email protected] or [email protected].
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
