Courtyard East Antiques and Books gives customers a chance to relax and read in the downtown shop at 216 A Broadway. Contributed photo.
The chain’s full array of soft pretzels with various flavors — from cinnamon sugar to sour cream and onion — and other food options from Stix shaped pretzels to frozen drinks will be available.
Based in Lancaster, Pa., Auntie Anne’s origins go back to Anne and Jonas Beiler, who created their first pretzels in a Pennsylvania farmer’s market in 1988. The company features more than 1,200 locations in 46 states and 23 foreign countries.
----
Kentucky ranked No. 1, meaning the least expensive, in the “Cost of Doing Business” category of a CNBC report, “America’s Top States for Business 2012.”
That category analyzed tax burden from individual income and property taxes to business taxes, particularly as they apply to new investments, according to cnbc.com. Cost of wages, rental costs for office and industrial space, and utility costs were also considered.
The commonwealth tied for 36th with New Mexico on the “Overall Rankings” list that accounted for 51 measures of competitiveness developed with input from business groups including the National Association of Manufacturers and the Council on Competitiveness. See the report at cnbc.com/id/46414199.
----
The Murray State University Small Business Development Center received full accreditation from the Association of Small Business Development Centers, according to a release from Chris Wooldridge, the program’s district director.
Entering its 30th year, MSU’s Small Business Development Center is the outreach arm of the university to promote business and add jobs.
The center began the statewide accreditation process in December.
----
Paducah-based Premier Fire & Safety, Inc. acquired fire extinguisher sales and service company First Defense Fire Protection of South Fulton, Tenn.
“This acquisition enables us to provide west Tennessee customers a complete portfolio of fire protection, safety and security services from a single, locally-owned company,” saidJason Hickey, owner and president of Premier Fire, in a release. Hickey reported that First Defense employees will remain with the new company.
----
Paducah-based Computer Services, Inc. has re-branded its cloud offerings under the new name C-Suite Complete to help financial institutions better understand the benefits and advanced capabilities of cloud computing.
C-Suite Complete enables banks and credit unions to fully outsource their IT operations to a secure cloud-based environment, according to a company release.
The company hopes to continue capitalizing on the explosion of cloud technology in the banking industry.
----
More than 100 books and two vendors were added to the inventory this month o fCourtyard East Antiques and Book sat 216 A Broadway.
Opened in April, the shop is settling in to its downtown location, according to owner Margaret Eller.
An elegant feature to the shop is its courtyard with seating and shaded areas for relaxing and reading.
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. For more information call 270-442-0500.
----
Furniture Doctor, 263 Colony Drive in Lone Oak, added a full-service repair shop.
With more than 20 years of experience,Steve Elias, owner and operator, uses the new shop to specialize in furniture repair, refinishing and antique restorations.
For more information call 270-994-6688.
----
ATTUS Technologies, Inc., a division of Computer Services, Inc. of Paducah, introduced new enhancements to its Website Comply service, according to a company release. The enhancements incorporate new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau standards into the service’s review process to ensure financial institutions’ websites are compliant.
Website Comply not only reviews the overall website for unfair, deceptive or abusive acts and practices violations, but evaluates specific products and services featured on the site for any violations, which the CFPB has strongly encouraged since introducing the new regulations.
----
BB&T Corp. reported second quarter net income available to common shareholders of $510 million, reflecting a 66 percent increase compared to $307 million in the second quarter of 2011, according to a company release.
Earnings per diluted common share totaled 0.72 cents, an increase of 64 percent compared to 0.44 cents earned in the second quarter of last year.
As of June 30, the Winston-Salem, N.C.,-based bank was one of the largest financial services holding companies in the U.S. with $178.5 billion in assets, and about 1,800 financial centers in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
----
Louis Lovera of Paducah hopes he can find a barber to work in the ground floor of the former Conway Barber Shop at 112 S. Fifth St.
Lovera bought the property in 2011 to renovate the two-story building into two upstairs efficiency apartments, a downstairs commercial space and, hopefully, a barbershop.
Lovera said a second-level efficiency apartment, one room of about 350 square feet, has been renovated and is available. The rent includes a commercial space beneath the room for an artist gallery or work space, Lovera said.
A second apartment should be renovated within three months. Lovera said his research into the building shows it was built in the 1850s, and a part of the ground level space was a barber shop since the 1880s. Lovera left barbershop chairs and mirrors in the hopes a barber would move in. For more information call 270-217-3056.
----
Bling It On Fashion Boutique, owned by Barbara Barnett, has a new location at 906A S. 12th St., according to a release. The boutique offers clothing, accessories and shoes. For more information call 270-753-4222.
----
Metro Bank, an independent commercial bank keenly focused on economic development within inner-city Louisville, signed a multi-year contract with Computer Services, Inc. of Paducah.
“Prior to signing on with CSI, we were facing operational challenges with our existing core platform and needed a solution to simplify the day-to-day tasks of our employees,” said Lori Elam, chief financial officer of Metro Bank, in a release.
Metro Bank will employ CSI’s NuPoint solution, a comprehensive, customizable core banking platform that supports numerous fully integrated solutions.
----
Complete Nutrition, a franchise that sells weight loss, sports nutrition and healthy aging products, is eyeing Paducah, according to the company.
Based in Omaha, Neb., Complete Nutrition plans to open a franchise in Paducah in the next three months that would employ six to 10 people, said Steve Brewster, director of development, in a release.
A Paducah store would be the company’s third in Kentucky, and first in western Kentucky.
Brewster said the company is committed to Paducah so that if it finds a site for a store prior to finding a qualified franchisee, the company will open and operate the location as a corporate store and transfer ownership as a turnkey operation.
“Based on our market analysis and the strength of the Complete Nutrition brand, we are confident that Paducah will be a successful market to enter,” Brewster said in a release.
----
Fox & Company CPA garnered an award from Thomson Reuters for its snazzy digs.
Thomson Reuters invited accounting firms from across the country to submit pictures of their office spaces to a Facebook site; the public then voted on the pictures.
Fox & Company was voted as having the most inviting and unique office space.
“We are absolutely thrilled to bring national attention to western Kentucky,” read a company release.
Fox & Company CPA is a full-service CPA firm providing remote access QuickBooks support, payroll and income tax preparation.
----
Purple Toad Winery in Lone Oak grabbed multiple awards in the 2012 Indy International Wine Competition in West Lafayette, Ind.
Allen Dossey’s winery took double gold in the Berry category, silver awards in Cabernet Franc, Berry and Grape & Fruit Blends, and bronze in concord.
----
The Cartridge Shoppe & Shipping Center, 3485 Park Ave., became an official U-Haul dealer.
The new service reserving trucks and trailers is part of an expansion of services that cater to individuals and small businesses, said Pam Harrison, who owns the business with Dan Harrison.
The lion’s share of the shop’s business comes from the sale of remanufactured InkJet and toner cartridges, but Harrison said services have expanded to include a full service shipping center, print and graphic design services, notary and mail box rental.
For more information, call 270-415-1772.
----
Computer Services Inc., of Paducah, added a new service, Hosted POD (Proof of Deposit), that is a cloud-based check imaging platform. The service eliminates the need for in-house hardware and software infrastructure management, which saves financial institutions time and money involved in technology expenditures, according to a company release.
