Pause originated in the Los Angeles area and is expanding franchises nationwide
The national wellness studio Pause has announced it’s opening a location this fall at Avenue East Cobb.
Services include cold plunge, floatation therapy, IV vitamin drip, cryotherapy, infrared sauna, contrast therapy, compression therapy, LED light therapy, and more.
The local owners, Lisa and Evan Benson, will be having a meet and greet at the Avenue plaza from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday.
The 3,000-foot-space (website here) will be located next to the Xfinity store (4475 Roswell Road, Suite 420) and is one of two new Georgia locations operated by the Bensons.
Other products to be available include the Osea skincare line, Le Labo bath products, and Rishi herbal tea.
Pause has five locations in Southern California, and is planning more in Florida, Bentonville Ark. and Nashville, in addition to Buckhead.
North American Properties, which manages Avenue East Cobb, said Pause is the 15th “permanent brand” to come to the retail center on Roswell Road over the last two years.
Pause was founded in 2016 in the Los Angeles area in what’s been termed the “experiential wellness” field and has been a “technology recovery partner” for the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the Professional Golf Association Tour.
The company recently began to award franchise locations and according to Fitt Insider, Pause is “riding demand for sauna and cold plunge” in the boutique wellness industry.
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Delta Community Credit Union is pleased to announce Corey Higman as the new manager of its Marietta Branch on Johnson Ferry Road. A Hillgrove High School Alumnus and Marietta resident, Higman has deep family roots in Cobb County and is excited for his new role.
“It is a privilege to serve the community that many generations of my family have called home,” Higman said. “My family has been working and living in this area for more than 60 years. My grandfather was one of the founding employees of the Cobb County Fire Department and my mother worked at stores and banks along Merchant’s Walk.”
Before beginning his career in financial services with Delta Community in 2018, Higman worked in the retail and restaurant industries. His leadership ability and commitment to sincere, personalized service allowed him to advance within the credit union, holding various positions, including manager of Delta Community’s Canton branch.
“I’ve centered my career around serving others and ensuring they receive the best products, service and care,” he said. “I am focused on leading my team of financial professionals, who are committed to positively impacting the lives of our members who live and work in East Cobb County.”
Higman looks forward to partnering with local schools, especially Title 1 schools, hoping to leverage the credit union’s financial education resources to support future generations.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The Cobb County Economic Development department is holding its next “Coffee and Conversations” event Thursday at Cafe Rivkah in East Cobb (2100 Roswell Road, Suite 2104).
The event is from 7:30-9 a.m. and includes networking and learning for business owners, entrepreneurs and startups.
The featured speaker comes from the Urban League of Greater Atlanta and county economic development staff will be on hand with information on how Cobb supports business growth.
RSVP to Brittney Rasmussen at 770-528-1009 or brittney.rasmussen@cobbcounty.org.
Job & Resource Expo at Switzer Library
Also on Tuesday, Cobb Works is holding a free job and resource expo at its main branch, the Switzer Library (266 Roswell Street) in downtown Marietta from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Attendees can get on the spot help with resumes, meet employers and explore community resource partners.
Registration is not required; for more information click here.
Upcoming ECBA/NCBA luncheons
The featured guest at the May luncheon of the East Cobb Business Association is Robin C. Stern, who will be speaking about “AI for Business: Harnessing the Power of Google Gemini.”
The luncheon is Tuesday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rich Hart Global Studios (2030 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 270/280).
The cost is $20-$30; for reservations and information click here.
The Northeast Cobb Business Association is having a women’s networking event Tuesday from 5-6:30 p.m. at Marlow’s Restaurant (2960 Shallowford Road).
The cost is $20 and includes food and drink; for reservations and information click here.
The NCBA’s monthly luncheon is Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road).
The guest speaker is Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens, who will speak on fraud prevention and law enforcement.
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“We’re not selling products, we’re selling an experience,” Buckhead Butcher Shop executive chef Leonard Lewis said. ECN photos
As he considered expanding from his original store in Atlanta, Buckhead Butcher Shop owner Connor Boney said coming to East Cobb was high on his list.
He also was looking at another possibility in the Alpharetta-Johns Creek area, but decided on the former Cleaver and Cork space at the Shops of Woodlawn on Johnson Ferry Road (next to Big Peach Running Co.)
“It’s a great location and fits our clientele,” Boney said, citing a wealth of other local businesses and opportunities to get involved in community activities.
The Buckhead Butcher Shop opened on May 1, and like its older counterpart sells premium beef and meats and select seafood products, along with charcuterie items, side dishes, spices, eggs, prepared pasta meals, condiments and more.
Boney and his wife Katie (the company’s chief financial officer) started the Buckhead Butcher Shop in 2020, not long after the start of COVID-19.
He was a co-owner of Revere Meat Co. in Forest Park, which specialized in locally sourced meat processing and distribution. One of his employees there, Sam Fender, came over to help open the Buckhead Butcher Shop, as pandemic closures continued.
Buckhead Butcher Shop started as box-truck operation, selling meats to largely home-bound customers as restaurants remained closed, then took up temporary store space in Peachtree Heights.
The Buckhead store has moved to a location off West Paces Ferry Road, and includes space for cooking classes and private events.
“This how we started,” Fender said, looking around the black-clad walls and decor at the East Cobb store. “This is similar to the first store, with the same aesthetic.”
For now, Fender and executive chef Leonard Lewis—who served in a similar capacity at Bones, an iconic Atlanta steakhouse—are handling the operations in East Cobb, which is open for retail sales from daily.
The beef comes primarily from Creekstone Farms of Oklahoma, which specializes in black Angus. Seafood is sourced from around the world, with salmon from Norway, tuna from Costa Rica, to name two examples.
The objective, Lewis said, is to help home cooks.
“We’re not selling products, we’re selling an experience,” he said. “We want to make everything connect with you.”
Fender noted the competition in the area: the New York Butcher Shoppe, and long-standing businesses such as the Cajun Meat Co.
He said he not only welcomes the competition—”it keeps your standards high”—but says their presence reflects a strong opportunity in this market.
“We’re trying to get people back to the dinner table,” Fender said, “and enjoying meals and one another.”
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Buckhead Butcher Shop
1062-D Johnson Ferry Road
678-402-6996
Open daily 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
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Discarded paint supplies are loaded up at the Pope Band recycling event.
Small businesses know they have to be creative to stand out in a crowded, competitive marketplace.
For paint store owner John Gregory, it made perfect sense for his in.SIDE.out stores to be present at the Pope Band recycling event Saturday at the Northeast Cobb YMCA (he provided the photos to us as well).
in.SIDE.out—which has two stores in East Cobb, was a sponsor of the event, and helped carry away unwanted paint from customers dropping off all kinds of other household items.
Gregory’s stores specialize in selling Benjamin Moore brands, and he has a color consultant available for customers who want specialized assistance in getting the right look, whether it’s inside or out.
He’s holding customer appreciation events at his East Cobb stores in the coming week: This Tuesday, April 16, from 11-2 at the Merchants Walk store (4235 Merchants Walk Drive), with lunch items from Marlow’s Tavern. Next Tuesday, there will be a similar event at the Parkaire store (4880 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 135), also from 11-2.
Business partners and key vendors will on hand for product demonstrations, education and for other information,
He opened the Parkaire store in 2016 (next store to Johnny’s Pizza), but outgrew that space and needed to expand. Not wanting to relocate completely, another in.SIDE.out opened at Shoppes the Merchants Walk (an outparcel near Whole Foods) in 2022.
Benjamin Moore is a national paint retailer but the stores are locally owned and operated.
“The difference is we’re your neighbors,” said Gregory, who has a third store in Alpharetta. “We aim to provide a better level of service.”
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The Dog Stop opens
The Dog Stop, a national franchise dog care brand, has opened a store at 1355 Roswell Road (East Cobb store website), in the Town and Country Shopping Center.
The owners are local entrepreneurs Anne Bailey and Connor Moore, who first met while getting their Executive MBAs at Emory University.
“We chose The Dog Stop because we wanted to invest in a franchise that we would enjoy being a part of,” Moore said in a release. “We both own dogs, love the pet owner demographic and YOY increase in spending on pet care services, and we were impressed with the corporate team after meeting them during our discovery week.”
The Dog Stop was formed in 2009 and provides dog care services and products, covering behavior, nutrition and grooming. Dog daycare and boarding services are available, and the retail product line includes food, treats, toys, accessories and health/medical items.
Hours are Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 10-4.
Music By Tritone Expands
Music by Tritone, which provides private music lessons, coaching and recording services to student musicians, has opened a studio in East Cobb (4343 Shallowford Road, Building B, Suite 110).
It’s the third such location (Roswell, Alpharetta/Johns Creek) for Music by Tritone, which formed in 2002. It’s also collaborating with the Roswell Cultural Arts Center and on Saturday will debut there with the Tritone Youth Orchestra in a special concert: Tickets and details at www.roswellcac.showare.com.
The show is entitled “80s Classic Time Machine: A Symphonic Journey from Rock to Classical.”
“Music By Tritone elevates the music lesson and performance experience with an individualized approach that connects musicians of all ages. Expanding further into the neighborhoods of north metro Atlanta helps us share music with more families,” Joshua K. Chari, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Music By Tritone, said in a release. “We are especially grateful to the Roswell Cultural Arts Center for this new collaboration, and the tremendous opportunity to engage and connect with the music community.”
In addition, Music by Tritone (website here) also offers summer camps and workshops.
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Several businesses in East Cobb were named among the Top 25 small businesses of 2024 by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce on Monday.
They include The Music Studio Atlanta, which includes a location at the Pavilions at East Lake on Roswell Road, Janice Overbook Real Estate Team on Sewell Mill Road and Peachtree Hearing on Lower Roswell Road.
They will be honored at the Chamber’s Marquee Monday luncheon at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre at The Battery Atlanta on May 13.
Here’s more about what’s on the agenda:
“The winners are determined by a thorough selection process including applications and site visits by a panel of outside judges. The luncheon will also honor the Small Business Hall of Fame inductees. CDH Partners, the 2023 Small Business of the Year, will be inducted into the Small Business Hall of Fame, joining an elite list of winners spanning over 30 years.
“Tickets to the breakfast are $50 for Cobb Chamber members and are $75 for general admission. Visit www.cobbchamber.org/SBOY for more information and event registration.”
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The East Cobb Business Association has announced that its Expo event is returning for the first time since 2021, this time in the spring.
The Expo had been held in the fall, but this year’s event is Wednesday, April 24, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Olde Towne Athletic Club (4950 Olde Towne Parkway).
Businesses that want to exhibit have until April 18 to register. The cost is $200 for ECBA member businesses and $300 for non-members. Any business that wants a premium location will pay $300.
See the accompanying flyer for details. The public is invited to attend, with admission $5 per individual in advance and $10 at the door.
Irene Barton of East Cobb, head of the Cobb Collaborative non-profit, is the guest speaker at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s East Cobb Area Council breakfast on Thursday.
It’s from 7:30- 9 a.m. at Indian Hills Country Club (4001 Clubland Drive) and she’ll be discussing the organization’s focus on mental health, literacy and civic engagement.
Barton was named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year by the East Cobb Area Council. Information and registration by clicking here.
The ECBA’s monthly luncheon is April 16 and the featured speaker is KSU archery professor Yale Nogin, who will speak on how business people can find their targets. The ECBA-sponsored Professional Women of East Cobb luncheon is this Friday. Info and registration for both by clicking here.
The Northeast Cobb Business Association luncheon is April 17 with business consultant Joel Zirkel, who works with the small business development center at KSU. NCBA also sponsors a women’s lunch, coming up on Tuesday, and an Alive After Five networking event on April 25. Info and registration for all by clicking here.
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As we noted in November, the locally-owned Sidelines Grille chain has been preparing to open in the former Egg Harbor Cafe space at Stonewood Village.
The restaurant group, GFY Hospitality, announced Monday that it’s now open for business (4719 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 4200), a bit later than the earlier projected window of late January to early February.
The menu at the East Cobb location, like the others, is extensive, and online ordering will soon be available.
It goes beyond traditional sports bar food (burgers, sandwiches, wraps) and drink (two dozen draft beers on tap, craft made cocktails) to include full pasta, seafood, chicken and steak entrees, along with salads and soups, Tex-Mex items and desserts.
The family-style sports bar concept has been around since 1994, with locations in Canton, Hickory Flat, Woodstock and Cartersville.
Opening hours at the East Cobb restaurant are Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.
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A family testimonial can provide a life-altering experience.
When starting a new business, Laura Yeatts of East Cobb said her sister-in-law’s health transformation “was kind of my why.”
She and her family moved from Virginia two years ago, and in November opened a Fit Body Boot Camp franchise on East Cobb Drive.
Her brother’s sister enrolled in another Fit Body Boot Camp, “and completely changed her life around.”
What Yeatts saw was a need to reach out to “people who need a gym that isn’t intimidating.”
Her studio, which opened in November, provides 30-minute workouts that each member can tailor for their own needs, with instructors. Elements include cardio, weights, stations, ropes and bikes, chopped up into smaller time blocks.
The class sizes typically range between 5-15 people and the studio is open Monday-Saturday.
“Every day is different,” Yeatts said. “The coaches mix it up constantly,” and each session includes stretching and recovery.”
She and her husband are co-owners but have corporate jobs, and says that “the coaches run the show.”
Thus far she’s signed up around 50 members, and is getting involved with local PTA and sports team sponsors.
Membership costs vary, and an unlimited package is $40 a week, with typically 3-5 classes.
“It’s good to have a fitness-minded community,” she said. “If I can change one person’s life, it’s all worth it.”
Fit Body Boot Camp
1344 East Cobb Drive
770-818-6080
Walk With a Doc
Dr. Dolapo Babaloa shows a nutritional chart that’s a vital guide to her approach to treating obesity issues.
When Dr. Dolapo Babalola opened a wellness clinic in East Cobb last summer, it was with the aim of reaching out to the community beyond her own facility.
Babalola, who practiced at Grady Memorial Hospital for 15 years, focuses on helping patients with obesity issues with a holistic approach.
Her clinic, Living At Your Best Wellness, uses what’s called the Direct Primary Care model via flat monthly membership fees.
During her time in a larger health network, she witnessed the frustration of patients “who couldn’t see their doctor when they want them.”
Her practice is what she calls a one-stop for those seeking to improve their wellness where “we see the whole person.
“It’s not just diet and exercise,” Babalola says from her office on Johnson Ferry Place. “We’re trained in nutrition, sleep and other factors as well.”
One of the questions she says she asks her patients is very simple: “What’s your day like? What is your evening like?”
While they get initial physiological exams, understanding their everyday habits is at the heart of this approach to better health.
She said one client came in at 349 pounds, and has lost 80, “because accountability matters.” Those between-office-visits consultations include phone and text conversations.
“Dr. Babs”—who has lived in East Cobb for 13 years with children at Walton, Dodgen and East Side schools—meets with patients and anyone else once a month in her “Walk With A Doc” event at East Cobb Park.
It’s the second Saturday of each month starting at 9 a.m., and includes stretching followed by 30 minutes of walking at any pace.
“Walking for mental health is good,” she says. “You feel more energized and you get to start somewhere.”
Living At Your Finest Wellness
1230 Johnson Ferry Place, Building A-20
678-403-2399
Music Studio Atlanta Open House
The East Cobb location of Music Studio Atlanta (2100 Roswell Road, Suite 1128), is having an Open House through Saturday as part of “Teach Music Week.”
Participants will get chances to win discounts on music lessons and meet the staff. The event is 3-7 through Friday and 10-4 Saturday.
Send us your biz news!
We’d love to hear from local businesses about what’s going on in the local business scene: Openings, ribbon-cuttings, closings, anniversaries, new management, etc.
We also take tips from the public about these items as well, so if you see something, let us know,
E-mail us: editor@eastcobbnews.com with your information, questions, photos, announcements, etc.
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East Cobb News is the only daily news resource covering this community, and we’re growing! Reach our highly engaged audience with dynamic, targeted and measurable digital advertising with repeated exposure that’s unmatched in this market!
We sell display and newsletter ads and sponsored posts, as well as exclusive campaigns for specialty content, including East Cobb Biz Scene.
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Welcome to East Cobb Biz Scene, a weekly roundup of openings, closings and other news involving local businesses in East Cobb, and the people behind them.
We’ll be running this feature on Monday, when we focus on small businesses, and invite members of the business community to let us know what’s going with their businesses, including community activities.
At the end of a hectic week, I spent some time Friday afternoon checking out the grand opening of the Tin Pin Game Bar at Avenue East Cobb (4475 Roswell Road).
It’s been open for about a week, but the after-school hour schedule for this event was ideal for families and others wanting to unwind with pinball and other arcade games that were free during the grand opening hours.
It’s a sliver of a space next to Tin Lizzy’s in the former Benni’s Cubano space, and Friday’s pleasant weather was very inviting for leaving the door open, as well as patio dining.
Tin Pin has a sports bar atmosphere, although kids were running around everywhere (and in the case of my quickie video last Friday, waving behind me!).’
Also new at Avenue
Tin Pin wasn’t the only new entry at Avenue to open over the weekend. A women’s boutique, Boho Trace, has opened in Suite 1725 (the former Olea Oliva! space). It’s a women-owned shop started by CEO Devon Sawyer, who’s dedicating her new business in the memory of her mother, who died suddently in 2021.
In addition to women’s outfits, Boho Trace sells accessories, shoes, swimwear, and more. Hours are Monday -Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m.
Also at Avenue, a family lounge has opened, between Tin Lizzy’s and Panera Bread, with public restrooms, a mother’s l0unge, electronic charging stations and a kids’ play area with lounge seating.
Lounge hours are Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 12-6 p.m.
Biz luncheons in February
The guest speaker at the Feb. 20 luncheon of the East Cobb Business Association is Dr. Eric Plasker of Plasker Family and Performance Chiropractic, who will speak about “healty longevity in business and life.” He’s the author of “The 100 Year Lifestyle,” speaks regularly on wellness topics.
The luncheon takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rich Hart Global Studios (2030 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 270-280). The cost ranges from $20-$30 and you can sign up by clicking here.
The following day, Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Northeast Cobb Business Association will hold its monthly luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road).
The guest speaker is Roger Tutterow, economics professor at Kennesaw State University. The cost is $20-$35; more info by clicking here.
Jewelry fundraiser to help Sprayberry TD club
Rebecca Deutsch of Park Lane Jewelry, has announced her latest fundraiser in the East Cobb area to help a community organization.
Between now and Wednesday (Feb. 7), she’s doing a give-back fundraiser on behalf of the Sprayberry High School Touchdown Club, donating 50 percent of the proceeds.6-7:30
The booster club is aiming to raise $1,000, and Park Lane offers more than 200 different products between $22-$200. For the full listings, visit https://parklanejewelry.com/f/3276.
Your order will be shipped directly to you. For information call 404-769-3502.
Strong Hearts, Strong Lives session
Several East Cobb wellness professionals are holding a special session Thursday to promote better lifestyle and fitness habits related to heart health.
“Strong Hearts, Strong Lives” takes place from 6-7:30 p.m. at the StrongVibe Fitness Studio in Paper Mill Village, 147 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 2110. (We profiled StrongVibe and owner Erica Manning last fall, shortly after she opened.)
Also on hand will be Dr. Dolapo Babalola of the Living at Your Finest Wellness office on Johnson Ferry Road, and Dr. James Cullison of Mojo Vitality, also at PMV.
The event will include free scans, meditation sessions, food and giveaways. It’s free to the public and you can RSVP by emailing erica@strongvibefit.com.
Send us your biz news!
We’d love to hear from local businesses about what’s going on in the local business scene: Openings, ribbon-cuttings, closings, anniversaries, new management, etc.
We also take tips from the public about these items as well, so if you see something, let us know,
E-mail us: editor@eastcobbnews.com with your information, questions, photos, announcements, etc.
Advertise with us!
East Cobb News is the only daily news resource covering this community, and we’re growing! Reach our highly engaged audience with dynamic, targeted and measurable digital advertising with repeated exposure that’s unmatched in this market!
We sell display and newsletter ads and sponsored posts, as well as exclusive campaigns for specialty content, including East Cobb Biz Scene.
For more information, e-mail us: advertising@eastcobbnews.com.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
We posted back in November about the expansion of the Tin Lizzy’s Avenue East Cobb to include a gaming bar.
That addition, the Tin Pin Game Bar, is opening on Friday, in the former Beni’s Cubano space, and will feature menu items from Tin Lizzy’s in a family-friendly entertainment space.
The gaming space is connected to Tin Lizzy’s dining room and “will feature 10 pinball machines and a collection of arcade games alongside the restaurant’s full menu of tacos, quesadillas, margaritas and specialty cocktails,” according to a Tin Lizzy’s release.
Games include Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga and Donkey Kong, and there will be high-tech Stern pinball machines featuring modern properties like the Mandalorian, Deadpool, Godzilla and the recently released Venom pinball game.
Tin Lizzy’s is operated by the Atlanta-based Southern Proper Hospitality, and Tin Pin will have a pinball collection “curated” by Atlanta resident Kevin Grillo, a nationally ranked pinball player.
Tin Pin’s pinball collection is curated by Kevin Grillo, a nationally ranked pinball player and Atlanta resident whose expertise has contributed to the collections at other Atlanta gaming establishments.
“Arcade games appeal to guests across multiple demographics and so does our Tex-Mex menu,” Southern Proper partner Chris Hadermann said in the release. “We’re excited about the experience we’re creating at Tin Pin Game Bar.”
Tin Pin is at 4475 Roswell Road, Suite 1510A at Avenue East Cobb. Hours are Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The bar is open to all ages during daytime hours but in the evenings is limited to ages 21 and older.
More Avenue openings
North American Properties, which manages Avenue East Cobb, announced this week that two new retail outlets will be coming this spring.
One is the Baby Nook, a boutique offering baby essentials and gifts, and will be located next to Barnes & Noble.
Boho Trace is a women’s fashion boutique that will occupy the former Olea Oliva! space.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
A reader alerted us to the departure of the Ashley HomeStore at the East Cobb Crossing Shopping Center (4281 Roswell Road), and the above photo is what we saw when we went by.
The largest home furnishing retailer in the country had been operating at East Cobb Crossing since 2016, and also has stores in the Cumberland area and Alpharetta in north metro Atlanta in addition to the Town Center vicinity.
The Shopping Center Group, which leases space at East Cobb Crossing, lists the former Ashley space as having 19,230 square feet.
Like many retailing chains, Ashley closed locations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been opening others as it makes significant changes.
Last year, the Ashley HomeStore concept was rebranded as “Ashley” and indicatec that stores in several metro areas, including Atlanta, will “undergo the refresh” amid more expansion.
According to Business of Home, a major reason for the rebrand is an attempt to reach younger customers and to “enhance the overall customer experience.”
Those marketing efforts include offering “experiential events” featuring live music with an emphasis on driving social media impressions and engagement.
Owner Gene Chayevsky cuts the ribbon for the new BODY20 fitness studio. Photos courtesy ECBA.
Body20 Ribbon-cutting
BODY20, a national fitness franchise specializing in wearable, electro-muscle stimulation workouts, held a formal opening and ribbon-cutting on Jan. 11 with the East Cobb Business Association.
Located at Woodlawn Point Shopping Center (1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 270), BODY20 offers one-on-one technology training provided by a personal BODY20 certified coach to customers of all fitness levels.
Workouts are 20-40 minutes, featuring and are designed to improve strength and cardio results.
The East Cobb owner is KLW Fitness, a franchise run by veteran entrepreneur Gene Chayevsky, who is planning seven BODY20 locations in metro Atlanta.
BODY20 is a membership-based business with a variety of joining options. The studio offers a complimentary demo session. To sign up visit the studio’s website or call (770) 450-6127.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Body20, a national fitness franchise specializing in electrical muscular therapy workouts, will have a grand opening celebration for its new studio in East Cobb on Jan. 11.
The studio is located at 1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 270 (Woodlawn Point Shopping Center) and the grand opening party will be from 5-8 p.m.
The event will include free workout demos, food and on open bar, music, fun raffles, and presentations from other health and wellness businesses in the community, and will be followed by a final weekend of special membership pricing and other promotions.
The East Cobb studio (website link here) is the first of several planned in metro Atlanta by franchisee Gene Chayevsky, a veteran entrepreneur and business investor.
Body20 specializes in 20-minute one-on-one personalized workouts with certified coaches. The EMS technique was first developed by sports coaches in the former Soviet Union to assist athlete recovery, and in recent years has been developed for fitness studio businesses in Europe.
Body20 has nearly 70 locations in the U.S., including Brookhaven, Buckhead, Decatur and Roswell in metro Atlanta.
“I saw BODY20 as a future dominant brand in the nascent US market of technology-enhanced personalized fitness. Using the amazing power and efficiency of Electro-Muscle Stimulation-based workouts to achieve impressive strength and cardio results for anyone in only 20-40 minutes per week, regardless of age or fitness level, I immediately realized that BODY20 has the potential to disrupt the legacy personal training market with its more impactful and time and cost-effective workouts,” Chayevsky said in a release announcing the East Cobb studio grand opening.
“By making personalized training and much higher levels of fitness accessible and affordable to a much wider audience who often struggles with fitting in a consistent exercise routine with family and career obligations, BODY20 provides a uniquely valuable service to all communities in which it operates.”
Another EMT specialty studio, Strongvibe Fitness, recently opened in East Cobb at Paper Mill Village as an independent business.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Peachtree Immediate Care, an urgent care facility with more than 50 locations in metro Atlanta and North Georgia, will be opening a clinic in East Cobb this week.
A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the clinic at Woodlawn Point Shopping Center )1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 510). It’s part of an open house event slated from 12-2 p.m.
Peachtree Immediate Care is part of the Emory Healthcare Network, and provides comprehensive urgent care services.
The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week and offers urgent and family care services, treats minor illnesses and injuries, conducts sports physicals and X-rays, practices occupational medicine and has on-site labs.
Appointments are not required and both insurance and self-pay options are available. Patients can also check-in online and receive referrals to specialists.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Workers are still putting some of the finishing touches on windows and the exterior as we’re a couple weeks away from the official opening of Press Waffle Co. at Avenue East Cobb.
It’s occupying one of the new “jewel box” buildings that’s a key part of the retail center’s overhaul. Owner Keith Ginel told East Cobb News this week that the first day of business is Friday, Dec. 15, kicking off a weekend of special events, discounts and entertainment.
A ribbon-cutting takes place at 9 a.m. Friday, with the first 100 customers receiving free swag bags. Live Christmas music takes place on the patio from 4-7 and all day there will be photo booth “post and tag” opportunities for special discounts.
That latter promotion continues all weekend. On Saturday, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church musicians will perform live music on the patio from 12-1, and from 4-7 Walton HS will do the honors in the same place.
Sunday’s musicians are from Pope HS and will be featured from 2-3 p.m.
Press Waffle Co., which began as a food truck venture in St. Louis in 2016 and vaulted into fame via the television show “Shark Tank,” has seven locations in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Colorado.
The 1,200-square-foot space at the jewel box is the company’s first venue in Georgia. Gitel and his wife Niki are East Cobb residents and franchisees. Press Waffle, which features Belgian-style “Liège” waffles handmade (from dough, not batter) on-site.
There are a variety of sweet and savory options (including chicken and waffles, customizable toppings and a waffle ice cream sandwich), along with locally roasted coffee and espresso.
Press Waffle is partnering with Marietta-based Cool Beans Coffee Roasters and Rock House Farm & Creamery in Newton County.
Updates are being posted at the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
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Wes Rhea’s life and career has taken him to many places—from professional wrestling to the corporate world and to academia.
The Sprayberry High School graduate recently published a book about those experiences and to help others with career transition entitled “Off the Top Rope,” and on Dec. 9 he’ll have a book signing.
That event will take place from 12-4 p.m. at the 2nd and Charles store (815 Ernest Barrett Parkway).
He tells us his book is “geared towards helping people with career development and career transition with faith and a positive approach as well as my journey from a professional wrestler to a corporate executive to a university professor. I thoroughly enjoy helping others and I feel my book would be an inspiration.”
Rhea is a part-time information systems instructor at Kennesaw State University, his college alma mater. After high school, he was a professional wrestler from the late 1980s to the early 1990s (on his website, there’s a photo of him with Muhammad Ali stemming from those days).
He earned an MBA and law degree and became an executive in the telecommunications, financial and health care industries.
Rhea also was a senior lecturer at KSU teaching in the undergraduate and executive MBA programs and has served as a career coach.
In a recent profile in the Cobb in Focus magazine, Rhea said that “I’m not sure too many people go from being a professional wrestler to a C-level executive to a college professor. Probably not the most straightforward path; however, that seems to be the way I do things. Hey, it may not be the track for everyone but it allowed me to live a semi-charmed life.”
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A couple more openings at Avenue East Cobb to note, in the clothing and hair care sectors:
On Tuesday women’s fashion retailer Evereve opened in a 3,500-square-foot space next to Warby Parker. Evereve features a mix of what it terms “exclusive, on-trend pieces for everyday style.” As part of the grand opening, customers will get 15 percent off their purchases through Saturday.
Evereve, based in Minnesota, also has stores at Avalon, Shops Around Lenox and Perimeter Mall.
Hours for Evereve at Avenue East Cobb are 10-8 Monday-Saturday and 12-6 Sunday.
On Saturday, Drybar, a blowout hair salon, will open next to Kendra Scott. A ribbon-cutting takes place at 10:30 a.m. followed by complimentary bites and beverages for guests throughout the day.
Based in California, Drybar has nearly 100 hair styling salons across the country, including seven others in metro Atlanta.
Hours for Drybar at Avenue East Cobb are 7-7 Monday-Friday, 7-8 Saturday and 9-7 Sunday.
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“We make everything ourselves,” Urthy co-owner Jen Rotondo said. ECN photos.
The aromas—all 27 of them—are unmistakeable when you walk into Urthy Scents.
And they’re all natural, too.
On its grand opening day last week, the boutique body- and skincare store made shopping even more enticing with special discounts–some as much as 50 percent off.
The location at Woodlawn Square Shopping Center (1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 105, next to Half Price Books) is the second for Urthy Scents, which opened its first store last year in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., near Sarasota.
Jen Rotondo and her sister Ali East developed the idea of making and selling non-scented body products because thy both have autoimmune issues and can’t use any traditionally manufactured scents.
Their venture started out as a hobby, as they began making clean-burning coconut wax candles during COVID-19. Quickly they began to expand their product line along the same concept using clean, scented non-toxic and naturally-derived plant ingredients.
Those include an olive squalane oil, firming lupin seed extract, and healing chamomile bisabolol. They’re part of what the sisters are calling their KWENCH body products line, emphasizing moisture and hydration.
“Everything we sell is non-toxic,” said Rotondo, who lives in Sandy Springs. “It’s all plastic-free.”
The decision to drop all phthalates—chemicals that make plastics more durable—means that all the products are made on-site.
“We make everything ourselves,” said Rotondo, as her staff milled about the 1,600-square-foot space, helping customers.
Those includes body lotions, scrubs and oils, perfumes, bath bombs, scent notes, candles, scent towers, as well as room sprays and diffusers.
The scents are organized into eight different groups, ranging from mystic sea, lavendar and cactus bloom to midnight sky, velvet orchid and blushing goddess.
(If you want to know what scents suit you, Urthy has put together a scent quiz.)
And about those coconut wax candles? Rotondo said because they burn slower, they last longer, with the 12-ounce candle lasting up to 60 hours.
Urthy Scents is featuring holiday candles and other holiday products as it opens, and has a loyalty program and online ordering.
Urthy Scents is open 10-6 Monday-Saturday and 11-4 Sunday. Phone: 770-857-3447. E-mail: info@urthyscents.com.
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From L-R: Sharon Mason, President & CEO of the Cobb Chamber; Irene Barton, 2023 East Cobb Citizen of the Year; Greg Teague, 2023 Cobb Chamber Chairman. Photo courtesy Cobb Chamber.
Irene Barton, long active in East Cobb civic and community activities, has been named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year for 2023.
Barton, the executive director of the Cobb Collaborative, a non-profit agency, was honored Thursday morning by the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce at a breakfast at Indian Hills Country Club.
She’s been in that post since 2018, and her work has included launching the Connecting Cobb Veterans program (previous ECN post here), brought mental health, suicide prevention and trauma-credentialed training to more than 4,000 individuals through the Mind Your Mind mental health awareness campaign, distributed more than 8,300 books to children, installed more than 50 Little Free Libraries across the county and grown the membership from 78 to 125.
Barton is a member of the East Cobb Civitan Club and is currently its president.
She has been a board member of the McCleskey Family-East Cobb YMCA Board of Directors and the creation care team at the Catholic Church of St. Ann.
Barton also has been involved with the Georgia PTA, Cobb Community Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse, Get Georgia Reading Cabinet, Cobb Executive Women,and Honorary Commanders Alumni Association.
Barton, a member of the Leadership Cobb Class of 2024, “has consistently put service above self in all she does, dedicating herself to helping improve the quality of life in East Cobb” in 25 years in the community, the Chamber said in a release.
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Beyond Skin, an holistic skin care studio, has opened on Powers Ferry Road in the East Cobb area.
The studio specializes in customized facials, acne solutions, Nano-needling and plant-based skin care.
The owner is Frankie Coker, a licensed holistic esthetician, who said the objective is to “provide a tranquil and pampering experience, making each visit a journey towards relaxation and self-care.
“We are excited to bring the art of healing, touch, in connection to the skin to Marietta,” Coker said in a release. “I am dedicated to helping our clients achieve beautiful and healthy skin, and I can’t wait to share my passion with the community.”
Beyond Skin held a grand opening on Monday, and is continuing to offer promotions for first-time clients.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Membership costs vary, and an unlimited package is $40 a week, with typically 3-5 classes.
