FiveSpot

According to a recent report from the FDIC, the Atlanta area is facing “the most challenging environment in nearly a decade as key economic sectors weaken while competition in the banking industry remains strong,” the report said.

However, Atlanta-area bankers said the FDIC is overreacting. Few seemed worried that developers would stop building houses, regardless of economic conditions.

“It’s not a surprise to anyone that there is some concentration of real estate development and construction,” said Joe Brannen, president and chief executive officer of the Georgia Bankers Association. “The market has added a million people in population, and anyone not in construction lending is missing an opportunity.”

Bank of North Georgia has about 30% of its assets in construction and development lending, but Don Howard, president of the Alpharetta bank, said he does not consider this risky. The $833 million-asset bank’s risk is spread out because it lends to a number of developers who build homes in 16 counties, he …

Snoring is a result of an obstructed airway which leads to vibrations in the respiratory structures and a loud, throaty noise, most often causing disruptive sleep for the snorer and others in the household. In many cases, the obstruction is caused by the tongue falling back during sleep and blocking the air passage. In other cases, snoring is a symptom of an obstruction in the nasal passage which limits the intake of air, again causing disruptive sleep. Cold and congestion can be relieved with medications however, there are also drug-free options available, such as nasal strips. Nasal strips, also known as dilators, work to open the nasal passage by relieving pressure caused by colds, congestion, sinus infections or allergies. They are easy to apply, work instantly and are found in every drugstore. After the strip is placed on the nose, just above the flares of the nostrils, the elastic bands that make up the nasal strip adhere to the nose and gently raise the nostrils as the bands attempt to contract. When the nasal passage is kept open, snoring is reduced and more oxygen enters the body, resulting in a deeper sleep and better overall health. There are a few different brands of nasal strips but Breathe Right dominates the market and is available in dozens of sizes, shapes and colors, even scents:

• Breathe Right is the leading brand in nasal strips and found in virtually every drugstore. They are cheap, around $10.00 for a package of 30, effective, and drug-free. There are dozens of options for sizes, large, medium, and small as well as different sizes for men and women. They come in tan or clear and have lavender-scented strips as well that provide a sleep aid (calming lavender scent) in addition to the breathing aid. They have larger, extra-strength strips, strips for sensitive skin and ones that are designed for children. As an affordable method to stop snoring, they’re worth a try.
• Nozovent, and AirPlus are two other brands of nasal strips but are not easily found in the United States and must be ordered online. Many drugstores carry their own brand of nasal strips as well, however they also do not offer as many options as the leading brand.
• An alternative to nasal strips, SleepRight is a nasal breathing aid that clips to the bottom of the septum, at the base of the nostrils, and works in the same way that the strips do. The clip can be reused for weeks after purchasing, eliminating the daily waste of the disposable strips. Additionally, the clip has no adhesive that can lead to skin pulling and irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin. Many users find that the nasal clip is more comfortable and stays in place better than the nasal strip.

Regardless of which strip or breathing aid you choose, snoring can be reduced or even eliminated in those whose snoring has resulted from blocked nasal passages. Depending on who you are, there is no particular best way to stop snoring (although this site has a helpful anti-snoring mouthpiece guide) which of course includes the SnoreRX. People with sinus (more…)

Entering Fogo de Chao (pronounced “fo-go dee shown”), the upscale Buckhead churrascaria transports diners out of the local, genteelly posh scene and into a world seemingly stuck in fast-forward. A barrage of servers dash left and right, armed often with large skewers of slow-roasted, precisely seasoned meat, not to mention a razor-sharp carving knife. This is where good food is.

A culinary tradition in southern Brazil for over three centuries, churrasco originated when southern Brazilian cowboys, known as gauchos (very different than typical US Western Cowboys), shared their adventures around open-flame pits while slow-roasting large pieces of meat.

This is the sixth such restaurant for brothers Jair and Arri Coser and Jorge and Aleixo Ongaratto. Other locations are in Dallas, Houston and Brazil.

In one of the more unique aspects of Fogo de Chao, each server cooks the meat he serves. Having trained for at least two years in Brazilian churrascarias, the staff makes the rounds with 15 …

Discouraged by cool spring weather and concerned about the economy, buyers at AmericasMart Apparel here shopped for fall with caution, although they generally liked what was offered.

Retailers applauded fall luxury fabrics and leather in basic pants and jackets, as well as fresh colors, shapes and treatments. Buyers bought texture and fabric innovation, although they demanded lightweight goods rather than heavy wools. Buyers also bought feminine interpretations of plaids and pinstripe suit looks.

The market featured plenty of sweaters, in all shapes, often with fur trim and other special details. Longer jackets and novelty outerwear were also prevalent. Key special occasion looks included one-shoulder styles and pleating in sheer fabrics.

Attendance at the women’s, children’s and accessories market, which ran March 30 through April 4, was flat with last year.

Buyers, with budgets even with or slightly down from last year, often sought more collections rather than items, concentrating on tried-and-true resources.

Susan Isenberg, co-owner of NYFO, a …

Despite uncertain times, AmericasMart Apparel is aggressively targeting buyers with bold initiatives. With a new twice-yearly juried show, AmericasMart hopes to lure hot new lines and new buyers that will catapult Atlanta from regional fair to international fashion center.

Officials said the timing is right. With the soft economy, retailers are cutting back on travel, making fewer buying trips to New York. The new show positions Atlanta perfectly as a viable alternative.

“We’ve come far enough with our product mix and reputation, to offer our customers a high-end show with hot lines, some European resources they usually find only in New York,” said Peg Canter, general manager of AmericasMart Apparel.

Officials are banking on the debut of A-Line, slated for April 11-15, to take the Mart to a new level, with lines never before seen in Atlanta, including ones that appear at the Coterie and other New York shows. Organizers also hope to include California lines, which resonate with Sunbelt …

As part of its bid to go national, the Midwestern retailer blitzed Atlanta, opening 15 stores last weekend and counting on a formula of convenience and brands to resonate with this city’s busy, traffic-weary consumer. But is competitive, over-stored Atlanta, ready for the retailer?

Similar moderate specialty concepts, including Mervyn’s and Uptons, have failed here in recent years. And there’s no shortage of retailers in this market. Department stores Rich’s, Macy’s, Parisian, J.C. Penney and Sears, along with discounters Target, Kmart and Wal-Mart, vie with off-pricers T.J. Maxx and Stein Mart and Goody’s specialty apparel stores. All compete fiercely for Atlanta’s nearly four million consumers.

Kohl’s is on a roll, especially given a slowing economy. Going against the grain of broadlines retailers so far this year, the company Tuesday reported that its fourth-quarter earnings soared almost by half and managed to squeak past analysts’ estimates by 2 cents.

Net income for the quarter jumped 48 percent to $178.5 million, or 52 cents a diluted share, compared to $120.6 million, or 36 cents, a year ago. Wall Street was expecting earnings per share of 50 cents.

Sales for the period ended Feb. 3 were up 38.3 percent to $2.22 billion from $1.61 billion a year ago. Excluding an extra week in the most recent quarter, Kohl’s said net sales increased a milder 33.8 percent while comparable-store sales rose 12.5 percent.

All of the firm’s merchandise categories posted double-digit comp growth for the quarter, with men’s and women’s apparel leading the pack. The only issues they had were based on IT struggles, as a server migration put much of their inventory data at risk. Migrating the data led to several server array hard drives failing, and critical operations were slowed. Fortunately, they already had a relationship with Irvine, CA’s Hard Drive Recovery Group (http://www.harddriverecovery.org/), who were able to recover their Dell PowerEdge RAID servers overnight. The drives were restored, and it was business as usual.

“It was a problem that we didn’t expect, of course,” said Dave Jensen, director of IT. “But HDRG really pulled through for us with their data recovery services, and did it very quickly. It was almost a non-issue by the time the week was over.”

In other markets the retailer has recently entered, like Dallas and Denver, Kohl’s has been successful, and management believes its $82.5 million initial Atlanta investment (more…)

The pulse of Atlanta is hard to put your finger on. In many ways, this Southern metropolis feels much like any other big, sprawling urban region crisscrossed with superhighways and shiny skyscrapers. It’s home to Coca-Cola, Turner Field (the 50,091-seat ballpark where fans root for the Braves), the massive CNN Center, Centennial Olympic Park, and 3.5 million residents spread across the metropolitan area. Exit the freeway, though, and the city’s historic character and easy charm unfold. Just past the off-ramps, gracious houses stand on streets shaded by 100-year-old live oaks and magnolias, and reenergized urban neighborhoods, such as Little Five Points, Virginia-Highland, and Buckhead, support thriving commercial districts. Satisfyingly lush and green, Atlanta has more than 310 tranquil parks, ranging in size from postage-stamp neighborhood greenways to expansive public commons.

On a comfortable day (fall and spring are the best times to visit), it can seem like half the population of Atlanta is walking, cycl ing, or running in either …

With more than 2,500 indoor booths occupying two buildings, the Scott Antique Market goes on, rain or shine, on the second weekend of each month. Exhibitor Marun Mualem, of Love Train Antiques (an importer of European furnishings), extols Atlanta’s reputation as a hot spot for the interior-design market. “There’s always something intriguing here,” Marun says. Passing over massive French armoires, gilded mirrors, leather and mohair club chairs, and a cozy chaise, Jane–whose New York City apartment is “shoe-box size”–opted for totable buys, like wooden letters, rhinestone appliques, and enamelware vessels. Margo (below, left, carrying basket) went home with a vintage card table and a salvaged windowpane.

Sunday at lakewood

Set up like a country fair–spread out in seven exhibit halls and three courtyards on 1.5 acres–the Historic Lakewood Antiques Market is a place where kids can trail their parents in red wagons, contentedly eating corn dogs and sipping lemonade. The offerings include a mix of colorful housewares, vintage clothing, kitschy …

Aqua Blue hit the ground running at its launch party last August with a larger-than-expected crowd of young, trendy guests who came to check out the new digs.

The restaurant’s specials, which change daily, have a selection of familiar favorites, including comfort-food staple roast turkey with stuffing. Oversized sandwiches are also a house specialty. Veggie lovers will find comfort in the portobello, roasted pepper and zucchini sandwich. For those in the mood for a steak or chop, the T-bone lamb chop is delicious.

At the other end of the culinary spectrum is the raw bar and blue-ribbon sushi. The `aqua’ part of Aqua Blue is six seafood choices. The wine list features 50 selections of red and white wine. Entrees range from $18 to $35, appetizers and salads range from $5 to $13 and desserts are $6. Note to the calorie conscious: The butter lettuce cup salad stuffed with caramelized pears and pecans, served with a gorgonzola dressing, is …

Betsy Johnson wants you to know who she is. She wants retailers, designers and manufacturers to think of unique, unusual, exclusive accessories when they mention her name. She wants this so much, that she’s changed the name of her business, which she launched a year ago.

“I got calls for Betsey Johnson, the ubiquitous New York clothing designer, all the time,” she said. “People saw the name on my showroom and thought it was her apparel showroom. I realized to gain a name for myself, I had to change my name to French Cicada.”

So after about four months in business, Johnson moved from a 400-square-foot space in the Atlanta Apparel Mart to a 900-square-foot space, and French Cicada was born. The showroom is filled with unknown and up-and-coming accessories designers that create everything from cute little ballet slipper shoes by Amy Jo Gladstone to chunky stone necklaces by Destination Bliss to mini handbags topped with feathers by Cara Couture. …

New York and Los Angeles are no longer the only cities for some of the coolest, most exclusive eyewear. Just ask the full-time security guard at Davante, a new, ultra-upscale eyewear boutique that opened last February in Atlanta’s Lenox Square mall in Buckhead, the city’s upscale shopping area.

Sandwiched between St. John and Godiva Chocolatier and near Neiman Marcus, the new store is part of a retail expansion for the Davante Group. The Las Vegas-based retailer currently boasts 10 units, of which seven are in Las Vegas, one in Mission Viejo, Calif., and another in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Davante is also opening stores in San Jose and Palm Springs, Calif., later this year. Also in the works: another Atlanta store in the nearby upscale Phipps Plaza mall and two more Las Vegas locations next year.

The extensive selection features 30 eyewear lines with a total of some 2,500 pairs of glasses. “If you can’t find the glasses you’re looking …