Around Towne
by Cherryl Greenman

Vote August 10

Don't forget August 10! Cherokee County experienced a high turnout of 28% in the recent primary election. Let's hope the turn out for the run-off on Tuesday, August 10 will be just as high. State Senators Robert Lamutt and Tom Price each are seeking the 6th U.S. Congressional District seat. Gina Carr and Charlice Byrd are each looking to take control of the State House District 20 seat, and Chuck Scheid and Mary Wilhite are looking to occupy the State House District 22 seat. Polling precincts will be the same, but schools will not be closed. Early voting will be available one week prior to August 10 at the elections office in Canton.

Back to School

School will soon be back in session. For most of the kids in our area, school starts on August 9. Please remember to watch for all the kids getting on and off the bus and walking to and from school. Students and parents are encouraged to attend their school's Open House or Walk Thru. For more information, please call your school.

What's New

Mama Fus Noodle House will open soon in the space formerly occupied by Donato's Pizza on Towne Lake Parkway. This is a fresh fast food Chinese cuisine chain.

Sebrina Horton is the new owner of Your Turn Kids Consignment store located on Towne Lake Parkway in the Towne Lake Commons center. For more information, please call Sebrina at (770) 517-7107.

Souper Grill, located in the Colonnade at Towne Lake, is now serving breakfast from 7 - 10:30 a.m. and will offer a breakfast special for $2.49. For more information, please call (770) 924-1202.

Carnett's Carwash will open an Express Wash on Highway 92 next to Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q. Owner Bruce Arnett said Dashant Patel will manage this new franchise. For more information, please call (770) 381-6900.

Q's Fish School will soon open in the South Pointe at Towne Lake in the space located next to JP's Oyster Bar. The aquarian store will feature fresh and salt water fish, a jelly fish exhibit and a shark tank.

Also in the Towne Lake Center, a new Philly Connection cheesesteak sandwich shop is scheduled to open soon between Planet Beach Tanning Salon and ABC Alterations.

Sports Clips will soon open in the Towne Lake Center on Towne Lake Parkway between the Dollar Tree and Slender Lady. Targeting men and boys, Sport Clips operators plan to provide high quality haircuts in a fun environment, complete with TVs tuned to sports at every stylist's station.

Sweet Offerings, located in downtown Woodstock on Main Street in the space formerly occupied by Tea Leaves & Thyme, has closed its doors. Sweet Offerings will continue to offer catering and baking. For more information, please call (678) 458-1524. Tea Leaves & Thyme has moved further south on Main Street, next door to Brenda's House of Flowers.

What's Ongoing

Construction continues on the retail shops, which faces Buckhead Crossing. Earth, Paint and Fire, a create your own ceramics store, is scheduled to occupy space in this unit. The center will feature nine retail stores when completed.

Cherryl is the Editor of The TowneLaker magazine. She lives in southwest Cherokee with her son Dale and daughter Lori.

The Wal-Mart Super Center, located at Bells Ferry Road and Eagle Drive, continues to move forward with completion expected soon.

Mike the Mechanic is scheduled to open a shop adjacent to The Animal Hospital of Towne Lake on Parkbrooke Circle. Owner Mike Pecararo has additional plans to build an RV/boat storage facility on the land behind the shop.

Madison Retail, LCC continues with its plans to build town homes and retail units on the property located at I-575 and Towne Lake Parkway.

Steps Dance Center has expanded its facility to include a portion of the space recently vacated by Golden Café. Owner Jamie Yelundier said classes are scheduled to resume on August 16. For more information, please call Jamie at (770) 516-1363.

Construction continues on the three-story office building located at the corner of Towne Lake Parkway and Mill Street (across from the Craft Barn). The primary tenants will be Douglas Property Management and ERA Sunrise Realty.

Bells Ferry Community, located on Bells Ferry Road north of Victoria Road, has started the grading and will encompass 60 town homes when completed. The units are scheduled to be available later this year.

Towne Lake Diner
JP' Oytster Bar
by Kara Kiefer

Oysters JP, Oysters Olé, Oysters Rockefeller. Baked, fried or raw, people love oysters. Up until now, if you had a hankering for oysters, you had to go somewhere other than Towne Lake. Thanks to JP's Oyster Bar, which opened this past April, oyster and seafood cravings can be satisfied close to home.

JP's is located in the South Pointe shopping center, behind McDonald's, next to the old Towne Lake Fitness facility, but once you step inside, you're transported to a beach bar on the gulf coast. The décor and music gives the restaurant that laid-back and beachy feel. JP's specialty is, of course, oysters, which they only get from the Gulf of Mexico and are freshly shucked in house daily. They have four varieties of baked oysters as well as on the half shell by the dozen or half dozen. Their menu also includes salads, sandwiches, Po Boys, seafood baskets, steamer buckets and complete dinners.

JP's is owned by local residents Paul and Angela Ridley and Bob Jones. They saw the need for a restaurant like this, and when the space became available, they took advantage of the opportunity.

JP's is a great place to hang out with friends and family. They routinely hold crawfish boils (the next one will be in the fall), which is an afternoon of crawfish eating, beer specials, giveaways, water gun wars and moonwalks for the kids. Monday through Friday, JP's has Happy Hour from 4 - 6 p.m. with $.25 oysters and a shrimp and chicken wing buffet.

The Gulf may be hours away, but the Gulf oyster bar experience is only minutes away at JP's Oyster Bar - come in and escape!