February 2016 Momentum Magazine

Momentum

February 2016

G R E AT E R R O M E C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

Whistle Britches Boutique Makes Name For Itself Kimberly Garner Named 2015 Ambassador of the Year

GrEaT EvEnTs NeEd GrEaT BbQ. Catering for any occasion. And by “any” we mean all of yours. Party-size portions of the best melt-in-your-mouth BBQ, tasty sides, darn-good desserts and more. Everything you need for any kind of gathering you could ever have.

PlAcE An OrDeR ToDaY, TaStE It ToMoRrOw. @ 2103 Shorter Ave. Rome, GA 30165 Phone: 706-234-1441

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Momentum February 2016

Momentum (USPS 395-030)

Published monthly by the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce, 1 Riverside Parkway, Rome, GA 30161.

Periodical Postage Paid - Rome, GA 30161. Subscription Rate: $25 per year in U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MOMENTUM, 1 Riverside Parkway, Rome, GA 30161

Content and Design by: Carolyn McFry Chamber Communications Coordinator

On the Cover

G R E AT E R R O M E C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

In this Issue...

4 Community Events............................................................................... 4 Letter from the Chairman...................................................................

Chamber News:

5-6, 13 2016 Small Business of the Year Nominees ...................................... 8 Confluence: Rome’s Innovation Conference..................................... 8 Kimberly Garner Named Ambassador of 2015................. 9-11 Partners in Prosperity III Investor Recognition...........................12 Floyd County Animal Control/SWAT Team’s New Facilities.........12 Whistle Britches: Making A Name For Itself.............

Membership Report:

13 Advertiser’s Index..............................................................................14 Visitor’s Guide.....................................................................................14 New Members and Renewals.......................................................

Passing of the Gavel: 2015 Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce Chairman, Jimmy Byars, Hardy Realty & Development, (right) passes the gavel to 2016 Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce Chairman Curtis Gardner, Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q during the Chamber’s 105th Annual Meeting held at Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Aviation Training Center hangar located at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport and Towers Field.

Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce’s

Washington, D.C. Trip Opportunities and Issues Trip

March 15-17, 2016 Early Bird Registration ends Feb. 8th Register now on romega.com!

February 2016

3

Upcoming

Community Events

Feb. 6

R.O.M.E and Rome Symphony Orchestra presents “Birth of Cool” Location: Berry College Ford Auditorium 2277 Martha Berry Blvd, Mt. Berry, GA, 30149 Time: 8:00 p.m.

R.O.M.E. and the RSO present nine of Rome’s best jazz musicians in a re-creation of Miles Davis’landmark “Birth of Cool”recording. Everyone will enjoy this premier performance by the No No Nonet. Admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $10 for students.

706-291-7967

Feb. 14

Valentunes for Valentines IV Location: Georgia Highlands College’s Heritage Hall 415 East Third Avenue, Rome, GA, 30161 Time: 4:00 p.m.

Rome’s 60-member community chorus, The Three Rivers Singers, will present“Valentunes for Valentines IV – The Look of Love.” They will present a delightful afternoon of romantic music, including such favorites as Try to Remember, and Where Is Love from Olivier. Donations accepted.

706-232-7411

Feb. 15-19

OSHA 10, 20 & 30 Hour Training Course Location: Georgia Highlands College’s Heritage Hall 415 East Third Avenue, Rome, GA, 30161 Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This General Industry Training Program covers a variety of topics. The class covers OSHA policies, procedures, and standards, as well as general industry safety and health principles. Attendees will be able to identify the most common hazards in their workplaces, locate the applicable OSHA general industry standard, and determine appropriate abatement methods to address non-compliance with these standards.

678-872-8240

Feb. 26-27

Shorter University’s Spring Musical/ Opera: Show Boat Location: The City Auditorium 601 Broad Street, Rome, GA, 30161 Time: Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Come enjoy this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic in the heart of downtown, as Shorter theater students present “Show Boat” for their spring muscial. General Admission is $15, $10 for students or seniors.

706-233-7288

April 2015 4

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Greetings!

It is with great privilege that I am writing to you as the 2016 Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. I am truly honored to be involved in this great community organization dedicated to its mission: To promote prosperity and growth in Rome and Floyd County for and through its business memberships.

As a small business owner of Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q, I found it crucial to become involved with the Chamber and its programs when I first moved to Rome years ago. It is extremely important to me that my business be part of a network of professionals that works to bring in new industries to the area. By bringing in new business, we are only making sure that our community grows so that our own businesses, both large and small, flourish.

To celebrate the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce’s mission, Momentum Magazine focuses each month on community achievements in education, business, entrepreneurship, new members and Chamber happenings. We are proud of the continuous improvements our members are making in this community.

This month, Momentum Magazine spotlights the Chamber’s 2015 Ambassador of the Year, Kimberly Garner! Over the past year, Ms. Garner dedicated her time to being a positive liasion for the community, and her hard work has not gone unnoticed. Thank you, Ms. Garner for your commitment to the Chamber’s mission to promote prosperity in Rome and Floyd County!

Speaking of prosperity, Momentum Magazine also features one of Rome businesses that have had great successes recently. Kim Holland, owner of the vintage-inspired boutique Whistle Britches, discusses how the new store, as her first venture into entrepreneurism, has triumphed thanks to dedication and community support. If you haven’t had a chance yet, please feel free to drop in and say hello to Ms. Holland and her staff at their 206 Broad Street, Suite 100 location.

As the new Chairman of the Board of Directors, I would like to extend an invitation for you to visit the Chamber of Commerce located at 1 Riverside Parkway and meet the Chamber staff. At the Chamber, you will find an incredible group who are committed to the future of Rome and Floyd County.

Sincerely,

Curtis Gardner (LR XXVII)

Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q 2016 Chairman of the Board, Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce

Check the community calendar at www.romega.com for event details.

“Sometimes, you just have to pray on it, and if it feels right afterward, do it.”

For Kim Holland, that’s a motto to live and work by. Now, just seven months after the grand opening of her store Whistle Britches, Ms. Holland discusses how the support of family, friends and the community — and a few prayers — brought her on the journey as a first-time entrepreneur and led her to opening the successful rustic men’s and women’s boutique at 206 Broad Street, Suite 100.

MEET THE WHISTLE BRITCHES CREW: Lori Ivey (clockwise from top left), Paige Reddix, owner Kim Holland, and Cassie Kyker.

This is Whistle

Britches

The ‘No-Name’ Store Making a Name for Itself in Rome

Kim Holland said she had always dreamed of opening a boutique.

“I actually went to school for interior design, and had done that before I decided to open my store,” said Ms. Holland.

“I had always loved fashion and fabrics, and I had worked in retail forever. I’ve just always loved people, and the want to start my own boutique spun from my travels as an interior designer.

Wherever I went, I would try to go shop and find cute little boutiques in the downtown areas of different towns and cities. I just loved it.”

However, her initial desires to open a store were curtailed due to her interior design career focus. Ms. Holland said it wasn’t until she married in 2014, sold her home in Knoxville, Tennessee, and moved here to be with her husband that becoming a shop owner morphed into a reality.

“My husband was quite the influence in this. He would say to me ‘just do it, just do it,’ because the company I worked for had me traveling quite a bit,” she added. “I was their southeast sales representative and I travelled all over. I will tell you that being newly married and traveling, it was just really hard on me.”

February 2016

5

Cassie Kyker folds a plaid blanket scarf for a customer at the rustic boutique Whistles Britches on Broad Street.

Ms. Holland said that she “did her homework” before opening a retail store. She wanted to educate herself so that she could create a successful business. “My main fear was my business would end up being one of those businesses who get started one year and go out the next if I didn’t do it right. I wanted to know everything I could about it prior to opening, and I knew I wanted to have someone go in with me who was experienced.”

That’s when she made a phone call to a friend from Alabama, Tammy Holt, who has started a number of other boutiques.“I asked her if she’d be interested in going in as partners with me, and she said ‘Sure!’” said Ms. Holland.

Ms. Holland said that the two first started scanning Northwest Georgia to determine the best location for their store. “We kept going to different areas looking to find the best place, but I really think my heart was set on Rome,” said Ms. Holland. “We went to Dalton, Calhoun, Canton, all over, but I just fell in love with Rome. Everywhere we would go, everyone acted like we had been there forever.

Downtown restaurants, like the Brewhouse Music & Grill or Harvest Moon, were so inviting and made us feel like regulars from day one. I kept telling my husband that I loved Rome because it reminded me of home. He would say, ‘Well why don’t you do Rome then? It’s a fun place and the people are great.’”

The extra push from her husband once again helped Ms. Holland make the decision to set up her shop in Rome. “I decided to pray about it,” she said. “I thought to myself, we’re just going to go for it, so we started looking for a building and I fell in love with this space downtown.”

The next hard part was coming up with a name. Ms. Holland said that she decided on the name of her boutique from an old saying her father used to say when she was younger.

February 2016

6

Cozy True Grit pullovers line the walls of the eclectic, rustic boutique located at 206 Broad Street, Suite 100. The True Grit line has been extremely popular this winter, said Ms. Holland.

“When I was growing up, my dad used to call people Whistle Britches if he couldn’t think of their name or couldn’t remember their name, even us kids,” laughed Ms. Holland. “He would say to my two older sisters and me, ‘Hey Whistle Britches, hand me that hammer,’ or ‘Hey Whistle Britches, pass me that.’ I thought that would be cute, because it’s kind of like no name and it had a ring to it. After reading up on the history of Rome and realizing it didn’t have a name for a while, I thought it was perfect.”

Ms. Holland said that Whistle Britches, which features an eclectic mix of men’s and women’s clothing as well as jewelry and home decor accessories, officially opened its doors on July 3, 2015. The store features a little something for everyone.

“Moms come in with their high-school-age or collegeage daughters and get excited because we have clothing that anyone at any age can wear,” said Ms. Holland.

Continued on p. 12

D L SO

D L SO

1600 SHORTER AVENUE

30 CHATEAU DRIVE

34,000 sq. �. building, 395 �. on road 25,578 sq. �. retail space, zoned CC. $795,000. Jimmy Byars, 706-506-9051

706-291-4321

Investment Opportunity.

VA Clinic income producing.

Jimmy Kelley, 706-346-7031

705 SHORTER AVENUE

510 BROAD STREET

908 WEST AVENUE

2901 SHORTER AVENUE

Great office or retail loca�on.

Building updated & remodel in 2003. $1,800/month. Tom Sipp, 706-346-4077

2 story building.

Bo�om oor leased. $600,000.

Bill Summer, 706-346-1233

Cedartown.60,000sq.ft.warehousew/office area, loading dock & cooler/freezer on 4.64 acres. $1,100,000. Nick Rogers, 706-252-0303

5,037 sq. �. restaurant w/ full kitchen kitchen & seatingfor180. On2.5acres. $275,000. Steve Graves, 770-547-2401

1611 MARTHA BERRY BLVD

100 E. SECOND AVENUE

1807 PARRISH DRIVE 32,000 sq. �. warehouse with office space and sprinklers. For lease $6,000/ month. Jimmy Kelley, 706-346-7031

Class A free standing, 4,800 sq. �. office building. For lease, $4,000/ month.

Jimmy Byars, 706-506-9051

Suntrust building, Downtown.

4 suites available.

Jimmy Byars, 706-506-9051

411 BROAD STREET Two Story, 5,775 sq. ft., new roof & HVAC. Second level is street level at rear. $349,000 Kimberly Prusakowski, 770-712-4250

412 E. FIRST STREET

901 BROAD STREET

Clocktower Square.

Several suites available.

Carol Hatch, 706-346-1646

915 NORTH BROAD STREET

One man office, $700/month.

1,259 sq. ft. suite. $18/sq.ft. utilities included. Jimmy Byars, 706-506-9051

Old car wash next to St. Mary’s Church. $475,000.

Jimmy Byars, 706-506-9051

96 THREE RIVERS DRIVE

1605 MARTHA BERRY BLVD

4967 MARTHA BERRY HWY.

701 BROAD STREET

10K sq. ft. building on 2.5 acres. Two 12’x 12’ rollup doors w/ parking for 20. $650,000.

Kimberly Prusakowski, 770-712-4250

3,000 sq. �. office space w/ u�li�es.

For lease, $3,000/ month.

Jimmy Byars, 706-506-9051

Great restaurant or office space, completely renovated w/2 bedroom apartment. $160,000. Steve Graves, 770-547-2401

3,648 sq. �. office space on 2nd oor, w/ u�li�es & janitorial. For lease, $3,344/ month. Jimmy Byars, 706-506-9051

CENTRAL PLAZA Four spaces.

Available for lease.

Jimmy Kelley, 706-346-7031

Small Business of the Year

Congratulations 2016 Nominees

The Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce Presents:

April 14 & 15, 2016 DeSoto Theatre, Rome, GA

Confluence is a two day conference of inspiration, innovation, and motivation for business leaders, technologists, educators, entrepreneurs and students.

E

ach year, a Chamber Member business is chosen as the Small Business of the Year. To be recognized as a Small Business of Year Nominee, the business must meet the following criteria: • Must be an active member of the Chamber.

• Must be located in Floyd County.

• Must be a for-profit entity.

• Must have 50 or less employees.

• Must have been in business for a minimum of 5 years.

• Must have an owner or manager that has been active in the day-to-day management of the business for the last 5 years.

Innovate + Inspire + Invent

Congratulations For being named

2016 Small Business of the Year February 2016

8

Tickets: $30 Students, $50 Chamber Members, $75 Non-Chamber Members Register online:

www.romega.com | www.confluencerome.org

W

elcoming new businesses to Rome and Floyd County. Attending ribbon cutting after ribbon cutting to congratulate new entrepreneurs on their new journey as business owners. Calling businesses to explain the importance their Chamber membership is to the community.

Kimberly Garner, of Ashton Staffing, truly knows the importance of being a positive liaison for the community. So it’s no surprise that Ms. Garner has been named the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Ambassador of the Year for her hard work and dedication to promoting prosperity in Rome and Floyd County.

Momentum Magazine recently sat down with Ms. Garner to learn a little more about how job seeking after college first lead her to Rome, how meeting the love of her life managed to jump start her love for this community, and her motives for getting involved in the Chamber and its mission.

Kimberly Garner is 2015 Ambassador of the Year As Kimberly Garner sits down inside local coffee shop Swift and Finch, a bubbly smile spreads across her face as she recounts how she first discovered Rome after she graduated from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2003. “I was born and raised in Dalton,” she explains as she sips her coffee and smiles again. “I graduated from Georgia and then briefly moved back home while I was job searching. I ended up landing my first post-college job selling custom wool carpet to interior designers and carpet dealers. It was very specialized and I travelled extensively. The market was scattered over 12 states, so I would go from Washington, D.C. down to Miami, Florida.”

Ms. Garner said that even with all of the traveling for work, Rome quickly became home, especially after meeting her now husband of 10 years, Andy Garner (LR XXII). She explained that the two met only a few months after she moved to the city of Rome. “We met through a mutual friend,” she gushed. “I met him about two months after I moved here. I remember that Andy and I got to know each other as we sat in the Chick-fil-A Rome Dwarf House that morning waiting for a caravan of mutual friends to take us out to Steeplechase. I remember waiting and waiting and finally asking him if he would just go ahead and drive us out there. He did and it was a few months later that Andy called me and asked me to go out. We’ve been

January 2016 9

added. “Ashton Staffing has five offices in Northwest Georgia and has been in business for 20 years, but only recently moved into the Rome market in 2011. That being said, Ashton felt it was a very important move for me to get involved with the Chamber because getting involved in the Chamber is a great way to meet influential community leaders and business owners as well as gain name recognition and build brand awareness for Ashton Staffing. I decided I wanted to get involved personally because I have a lot of admiration for the Chamber and have watched our community’s economic growth over the last ten years. They help our community by recruiting new business and helping retain the ones we have.”

2015 Chamber Ambassador of the Year Kimberly Garner of Ashton Staffing (left) Ms. Garner said when she first learned of the shares a laugh with fellow Chamber Ambassdor Moriah Medina of Merry Maids Chamber’s Ambassadors Club, she knew she during the June 2015 ribbon cutting for Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches. wanted to be involved. The Ambassadors Club is an exclusive group of appointed Chamber members who together ever since.”

Ms. Garner said that her husband, who practices law accumulate points based at McRae, Stegall, Peek, Harman, Smith & Monroe, on their participation LLP, and serves on the Greater Rome Chamber of within the Chamber.

Commerce’s Board of Directors, were married in July The group’s mission is of 2005 in Rome. The two have one “furbaby”: a to promote Chamber relations brindled tabby cat named Tilly, who was given to her member by an old neighbor who had a heart for rescuing abused through attendance and involvement during animals.

As the Garners first settled into married life, Ms. Garner Chamber functions and wanted to find a job closer to home. “I was in various sales to increase membership and marketing positions before I came to Ashton Staffing in in the Chamber through September of 2014,” she said. “I sold yellow page advertising, membership recruitment communications was the marketing manager for Mt. Berry Square Mall, and and then worked as an insurance agent at State Farm. (I still with existing members maintain both my insurance licenses). I decided I wanted to and the community.

Each quarter, the do outside sales again and submitted my resume for the Sales Manager position I found on the Greater Rome Chamber of accrued points are tallied, Commerce’s website, romega.com. After discovering at the and the Ambassador interview that the position was with a staffing agency, I was with the most points for a little hesitant because I didn’t know if it would be a good the quarter is recognized fit for me. However, turns out, it’s the best job I’ve ever had! by the Chamber Board Directors.

The Now that I’ve settled in, it feels like I’ve finally found the of missing piece in my professional life – it’s a challenging and Ambassador with the most points at the end personally fulfilling role.”

Kimberly and Andy are Georgia Bulldog Ms. Garner’s primary responsibility is to meet with of the year is designated fans — Ms. Garner’s alma mater! businesses in order to learn about their hiring needs and Ambassador of the Year help them understand how the services of Ashton Staffing at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting each January.

Interested by the friendly competitiveness of the group, can help fulfill those needs and lessen the stresses of the HR Department. She said that’s one of the reasons Ms. Garner applied for ambassadorship in 2015 and why she wanted to get involved with the Greater Rome said she has really enjoyed her role at the Chamber. In Chamber of Commerce. “Most of the time I am making her first year as an Ambassador, Ms. Garner was named cold-calls to businesses and trying to reach the HR Ambassador of the Quarter 4. Going into her second Manager in order to demonstrate how Ashton Staffing year, Ms. Garner is leading the Ambassadors as the 2016 could assist with their workforce needs,” Ms. Garner Ambassadors Club Chair.

February 2016 10

Thank You, Kimberly Garner, for your commitment to the community and the Chamber.

“Ambassadors are the ‘welcoming committee’ for the community and the Chamber,” Ms Garner said. “If you join the Chamber, we are going to be the ones who come to meet you, find out if you need any assistance from the Chamber, and make sure you know about all the Chamber has to offer. If you host a ribbon cutting, we are leading the pack in congratulating you and spreading the word about your new business. I love that aspect of supporting the Chamber and this past year has been very fun and I’ve learned a lot about the great businesses and people in our community.”

Ms. Garner said that by being able to greet new businesses, she feels that it has been beneficial for recruiting at Ashton Staffing. “You get to meet a lot of businesses and share your business too,” she added. “It’s really a win-win.”

In addition to her roles at the Chamber and at Ashton Staffing, Ms. Garner was recently appointed to the board of the Hospitality House, is a member of the Rome Chapter of the Society of Human Resource Managers, recently obtained her Certified Staffing Professional accreditation, and is a Sustainer with the Junior Service League of Rome.

When Ms. Garner isn’t volunteering her time to help her community, she said you could probably find her enjoying some Ms. Garner’s gray tabby cat leisure time doing crafts, with no tail, Tilly. cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, cooking, singing in the congregation at First Presbyterian Church, spending time with Andy and Tilly, working out, or tending

her tomato plants in the summer.

“I also love to travel,” she added with a smile. “And…I just got a sewing machine for Christmas, and I’ve always been envious of those who could sew. Ultimately, I’ve love to be that person who can sew some grand Halloween costume or something, but honestly I’ll be happy if I can learn to hem pants and the legs turn out even.”

Twinkle twinkle little star, Transfer money wherever you are.

MOBILE BANKING MADE EASY

by River City Bank

February 2016 11

Breaking Ground

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS IN PROSPERITY INVESTORS

Floyd County Animal Control & The Rome-Floyd SWAT Team New Facilities

Platinum Investors

From Left to Right: Floyd County Commissioner Garry Fricks, Floyd County Manager Jamie McCord, Floyd County Commission Chairman Larry Maxey, Floyd County Comissioner Irwin Bagwell, Floyd County Commissioner Scotty Hancock, Floyd County Commissioner Rhonda Wallace, Floyd County Animal Control Director Jason Broom and Floyd County Police Major and SWAT Commander Tom Ewing break ground for the new Floyd County Animal Control Shelter and new SWAT storage facility at 99 North Avenue.

The new Animal Control facility will include 232 cages, 17 separate zones for sick animals and fenced in areas for exercise. The Rome-Floyd SWAT team, a volunteer group that consists of Rome City Police Offices, Floyd County Police Offices and Floyd County Sheriff’s Deputies, plans to use their new facility to how equipment and use as a training site.

The new facilities are being funded through a Special Purpose, Local Option Sales Tax. In 2013, Local voters voted YES to allocating $5.7 million for a new animal shelter and $900,000 for a new SWAT storage facility.

City of Rome Southeastern Mills State Mutual Insurance Company

Gold Investors

Georgia Power International Paper OTR Wheel Engineering Pirelli Tire North America

Silver Investors

Berry College Harbin Clinic F & P Georgia Neaton Rome, Inc. Floyd County Government Oglethorpe Power Floyd Medical Center Peach State Labs, Inc. Redmond Regional Medical Center

Bronze Investors

Basic Ready Mix Hardy Realty & Development Bekaert Corporation Heritage Automotive Group Brinson, Askew, Berry, Seigler, Lowe’s Regional Distribution Center Richardson & Davis, LLP Marglen Industries Coosa Valley Credit Union North Georgia Distributing Company Foss Manufacturing Riverside Auto Group General Electric Company Rome Braves SunTrust Bank

Senior Investors Tier One

Brown & Brown Insurance of Georgia Citizens First Bank, a division of Synovus FP – Pigments

Garner & Glover Company Logical Systems, Inc. McRae, Stegall, Peek, Harman, Smith & Monroe, LLP

BDD Consulting Services Brooks Building Group Charles Williams REIC Cheryl Riner Hodge, Artist Chick-Fil-A Cox, Byington, Brumlow & Johnson Darlington School David & Denise Newby Evans Construction Co. Ford, Gittings & Kane, Jewelers Georgia Machine Works Greater Community Bank Greene’s Jewelers Henderson & Sons Funeral Home

Heritage First Bank Hi-Tech Signs & Ad Specialties North Georgia Equipment Company Owens Financial Group, Inc. POWER 10 Profile Custom Extrusions River City Bank SCANA Energy ServiceMaster by Twins Suzuki Manfacturing of America United Community Bank Ware Mechanical, Inc. Wells Fargo Whittington, Jones & Rudert, CPAs, LLC

Accounting Solutions Plus David Harvey Frank Barron Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC Dr. Paul Ferguson Hortman-Carney Dental, Inc. Jowers-Sklar Insurance

Kelly Services R.H. Ledbetter Properties, Inc. Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q Wallis Printing Company Tom Watters Watters & Associates Landscape WOW Café & Wingery

Tier Two

Associate Investors

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February 2016 12

Visit romega.com

Whistle Britches cont. from page 6

“We have everything from classic apparel, which you could wear to work or school, to the fun, boho look that you can wear out on a Saturday night or to a picnic. We even have Sunday wear for church. There really isn’t a set style; it’s just a really good mix of clothing.”

Ms. Holland said that Whistle Britches features several brands that weren’t previously carried in Northwest Georgia. “We just picked up a new jewelry line called Alex and Ani, and we’re the only ones before you get to Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta to carry this in the Northwest Georgia area,” she said. “It’s been huge and we have already sold out of a lot of it already.”

Other lines, she said, include True Grit for men and Dear John for women. “Our men’s department is really growing, and has gained a lot of popularity,” Ms. Holland said. “Frye shoes have also been extremely popular for men and women alike.”

Additionally, Ms. Holland said that her recent passion has led her to start incorporating lines of jewelry and clothing that give back a portion of their profits to charity. That’s why she carries the shoe line Sseko, which gives a portion of its profits to help provide education for women in Africa, and BLO Vintage, a jewelry company that specializes in making safety whistles and donates proceeds to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for the lifethreatening disorder that damages the lungs and digestive system.

“I just think it’s extremely important to give back when you can,” added Ms. Holland. “That’s why I am involved in organizations like the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Development Authority.

Rome has been really great and supported us so it is important to support the growth and prosperity of Rome. ”

Renewals

Profile Custom Extrusions 1st Franklin Financial Corpora- J Supply Company Jamwich Publix Super Markets, Inc. tion Knight’s Jewelers Quality Inn A & L Shielding, Inc. Lamar Advertising Ready or Not, Inc. Advertising Dynamics, Inc. Lowe’s Redmond Regional Medical Alarm Systems, Inc. Center Allen Murphy Appliance Ctr., Marglen Industries, Inc. Martin Marietta Materials River City Bank Inc. Martin’s Real Estate & Develop- Roberson’s Auto Collision Co., Inc. Anniston Metal Co. ment Company Roman Chemical Corporation Atlanta Gas Light Co. McRae, Stegall, Peek, Harman, Rome Electric Motor Works, Inc. Auto Parts Company Smith & Monroe, LLP Rome Industrial Cleaning Service, Bekaert Corporation Melissa Eldridge State Farm LLC Bella Roma Grill Insurance Agency Rome News-Tribune Ben Hill Roofing Miura America Co., Ltd. Rome-Floyd Parks & Recreation Berry College Morgan & Hunt Oil Company Authority Bowen & Associates CPA’s S.I. Storey Lumber Co. Brinson, Askew, Berry, Seigler, Myrtle Hill Mausoleum National Alliance on Mental Southeastern Mills Richardson & Davis, LLP Illness of Rome Starr-Mathews Insurance Agency Carroll EMC New Romans Club State Mutual Insurance Charles Williams R.E.I.C. North Georgia Distributing Co. STEMCO Rome Citizens First Bank North Georgia Equipment Terry Simmons Insurance Agency City of Rome Company The Fairbanks Company Communities in Schools of Northwest Exterminating The Forum Rome-Floyd County, Inc. Company The Garage Conrad Disability Specialists, Northwest Georgia Credit The Guest House Apartments LLC Union The Season Events Cook’s Pest Control, Inc. Northwestern Mutual Three Rivers Specialty Co. Coosa Country Club TSB Loss Control Coosa River Basin Initiative, Inc. Open Door Children’s Home United Community Bank Coosa Valley Fair Association OTR Wheel Engineering Pinson’s, Inc. Ware Mechanical, Inc. CSC Sales, Inc. Pizza Hut Will Wood Investments Daniel’s Funeral Home Pridemore & Cox Orthodontics Winthrop Court Darlington School Days Inn of Rome Dismuke, William F., Jr., DDS, PC Eastland Court Apartments First United Methodist Church Fisher Family and Cosmetic Lindale Mill (filming) Dentistry Floyd County Farm Bureau Mr. Joe Silva Floyd County Schools Board of 6 Park Avenue Education Lindale, GA 30147 Floyd Medical Center (404) 919-6119 Ford, Gittings & Kane Jewelers https://www.facebook.com/ Garner & Glover Co. Georgia Highlands College Lindale-MillGeorgia Northwestern TechniFilming-1612202675661810/ cal College Georgia Power Northwest Federal Credit Union Georgia Power Plant Hammond GeoSolve Consulting, Inc. Gerber Collision & Glass Glass Doctor H & H Lawn Care Contact Hall Bros. Transportation, Inc. Director of Membership Harbor House Hardy Realty & Development Regan Hice Haynes & Moore, LLC at 706-291-7663 Heritage Automotive Group Hortman Carney Dental, Inc. or rhice@romega.com International Paper

New Member

Interested in Joining the Chamber?

February 2016 13

Visitor’s Guide Downtown Rome

Points of Interest

12

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1 3

6 10 t tS

1s W.

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1 E.

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3rd Ave

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1 Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce 2 Rome and Floyd County Library 3 City Hall 4 Clocktower 5 Historic DeSoto Theatre 6 Old Courthouse 7 Myrtle Hill Cemetery 8 Heritage Park 9 Tennis Complex Barron Stadium 10 The Forum 11 Rome Area History Museum & Welcome Center 12 Harbin Clinic Tony E. Warren

Floyd County

Points of Interest

13 Oak Hill & the Martha Berry Museum 14 Chieftain’s Museum GA -156 GA -1 15 Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau and Rome Visitors Center 16 Ridge Ferry Park US 27 33 22 17 Shorter University GA-53 18 Mount Berry Mall 18 19 Cave Spring 23 20 Lock & Dam Park 30 21 Coosa Valley Fairgrounds 26 13 14 25 GA-20 16 15 29 22 Stonebridge Golf Course 17 GA-293 21 24 23 Berry College 31 24 Floyd Medical Center 28 GA-20 27 25 Harbin Clinic GA-100 20 26 Redmond Regional 34 1 41 Medical Center GA-101 19 US32 US-27 27 Darlington School 28 Georgia Northwestern Technical College 29 Unity Christian School Inside Front Cover page 11 page 15 30 State Mutual Stadium Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q River City Southeastern Mills 2103 Shorter Ave. 31 Saint Mary’s Catholic School Bank 333 Old Lindale Rd. www.sonnysbbq.com 228 N. Second Ave. 32 Georgia Highlands College www.semills.com 706-234-1441 www.rivercitybankonline.com 706-291-6528 33 Richard B. Russell Regional Airport 706-236-2123 Back Cover 34 Georgia School for the Deaf page 7 Ford, Gittings & Hardy Realty & 12 page 35 Downtown Welcome Center

Advertiser’s Index

February 2016 14

Development Co. 1609 Martha Berry Blvd. www.hardyrealty.com 706-291-4321

Greene’s Jewelers 328 Broad St. www.greenesjewelers.com 706-291-7236

Kane Jewelers 312 Broad St. www.fgkjewelers.com 706-291-8811