Home There's No Place Like for the Holidays
Not Followers. Northwest Georgia’s Only Comprehensive Cardiac Network
Your heart deserves the expert care of the region’s only full-service network — including a Level 1 Cardiac Care Center. With more than 50 years of experience, AdventHealth is Northwest Georgia’s heart care leader. Now offering cardiology services in Calhoun, Chatsworth, Dalton, Rome and Trion. Put your heart in the right hands at 706-237-9451 or
DECEMBER 2024
COLUMNS FEATURES
8
14
Letters to the Emperor is a monthly humor column from the self-proclaimed Emperor of Rome, GA. This month, Nero Romanski guides his constituents through the stress of the holiday season.
In her undergraduate years, Nina Lovel stretched her wings, made lifelong friends, survived some rowdy adventures, and left a legacy she’s just now learned about.
22
Harbin Clinic is thrilled to announce the addition of Dr. David Hirsh, a cardiac electrophysiologist, to the Harbin Clinic Cardiology Rome team.
18
Rome Area Heritage Foundation sponsors The Christmas Tour of Homes.
This Hardy Home has an interesting history and limitless potential! Read more to find out.
Surrounded by natural splendor on the banks of Eagle Lake, the simple things in life are made even better at The Spires. With all the serenity of our 27,000 wooded acres yet all the vitality of our location at Berry College, it’s second nature to explore new opportunities and make genuine connections when you’re here.
This spectacular setting is brought to life by resort-style amenities, chef-prepared dining, friendly neighbors and a carefree lifestyle — plus the assurance of quality care available on-site if ever needed.
Publisher's Note
It's an Xmas Miracle!
Letters to the Emperor is a monthly humor column from the self-proclaimed Emperor of Rome, GA. Nero Romansky, the unqualified descendant of Julius Caesar, answers his letters from his less-than-loyal subjects. It’s like stirring a vegan hot cocoa with a kale-flavored candy cane.
First Question.
DEAR NERO,
“Whatz ur favorite Christmas karol? Mine is the 1 with the drums.”
- Asher Bonneville | 3rd Grader at Johnson Elementary School
DEAR ASHER,
The emperor doesn’t have a favorite, but decrees the classics need to be updated to modern society. Some examples:
• “I Saw Mommy Sharing an Uber With Santa Claus”
• “Hey! Angels Not Named Harold, Rap”
• “It’s the Most Expensive and Stressful Time of the Year”
• “Joy to the People in My Political Party Only”
• “Away in a Short-Term Rental Property”
• “Jingle Bell Whatever Genre of Music Taylor Swift Performs”
• “Mary Did You Know That [redacted]?
Me Vexat Pede,
— Nero
EMPEROR NERO
“Can you believe the NERVE of the Rome Christmas Parade? It was so cold I had to apply generous latherings of Bravon’s NoHeat Marvelous Mom OintmentTM to my skin four times before it started. We arrived six hours early to witness the school float but could not see my angelic glitterbugs. Why does the parade happen on Broad Street, where the parking is so limited? And why, in the name of reasonably priced skincare solutions, is the parade held on a Tuesday instead of the weekend?”
—Andrea Linditch | The Mom Who Always Complains, but Wants Everyone to Attend Her Multi-level Marketing Parties
DEAR ANDREA,
Is your overpriced hand cream supposed to ADD wrinkles? If so, it's working.
Regarding your question about the holiday route specifics – the parade occurs on Broad Street because it’s the only byway in Rome with functional sidewalks. I assure you downtown is a much better site for the Yuletide motorcade than the alternative – doing laps around the empty Toys R Us building.
Mark Suroviec, M.Ed., is the Chief Ambassador of Fun at WorkPlay Solutions, the author of Forever Sisters, and the Vice President of the Children’s Museum of Rome. He hopes you pity laugh at his humor and satire stories, especially the ones that aren’t funny.
But why is the Christmas parade celebrated on a Tuesday every year? Most historians agree there is a 1 in 7 chance that Jesus was born on a Tuesday. Also, the emperor knows closing downtown on a Saturday would harm local businesses during peak shopping season. If you wanted to protect downtown retail AND have the event on a Saturday, there is only one logical conclusion from Nero’s heavenly lips.
The Rome Christmas Parade should move to Calhoun. If the Calhoun chamber objects, their parade can meet in Cedartown.
Me Vexat Pede, — Nero
RE: DEAR EMPEROR NERO
“Greetings. I will be out of the office from Monday, December 16th, to Thursday, January 9th, and have limited email access. If you need immediate assistance, please contact the front office at 706-555-8008.”
— Dr. Humbert R. Tuffleson, Ph.D. | Associate Professor of Ancient History at Georgia Highlands College
DEAR DR. TUFFLESOMETHING,
My nemesis is on vacation? It’s an Xmas miracle!
Me Vexat Pede, — Nero
DEAR NERO,
“My wife puts tremendous thought into buying the perfect Christmas presents for everyone in our family, but she is impossible to shop for. Do you have any advice or a holiday shopping guide?”
Kenji Yong | East Rome High School, Class of 1990
DEAR KENJI,
If Nero knows anything about women – it's they like to show off the glamorous and sparkly. Diamonds are unrefined and bougie, but crystals are the glimmering stone she’s craving. Head to the Traveling Gypsies and Kava Den and get her the most romantic magic minerals on the shelf. Or feed her need for bling with a stop at the Shorter Avenue Krystal burger.
If jewelry isn’t her jam, nothing says, “I pay attention to you, my precious spouse,” more than jumping on Temu and snagging a transmission for a 2003 Honda Odyssey.
Local recommendations are much more difficult. There is only one surefire way to know which companies in Rome and Floyd County have a reputation for quality products and services at an affordable price – open a copy of V3 Magazine and look for full-page advertisements.*
Me Vexat Pede, — Nero
Disclaimer: Emperor Nero Romansky is a satirical character written and created by Mark Suroviec, M.Ed. All people and quotations are fictional, invented by the limited imagination of the author, and do not reflect the opinions of the author, editors, or V3 Magazine. *I will be very surprised if this joke sneaks past the editors.
LIGHTBULB MOMENTS
with Matthews Lighting & Electric
It’s Christmas time, and that means it’s time to dig through your storage spaces and drag out the boxes of decorations and lights.
For many of you, that task is already done, but whether you’re an early bird or you’re just getting started, the team here at Matthews Lighting and Electric wanted to arm you with tips to make sure your decorations don’t turn into disasters. Below are a few safety tips to ensure you don’t have any issues with your festive lighting and decorations.
Check your cords!
Check all your extension cords fraying or damage of any kind. You should always use outdoor rated cords and indoor extension cords can overheat and cause fires.
Outside lighting
Never use metal staples or nails. Plastic hooks are easy to install and remove and don’t risk piercing insulation and potentially causing shock or fire hazards.
Don’t go Grizwold!
Sure, Clark had the Christmas spirit, but too much lighting can be dangerous. You can easily overload your breaker, so check the labels and, if need be, consult an electrician so you know what your circuit can handle.
Check your bulbs
Check each lightbulb carefully. Check for nicks in the cord that can cause a shock hazard. Any damaged cords should be discarded. Buying new lights isn’t too expensive and is far better that risking a fire.
We aren’t trying to be humbugs, but if you follow the advice above you can focus on the holiday season and avoid catastrophe. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and are always here to help with any of your lighting and electrical needs.
“For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be on His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
Merry Christmas from the Family and Staff of Henderson &
Sons Funeral Homes and Rome Memorial Park
Extra Mile Care
Where The Heart Is with Renaissance Marquis
The dedicated staff at Renaissance Marquis are known for the level of care given to their residents; the Extra Mile Award recognizes staff who have gone above and beyond in service.
Kaitlin Reed
Kaitlin Reed was born and raised in Rome, Georgia. She graduated from Pepperell High School in Lindale, Georgia. She has been a caregiver here at Renaissance Marquis for a year. When asked has working in an aging community changed her life, she responds, “I enjoy the atmosphere that we work in. It is always so good being here with our residents and getting to help and bond with them. Hearing all their wonderful life stories has shown me there is so much more to life than just what we know. The residents come from all walks of life and hearing their stories always fascinates me.”
Kaitlin’s hobbies are reading, watching “Grey’s Anatomy,” and traveling with friends.
Her favorite memory is hanging out at her Granny’s house with her and her Papa. Going to Tybee Island with her best friend is her favorite vacation.
Kaitlin shares, “My role model is my Mom, Jamie, who also works here as a Med-Tech because she is a very strong-minded woman with a big heart.”
Emma Moore
Emma was born and raised in Rome, Georgia. She is the youngest of three children and has two older brothers. She has four dogs – Theo, Hazel, Odie, and Lyla; and a cat – Millie. She graduated from Model High School. She is currently attending Georgia Highlands College and will be transferring to Georgia Northwestern Technical College in the fall to continue her education.
Emma has worked in our Harbor for nearly a year. When asked if she enjoys working at Renaissance, she enthusiastically responds, “Yes, most definitely! Everyone is so welcoming and always has a smile on their face. We all work together as a team.” When asked if working in an aging community changed her life and how she answers, “Yes, they have made me realize the significance of a smile, waving at someone, or just simply sitting and listening to them. I didn’t know how much simple things like that can brighten their day.”
Brittany McGee nominated Kaitlin writing, “A new resident put their soiled sheets in a trash bag, and it mistakenly got thrown into the dumpster. Kaitlin realized what had happened and dug them out of the dumpster and washed them.”
Thank you, Kaitlin, for going the Extra Mile. We are thankful to have you as part of Team Rome!
Hobbies include singing in the Worship Band at “We The Church,” family time, babysitting, and going to Las Palmas. She has sung since she was 11 years old. Her favorite memories are a cruise she and her family went on and lake days with family and friends. Her favorite vacation would be last summer going to Cape San Blas. She shares, “My role model would have to be my mom, my biggest supporter. She has a heart of gold. My life’s passion is to be a positive impact on others. I encourage others by always having a listening ear for them and to be a positive light in other’s lives.” Emma was nominated by our Chaplain, Rev. Sanford DeBerry. He wrote, “Emma stepped up with Wendy to lead singing at Wednesday Chapel service when others were not able to help us. The voices of these girls were such a blessing to our residents and me. The Lord was in their singing and the service. It’s easy to see without words how much Emma loves our residents.” Thank you, Emma, for going the extra mile by serving our residents, as well as the Lord!
The Golden Age of Mischief
In more innocent days, adventurous college girls got away with things that could never safely happen today. It was The Golden Age of Mischief.
Here and Now
with Nina Lovel
The Proposition at the Party
You know how hard it is to steal a glance at someone’s name tag without being noticed? This usually happens when they clearly know who you are, but you're drawing a blank on them? Well, I went to a party in October that was just the opposite of that: everyone was unabashedly studying name tags, often before saying hello. The occasion? A lovely party at a classmate’s home where my Furman University graduating class of 1974 was celebrating our FIFTIETH Homecoming year!
The large-print name tags bore maiden names and yearbook photos, and while this helped with some recognitions, it didn’t help with all of them. I was still faking it half the time and they probably were too. But none of that mattered; we were just happy to still be well and gathered together.
Because Furman didn’t have sororities back then, our group of friends had laid claim to the same dormitory hall for three years. We were a very tight group, and we knew that most of us would be at this party. We prowled the crowded rooms of our classmate’s lovely home for one another. When we were successful, the party was pierced with long, screech-y exclamations that melted into hugs, stories, laughter, and happy tears as we treasured our decades of friendship and caught up on the in-between. It was like we’d never been apart. Glass-dome moments abounded.
I had just finished one of those both-of-us-faking-it chats and headed outside for a beverage. A guy just inside the door stopped me and said, “Hi there, Nina! Remember me?” (Um hello dude: if I remembered you, we’d both know it by now.) “Freshman year, Marat-Sade? Want to go outside and make out?” Wait wait wait wait wait, Mr. Whoever-you-are! I didn’t remember him at all, by face or by name tag. Yes, I had taken a freshman spin with theater, and yes, the play was Marat-Sade, but I sure didn’t remember this guy, nor anything about the play that would have prompted tonight’s invitation. Was it rude of me to laugh and say, “I’M SORRY, WHAT??? No I don’t remember you and, um, no, I do NOT want to go outside and make out!”?
And then, it got worse.
Up walked his wife and guess what? SHE hadn’t forgotten it either! Seems they had been dating at the time, and she was jealous of whatever I did in my role in the play. Fifty-four years she had toted this around. “Honey,” I said, “ it is time to let this go.”
You can’t make this stuff up.
When I told my friend Mathewson the story, he quoted a meme making the rounds: “If you’re ever feeling down just remember that you’re a sore subject in somebody else’s relationship.” I don’t think anyone had septuagenarians in mind as an audience.
Roomies and Hallies
We were roommates three: Marsha, Shelley, and me. We were intelligent, privileged, cute, and lively young ladies in the sunrise of our lives, and we had not a care in the world other than tests and term papers and whether to go to the dining hall or make a box-pizza for supper. After that October reunion party, the three of us slumber-partied at our hotel. It seemed not a minute had passed since we last turned out the lights in Townes 103.
The years had burnished us with life, love, and losses, but our souls were still united, and the only discernible difference in the paths our lives had taken was that Shelley had brought a really nice bottle of wine that needed a corkscrew, where I had brought some little screw-top mini bottles. The hotel’s front desk didn’t have a corkscrew because people kept stealing them, so we caved to the screwtop delicacies, talked some vehement politics (we were all excited at the time), shared some conversations from the reunion party (mine was the best), and fell asleep at 10:45.
The next day, hallmate Laura Ann and her husband Bud joined us at the alumni picnic on campus. In the warm October sun, I regaled Bud with some of the grand adventures we had undertaken. I did try to respect that he and LA had been dating at the time and this was the first he’d heard of any of this. I promised that none of us could remember how or why we came up with these things, nor who the ringleaders or participants were. It’s been over fifty years. We’re fine. I’m leaving this right here.
There was the Halloween when we put brown paper bags over our heads, cut out eye holes, opened a package of hot dogs and paraded through the halls of the boys’ dormitories (for which we could have been kicked out), handing out raw hot dogs and saying “Happy HaloWEENIE!” As if.
This next one was outside the conservative bounds of behavior expected by our dear Alma Mater, but it happened, we survived, and here’s how I told it to Bud. One night when we should have been studying, five of us put on way too much makeup, padded our bras, and went out to a local dive, pretending to be workers in a local textile mill. For safety, we adopted fake names. I was Nadine. So safe. Far from fooling anybody, we succeeded only in amusing the patrons, spent a couple of hours dancing with some guys we would never see again, and returned to the safety of our dorm. Could we do that today and stay safe, much less anonymous? Mischief was just easier back then. The world was kinder, it was quieter. I promised Bud that we had just been naive and adventurous, and lucky. It had been, I said, The Golden Age of Mischief. Laura Ann just sat there and smiled.
Then there were my motorbike adventures. For some reason I’ll never understand, my parents had caved to my pleadings and I started my sophomore year as the proud owner of a Suzuki 50. With a maximum downhill speed of 55 mph, it was mostly useful to go get box pizzas, but I sometimes rode it into town to source a piece of clothing. One lovely day, I offered Shelley a ride around the campus nature trail. Curves and hills and bumps! And just one little spill from which the only casualty was my blue jeans. A belt loop caught on a low branch and pulled a 90-degree tear all the way across my back and halfway down my right leg. Shelley snugged up extra close to cover the gap, and back to the dorm we went, laughing till we cried.
The Paper
As you can tell by now, I had a whole lot of fun at Furman, at the expense of my academic record. I was making friends and testing boundaries, and studying was not high on my list of things to do. While I did enjoy my major classes (biology), I never mustered the discipline to buckle down and learn all that was there for my taking. I graduated with a solid GPA of 2.8*, barely crossing the finish line thanks to an A in my last biology class, my Independent Study. This project had captured my passion, and I really had done my best on it. I have just learned it became my legacy.
My advisor, Dr. Leland Rodgers, knew of a sixty-two-acre site that was about to be given to the Greenville County school system. It had been paved and improved for the South Carolina Tricentennial in 1970 but not used since. He suggested that my Independent Study be a draft plan for developing it into an environmental science center. My outdoor-loving interpretive naturalist kicked in and I worked like crazy, visiting the site often, taking measurements, writing descriptions, and proposing locations. I recorded the plant life and soil types all over the site. My paper, “The Greenville Environmental Science Center: Suggestions for Development” did earn that “A” that I needed so badly.
Over the next fifty years, the project occasionally crossed my mind, but I never checked to see if anything had happened there.
The Legacy
Three days after returning from the wonderful Golden Reunion weekend, I had this voicemail:
“Hello Nina, my name is Thomas Riddle and I am the Assistant Director at Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, South Carolina. I’m reaching out to you on the off-chance that you may be the Nina Barnett who wrote ‘The Greenville Environmental Science Center: Suggestions for Development’ while a student at Furman University in 1974. If so, I would love to speak with you about that paper. We’re currently planning our 40th Anniversary Celebration and I’m looking for people who had input to the original vision of Roper Mountain.”
I called him back immediately: “YES, I’m the Nina Barnett who wrote that paper!”
He said he couldn’t believe he was really talking to me. He said that my paper had helped guide the early development of Roper Mountain. He said that my research on soil types in the area and suggestions for where to place exhibits had been especially valuable. I didn’t remember doing soil types, but… he was reading from a copy of my fifty-year-old paper! He was getting chills; I was choking up.
As we talked, I googled Roper Mountain Science Center and almost fell out of my chair. Planetarium! Observatory! Butterfly Garden! Life-size Dinosaur Adventure Trail! So much more. From their website, ropermountain.org:
“Roper Mountain Science Center, a special facility of Greenville County Schools in Greenville, South Carolina, exists because of a unique partnership of public ownership, corporate sponsorship, private support, and volunteers. Public programs at Roper Mountain Science Center include Friday Starry Nights, Summer Adventure, Laser Days Of Summer, Holiday Laser Shows, and more than 100 week-long camps in our Summer Exploration Camp series.” –ropermountain.org
In the ten years after I graduated from Furman, hundreds of dedicated individuals and organizations had forged partnerships, raised funds, and opened this incredible natural science education center that is free to all Greenville County Schools students and visited by thousands every month. My graduation-saving paper had been a key contributor. I’ve had a legacy for forty years and never even known it.
Roper Mountain Science Center will celebrate their 40th Anniversary next year. Thomas said they look forward to hosting me and my family when we can make it up. I cannot wait.
*Though not apparent at the time, I did learn how to study at Furman. In ensuing years I earned nursing and master’s degrees with bright shiny 4.0 GPAs. Just for the record.
A Festive Journey Through History:
The Christmas Tour of Homes
Holiday
Cheer &
Historic Charm!
Text: Curry Teems Photos: Ivan Felipe
The Rome Area Heritage Foundation presents a Christmas Tour of Homes.
The holiday spirit came alive this year in the College Heights neighborhood of Rome, Georgia, as the Rome Area Heritage Foundation presented its Christmas Tour of Homes. Though it’s a newer tradition, this was the fifth Tour of Homes that the foundation has hosted. Given the time of year, the event was themed around the magic of the season, which offered a unique walking tour through five beautifully decorated historic homes, bringing local residents together to celebrate architecture, history, and holiday cheer from antique ornaments and nativity scenes.
“This is sponsored by the Rome Area Heritage Foundation, and it is our fifth tour of homes in
a series of sorts,” said Jeb Arp, one of the event organizers. “We’ve done one every year except for 2020, because of COVID-19 This year we are doing a Christmas-themed one, which we’ve never done before, focusing on the College Heights neighborhood next to Shorter College.”
The event’s charm began right at check-in, where attendees received wristbands and were greeted by Java Joy, a coffee vendor offering hot chocolate and other warm beverages for this seasonal event. “It’s a walking tour, so all the houses are in the same neighborhood,” Arp said. With steaming drinks in hand, visitors strolled through the area to explore the homes.
A Showcase of Historic Charm
Each home on the tour offered a glimpse into Rome’s rich architectural history, with styles ranging from Georgian to Tudor to Craftsman.
“All the homes on the tour are very different,” Arp said. “One is The Starr House, which was built in 1962 and is a Georgian-style brick home. Built with some midcentury features, like the kitchen and bathrooms, it’s a really stunning home.”
Adding a personal touch to the event, Arp’s own residence, The Sulzbacher House, also welcomed visitors. “Everyone calls it The Sulzbacher House, but it was not built by the Sulzbachers. It was built by the Barron family in 1938. It is a Tudor-style home,” Arp said.
Other highlights of the tour included the oldest home, which was a Craftsman-style house built between 1914 and 1917, as well as a Dutch
Colonial Revival-style with extensive remodeling and expansions that still manages to maintain its historical look and feel.
Each house offered its own take on festive holiday decorations, whether it was an Elf on the Shelf peering mischievously or a pillow featuring a pug wearing a Santa hat. The warmth of the holiday season permeated these properties with garland and red-velvety bows in entrances, soft lighting from Christmas trees, and fresh-baked gingerbread cookies to spice up the place. The historical nature of the featured homes is only enhanced by the personal touch that families bring to the spaces they occupy, truly bringing the past and present into one moment for everyone on the tour to appreciate.
A Celebration of Preservation
Since its founding in 1973, the Rome Area Heritage Foundation has been dedicated to celebrating and educating the public about historic structures. “We’re a nonprofit organization that works to bring awareness to and celebrate our historic structures,” Arp said. The Christmas Tour of Homes not only highlighted the foundation’s mission but also served as a membership drive. Each ticket purchased for the tour included a 2025 membership to the foundation.
Membership with the Rome Area Heritage Foundation offers opportunities to engage with local history through events, advocacy, and education. While the foundation is not the official Historical Preservation Committee, it plays a vital role in promoting awareness and appreciation for the city’s architectural treasures.
The success of the Christmas Tour of Homes was made possible by the generous support of local sponsors. MSP Attorneys, the presenting sponsor,
added a special touch with one of its attorney’s homes featured on the tour. Additional sponsors included Toles, Temple & Wright, Hardy Realty, and Fast Printing & Signs. Their contributions helped ensure the event’s seamless execution and underscored the community’s commitment to preserving Rome’s historic charm.
If you missed this year’s Christmas Tour of Homes, there’s no need to wait until next year to get involved. The Rome Area Heritage Foundation hosts events throughout the year, offering plenty of ways to connect with local history and support the preservation of Rome’s historic structures.
To learn more about the foundation’s work or to become a member, visit their website at RomeAreaHeritageFoundation.org if you are interested. Your membership helps ensure that the stories of these homes and their rich histories continue to be celebrated for generations to come.
Christmas Tour of Homes homeowners
MEET DR. DAVID HIRSH: HARBIN CLINIC'S NEW CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIST
Harbin Clinic is thrilled to announce the addition of Dr. David Hirsh, a cardiac electrophysiologist, to the Harbin Clinic Cardiology Rome team. Dr. Hirsh brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge and looks forward to expanding the cardiac electrophysiology offerings at Harbin Clinic. He will begin seeing patients in January 2025.
THE PATH TO ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
Dr. Hirsh's journey to medicine began in Illinois where he grew up. His father worked in medical sales, and he remembers fondly joining his father on visits to doctors' offices. These experiences sparked his fascination with the medical field, leading him to pursue a career in medicine after college.
Dr. Hirsh specialized in cardiac electrophysiology during his medical training in New York City. His interest in cardiology was driven by the field's demand for a comprehensive understanding of medicine.
Dr. David Hirsh, Harbin Clinic Cardiology Rome
THE HEART BEHIND HIS CARE
Dr. Hirsh said, “As a cardiac electrophysiologist, I apply both in-depth medical knowledge and surgical expertise when treating a patient.”
Beyond the utilization of various medical skills, Dr. Hirsh described electrophysiology as incredibly fulfilling because of the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients and improve quality of life.
Although his work involves the use of important, advanced technology, Dr. Hirsh describes his medical philosophy as traditional and relational.
He said, “Simply, I try to get to know my patients, understand their goals and then share what I would do if it were me or one of my parents in their shoes.”
HEARTS IN THE RIGHT PLACE
Dr. Hirsh and his family are excited to move to the northwest Georgia area, and they look forward to getting involved with the community. Dr. Hirsh grew up in a family passionate about sports, particularly hockey and baseball. When he is not caring for patients, he shares his athletic enthusiasm with his children. Dr. Hirsh is also a proficient reader and even a bit of a juggler.
To learn more about Dr. Hirsh and Harbin Clinic Cardiology, visit www.harbinclinic.com
Dr. Charlie Baggett and Dr. David Hirsh, Harbin Clinic Cardiology Rome
Dr. Rahul Garg and Dr. David Hirsh, Harbin Clinic Cardiology Rome
Downtown Gem with Endless Potential
From a beloved business to new beginnings, 203 E 8th Street has a historical charm you can’t deny!
Step into the story of 203 E 8th Street, where historic charm meets modern opportunity in Rome, Georgia. Built in 1901, this house isn’t just a structure—it’s a living piece of history that has housed cherished memories for over a century. For the past 24 years, it served as the home of Mel&Mimi, a beloved local business co-owned by Melanie Morris and Mimi Weed. Now, as Melanie and Mimi embark on a new chapter, they’re passing this treasure on to someone new.
“Melanie and I have been in business with mel&mimi for over 27 years now, in fact, this is our 28th holiday,” shared Mimi. “We purchased 203 E 8th Street in the winter of 1999 and moved in at the beginning of 2000. At this point in our lives and our business, we were ready to change it up, and we have a new business model. With that new business model, we made the bittersweet decision of putting the house on the market.”
text CURRY TEEMS | photo ELIJAH BALL
A Home with History
Entering 203 E 8th Street is like stepping back in time, with details like the original hardwood floors and authentic cornice boards and carriage windows, the house is a testament to craftsmanship and charm. “The house itself is so charming. It has a great vibe about it. It could be for several types of people. A young couple who feels very urban would love this, with the paved backyard with some greenspace behind and in the front. It could also be a business. We obviously used it as a business for almost 28 years, but I think it was a home before we bought it. I feel like it could go several different ways,” said Melanie.
The property’s zoning allows for both, making it a flexible option for potential buyers. With its M-R zoning, the house could even function as an apartment building. The property boasts a full kitchen and half bath on the main level and two full baths upstairs. A separate staircase from the parking lot leads directly to the second story, giving it even more versatility.
“Growing up in Rome, I knew it to be a photography studio, a business on the bottom with living space on top, a dance studio, but in the beginning, it was built to be a residence,” said Mimi. “I think the ideal owner would be someone who finds the house as charming as Melanie and I did and just wanted to embrace living or working near downtown Rome.”
The Perfect Location
Location is another standout feature of this property. Situated near off of E 2nd Avenue, the house has quick access to Old East Rome and is within walking distance to downtown, the YMCA, local eateries, and entertainment.
“It’s also just a charming street, area, and house. There are several other homes on the same street that were built around the same time period,” Melanie said.
A Bittersweet Goodbye
For Melanie and Mimi, the decision to sell the house has not been easy. “This house has been such a big part of our journey,” Melanie said. “It’s not just a building; it’s where so many of our ideas and dreams for Mel&Mimi came to life. We’ve poured so much love into it.”
“Whether it was a customer’s first time or even on the last day we were in there operating the business from that location, there were many people coming in that just wanted to see the house and be in it again. That’s how attached you get to the charm,” Mimi said. “We are selling this house with heavy hearts, but it is time to move on.”
Though it is the end of their tenure at 203 E 8th Street, it is not the end of their business. “We’ve been inspired to take Mel&Mimi in a new direction,” Melanie said. “The retail world has changed, and we’ve decided to embrace that change with what we’re calling Shopping Socials—events every four to six weeks where we bring our shop to different locations.” You can find out about their updated location on their socials.
“It’s all about keeping the creativity alive and finding fresh ways to connect with our community,” said Mimi. “This is a new chapter for us, and while saying goodbye to 203 E 8th Street is bittersweet, we’re thrilled for what’s ahead.”
Your Opportunity Awaits
If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a piece of history, 203 E 8th Street might just be your dream come true. Whether you envision it as a cozy residence, a vibrant business space, or a combination of both, this property offers endless possibilities.
To learn more about this unique opportunity, contact Lori Davidson of Hardy Realty at her cell: (706) 766-7463, office: (706) 291-4321, or email: lori.walker@hardyrealty.com
