Use the fields below to perform an advanced search of The Daily Tar Heel's archives. This will return articles, images, and multimedia relevant to your query. You can also try a Basic search
84 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/28/06 4:00am)
The local business community saw its fair share of change this year.
The issue of turnover is a common one for the downtown business community, and this year was no different.
"The changes have been good," said Liz Parham, the executive director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership.
Besides the perennial shift in eateries, the downtown welcomed a new children's museum called Kidzu. The museum opened in early March at 105 E. Franklin St., the former home of the Laughing Turtle Home store.
"That's a great asset for the district," Parham said of the museum. "It will bring in a younger crowd."
The older Franklin Street patrons probably noticed that one of downtown's historic fast-food eateries shut down in February.
Hector's, which had been at 201 E. Franklin St. since 1969, closed briefly this year to make way for the East End Martini Bar's expansion.
The restaurant quickly reopened in March at 108 Henderson St., the former Off Franklin Bar and Grill location. "The new location is better; it's more clean," Juan Bautista, co-owner of the restaurant, said in March.
The move forced the restaurant to change its setup, as Hector's now has its kitchen closed off from customers, rather than in the dining area.
The old Hector's spot still is waiting to open up to the public.
East End plans to open up a night club called Uptown at the old restaurant venue. The club's opening was delayed because of confusion about a fire ordinance that requires new establishments to install a sprinkler system.
Co-owner Craig LaMontagne said in mid-April that he is working on what avenues to take to be exempted from this rule, which would delay the club's opening two more months.
Another eatery announced this year that it would be moving. El Rodeo is moving down a block, from 1404 E. Franklin St. to 1502 E. Franklin St.
Owner Rigo Ibarra said he is excited about the move. He does not know the exact move-in date, but he said it might happen in about two weeks.
The move will allow the restaurant to occupy a newer and larger space after 17 years in its bright-orange home. "We're going to have a much better place," Ibarra said.
Some older establishments closed their doors this year, after decades in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area.
Pace Gift Shop in Glen Lennox shopping center closed at the end of January after more than 53 years in business. Store owner Wendy Maxwell said she has been unable to find a buyer for the store.
Riggsbee-Hinson Furniture Co., 311 E. Main St., announced this spring that is was closing after a 58-year run in Carrboro.
The store closed as a result of lackluster business and the failing health of store owner Charles Browning, who died March 25
Co-manager Chip Browning, son of Charles Browning, said he is in the process of cleaning things up and "yard-selling things out of here."
He said it was difficult to operate a small business in the midst of competition from larger stores.
"People are more apt to go shopping at these giant stores."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(03/23/06 5:00am)
A man was arrested Wednesday on charges of second degree trespassing in the Student Union, according to University police reports.
Leamon Gerald Tapp Jr., 36, was arrested March 10 on similar charges, and he told police he was released from jail Monday, reports state.
According to reports, Tapp's bail was set for $250 before he was transported to the Orange County Jail.
His court date is set for April 4, reports state.
Kidzu Children's Museum at 105 E. Franklin St. was the victim of a breaking and entering that was reported Tuesday, Chapel Hill police reports state.
(02/23/06 5:00am)
Fresh young faces
Representatives from Kidzu Children's Museum met with the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership on Wednesday asking for support.
Jonathan Mills, co-founder of Kidzu and president of the board of directors, explained the benefits of the museum's placement in downtown Chapel Hill.
Located at 105 E. Franklin St., the museum will open on March 7 with a "Where the Wild Things Are" exhibit.
Mills said Kidzu would attract a greater number of families to the downtown area.
(01/17/06 5:00am)
Giggles, Play-Doh, scraped knees, finger paints and sticky Popsicle remains soon will find a home in a rather unusual place.
As of March 7, the bustling shopping and dining center that is Franklin Street will be home to a new resident: the Kidzu Children's Museum - formerly the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Children's Museum.
The museum's first exhibit will feature Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," which will allow children to dress up like "wild things," sail a pretend ocean and slide into a bowl of chicken soup with rice.
The nonprofit museum will move into 105 E. Franklin St., the former home of Laughing Turtle Home gift and apparel store, until a larger, more permanent home for the museum is found.
"I think we're going to be great for downtown," said Jonathan Mills, museum co-founder and president of its board of directors.
The museum's executive director, Cathy Maris, said bringing children to Franklin Street will "affect the spirit of the community."
Maris said Franklin Street is a great place for a children's museum because other family attractions are located on or near the street, such as the Ackland Art Museum, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and the Chapel Hill Museum.
There are also shops, restaurants and other businesses close by, as well as bus routes that make it easy to visit downtown Chapel Hill, Maris said.
And unlike some museums with roped showcases and hands-off policies, the children's museum is an interactive place where families learn by playing, which Maris said is becoming a popular attraction.
"This is a time when a lot of children's museums are emerging," she said.
"We're a part of a larger phenomenon."
Mills and Maris both said they hope University students will be interested in volunteering at the museum.
For more information on how to get involved, e-mail info@kidzuchildrensmuseum.org or contact Tina Clossick at 360-1059.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.