Gainesville's Exclusive Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store to Open this Summer
Pink Narcissus, Gainesville’s exclusive Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store, is the first tenant announced in Butler Plaza’s new building on Archer road, The Shoppes at Butler Plaza, located at 3730 SW Archer Road, Suite 210. The Pink Narcissus owner, Danny Quinton, said that the store is scheduled to open during the last week of July with...
University Corners Approved for Corner of 13th Street and University Avenue
By Caitlyn Finnegan University Corners, the three-square-block complex planned to be built on the corner of Northwest 13th Street and University Avenue, has finally earned approval from the Gainesville City Commission after an hours-long debate over its impact on the already busy intersection. In two 4-2 votes Thursday night, city commissioners gave the green light...
County Moves to Third County Manager Candidate After Another Turndown
Another candidate has withdrawn from the running for the position of Alachua County Manager. Stockton Whitten, the current deputy manager for Brevard County, sent an email to Commissioner Mike Byerly Monday saying that accepting the position was not the best choice for he and his family right now. Whitten will remain in his current position...
Close to Completing Its Mission, What's Next for the CRA?
By Caitlyn Finnegan Coming up on the completion of several decades-long redevelopment projects, the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency is at a crossroads for its next step. The agency is still heavily involved in projects throughout the community, including Depot Park renovations, facade grants, revitalizing historic landmarks and helping to promote Innovation Square, but CRA leadership...
University Corners Back on the Agenda for City Commission
By Caitlyn Finnegan University Corners, the mixed-use development of apartments, retail space and hotel planned for the corner of Northwest 13th Street and University Avenue, is back on the City Commission’s agenda Thursday afternoon in what could be the developer’s last attempt to increase development thresholds. On hold since commissioners voted to delay their decision...
Chamber After Hours at North Florida Regional Medical Center Thursday
By Chamber Staff Chamber After Hours is coming to North Florida Regional Medical Center on Thursday from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Connect your business to hundreds of others throughout the community as we celebrate North Florida’s 40th anniversary and enjoy special tours of their brand-new $62 million Phase IV Expansion facility. You are also invited to...
County Approves QTI Incentive for Encell Technology Inc.
By Caitlyn Finnegan The Alachua County Board of Commissioners has approved a motion to offer a qualified target industry incentive for Encell Technology, an Alachua-based company that designs battery storage and management systems. Encell plans to expand its scope of business to include light manufacturing, and will add 167 jobs to the area through...
Tap Shield App Rethinks Public Safety
By Caitlyn Finnegan When the founders of software development company Totuit, based in the University of Florida Innovation Hub, decided to take on the issue of public safety, they wanted to tie it into the one thing people never leave home without: their smartphone. So Totuit’s President Jordan Johnson designed an app that acts like...
7 Tips to Provide Excellent Customer Service
By Carla Jones In today’s world of social media, news travels faster and wider. You want satisfied customers to share good news that represents your brand in a positive way through word of mouth, on personal Facebook pages, Twitter and other means of social media. Achieving these loyal fans through customer service is simple: Just...
Syngenta Launches First Commercial Product Since Pasteuria Acquisition
Syngenta, a Swiss agribusiness company, has launched its first commercial product since acquiring Alachua-based Pasteuria Bioscience in September 2012 for $113 million. The breakthrough seed treatment, CLARIVA, is based on Pasteuria technology and will act as a nematicide. CLARIVA consists of naturally occurring soil bacteria that causes a negative effect on nematodes: microscopic worm-shaped soil...