After nine months of extensive renovations, a new coffee house served its first cup of coffee on Monday in the old Pizza Hut building on Highway 45.
UP down Eatery and Coffeehouse, owned by Adris Paxton, is partially opened at 2215 Hwy. 45 N. Though the restaurant portion has not opened, you can find any coffee drink you can think of there, including frappes, espressos, macchiatos lattes and hot chocolates.
Paxton said the restaurant renovations, which no longer even closely resembles the former Pizza Hut, has created an open environment for both families on a night out or college students looking to study with free Wi-Fi. Paxton said he’s hired eight employees so far, but he plans to add up to 10 more once the restaurant starts serving food.
The locally owned and operated restaurant will serve locally sourced food and will be fully staffed and ready to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in the coming weeks. You can find vegetarian options, burgers, quesadillas, paninis, sandwiches, wraps and salads. Paxton, who previously owned a similar restaurant in Gadsden, Alabama, said he wanted to create a family-friendly coffee house/sandwich shop for the Golden Triangle. For now, UP down is open every day from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Paxton said those hours might extend depending on business.
Closer into town, a corporate business is revamping with a new name.
Cable One, 319 College St., will now known as Sparklight starting this summer.
“We are very excited for this evolution to our new brand,” Cable One President Julie Laulis said in a press release. “We are changing the way we do business so that our customers feel like every interaction with us is effortless, our communities know we are here for the long term and the towns and cities we serve are proud to call us a neighbor.”
With the name change, the cable and internet provider will offer higher and unlimited internet speed options to its customers.
Moving into town, a new All State sign is poised at 1222 Hwy. 45 N.
Layforn Profice opened the insurance agency last month. He offers primarily property and casualty insurance, including renters, auto, home and life.
He is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
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