<b>By Jim Hicks</b>

<b>City Desires to Annex Inlet Road. </b>To facilitate the construction of the new Publix on the property between the Sherwin Williams store on Sea Island Parkway and Barbara Jean’s Restaurant on Lady’s Island Drive, the City of Beaufort has agreed to request the South Carolina Department of Transportation transfer the easement for the 800 foot Inlet Road to the City of Beaufort which will then annex the property and transfer it to the Publix developer for use in their project.  The owners of the property on the other side of Inlet Road have reportedly agreed to this action.  If SCDOT agrees to the request to transfer the property to the city, the new zoning would be General Commercial which is the same zoning as the remainder of the Publix project..

<b>The Lending Room Drop Off/Pick Up Changes Location.</b> The Lending Room is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) charitable organization that lends gently used medical equipment to individuals regardless of income, age or insurance status. It aims to connect those who need medical equipment with unwanted items that would otherwise collect dust in an attic or be discarded. Operating in Beaufort since 1961, the organization accepts and loans medical equipment in good condition such as walkers, canes, crutches, shower chairs, bedside commodes and wheelchairs. Other types of medical equipment will be considered.  To arrange to donate or borrow items, please contact the Lending Room at (843) 524-2554. The new pick-up/drop-off location is at Helena House Assisted Living at 1624 Paris Ave., Port Royal, SC 29935 directly across the street from the Port Royal Post Office. Arrangements to drop off large items must be made in advance.

<b>WED~Wedding.Event.Design Opens New Point Office. </b> Wedding.Event.Design (WED) has recently opened an office in the New Point complex on Lady’s Island.  WED’s main office is located in Charleston and so the extension of the Beaufort office allows WED to service clients throughout the Lowcountry.  Founded in 1998 by Mrs. Katie V. Huebel, Wedding.Event.Design has been designing weddings and events not only in Charleston and Beaufort markets, but also in Charlotte, Savannah, New York City and Saint John Virgin Island. In 2012 WED opened an office in New York City after realizing a need for both a support system for WED clients from the north as well as an opportunity to bring Southern Hospitality to events in New York City.  WED will enthusiastically travel anywhere a client chooses as their destination.  We welcome WED to Lady’s Island, wish them every success and thank Mrs. Huebel for selecting our island as the location for a branch of her business.

<b>Beaufort Bread Company Under Construction.</b>  The site of the former Substation II/Carolina Deli in the Lady’s Island Shopping Center is undergoing intense renovation to prepare for the anticipated May opening of the Beaufort Bread Company.  This new artisan bakery and café will offer artisan style breads and pastries, house-made fresh pastas, handcrafted sausages, as well as a full selection of breakfast and lunch items featuring local ingredients. And, at last, we have a spot on the Island to stop for a fresh brewed coffee or Espresso on the way to work. Owners and managers of the Beaufort Bread Company, Rick Stone and his wife, Deborah, have lived on Lady’s Island for 8 years and are very excited to start a business to benefit the island. You can check out the bakery and follow its progress on their new website www.beaufortbread.com.

<b>The Grooming Cottage Relocates. </b> The pet grooming business The Grooming Cottage has relocated from the Lady’s Island Shopping Center (behind the Huddle House Restaurant on Sea Island Parkway) to Oakwood Plaza II on Sams Point Road in the unit beside the ComCast office.

<b>The Doggie Lama Expands.</b> The Doggie Lama (252-2060) a Lady’s Island business which provides day care, professional training and overnight boarding for dogs is expanding from its location on Meadowbrook Drive to an additional site on Robin Drive in the former location for the Trophy Case.  Ms. Linda Coyner, CPDT, CPG owner, operator and nationally certified professional trainer of the Doggie Lama reports that an indoor training site is needed for puppy preschool training, advanced training sessions and during periods of inclement weather. If the new facility on Robin Drive proves successful it will become a permanent addition to The Doggie Lama

<b>Welcome to Carolina Sun Tanning Salon.</b>  Ms. Samantha Shirley, owner and manager, of Carolina Sun Tanning Salon (843.476.7890) located at 12 Fairfield Road in the commercial complex across from New Point is in her first year of business at the present site.  She previously operated a similar facility in the Lady’s Island Shopping Center and closed it to allow her to return to school and additional professional training for the last three year. Her new business offers single tanning sessions or unlimited monthly packages plus a 10% military discount.

<b>New Business at New Point.  </b>The Kitchen at New Point, located in the former Berry Island Restaurant site, in the New Point commercial complex has recently opened and has been well received by the community.  This new catering business prepares home cooked family style meals available for delivery or pick up.  A menu is sent out via email on Thursdays for the following week.  Customers place orders for meals by Monday morning and they will have your meal prepared and delivered (within reasonable distances) between 1 and 5 p.m. on the day requested to either your home or business.  Catering for special occasions is also available. We thank Ms. Leigh Ann Pingree, owner and manager of the Kitchen at New Point for choosing Lady’s Island as the location of her new business. Please email her at beaufortkitchen@gmail.com if you would like to be included on her weekly menu distribution.
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