Editor's Notebook

SCORE Helps Business Owners

No, there's not a catch. SCORE's experienced mentors will help you take your business to the next level.

When it comes down to it, behind just about every small business is an entrepreneur hoping to turn their passion into a paycheck. But, as many wise business advisers have noted: Hope is not a strategy. Business owners need support to turn dreams into reality. That's why Patch is pleased to announce a new partnership with SCORE, a nonprofit organization with 12,000 business experts nationwide who provide free mentoring to small business owners. The partnership makes sense because we believe that when local commerce grows, the whole community gets stronger. Patch already provides free listings for local businesses and other tools to help build local brands. Whether you're a 10-year-old jewelry designer or a 79-year-old who carves wood knives…

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PHOTOS: Give Something Locally Made

We found five sources for local gifts for anyone on your list

Looking for that perfect holiday gift? We rounded up area sources for handmade gifts. Check out the list below.

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Holly Barnes

7:16 pm on Sunday, December 11, 2011

I think the point of the story is that no matter where you live, if you look, you can find handmade items. Just look through the "Places" section of each Patch site to see all the diverse businesses listed within. That is the charm of Ohio...so many local businesses make it easy to find whatever you're looking for right in your backyard. And note to local businesses, if you haven't claimed your …   more ›

Toys for Tots Open House Dec. 3 at Brooker Building

Or drop off new, unwrapped toys weekdays at Pearl Road insurance agency

For the third consecutive year, Brooker Insurance Agency will be a drop-off location for the U.S. Marine Corp. Reserve’s “Toys For Tots” Campaign. The toys will be distributed to needy children in the communty. This year, families who bring a new, unwrapped toy in from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 3 can meet Santa, who will pose for photos in front of the 20-foot Christmas tree, marble hearth or sweeping staircase. The Brooker Building is at 10749 Pearl Rd. in Strongsville, at the intersection of Pearl and Albion Roads. Toys can be dropped off any weekday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Collection bins are in the Brooker Insurance reception area. Everyone who donates gets a candy cane treat. “Last year we were so pleased with the tremendous …

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Discount Drug Mart Opening Pushed Back

Store won't be open by Christmas after all

The new Discount Drug Mart will apparently not open this year. The drugstore, which will anchor a newly renovated Royalville Plaza, was supposed to be open by Christmas, but probably won't be finished till early 2012. "They're looking at February now," said Brent Painter, the city's director of economic development. Painter said he did not know what was holding up the pace of construction. Drug Mart is expanding the former Vigliucci's Bi-Rite at the corner of Prospect and Royalton roads for a 27,960-square-foot store. The company is adding 12,000 square feet to the front of the building, including a drive-through pharmacy. Rodmaker's Shop and Salon Destino have already moved to another spot in the plaza to make way for the Discount Drug …

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Follow These 5 Recipes and Transform Your Holiday Feast

Learn the best methods and recipes that will put a new spin on your traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Looking for a new spin on your traditional Thanksgiving meal? Patch teamed up with some popular local chefs to help turn your holiday feast into a creative and memorable gourmet delight.  For starters, Matt and Shirley Harper, who own the Creekside Restaurant and Bar in Brecksville, have offered their signature cornbread and sausage stuffing recipe and are encouraging folks to stop in and pick up a cup, bowl or quart of their pre-made Thanksgiving day soup to serve during the holidays.  Refer to the PDFs to the right of this story to see the stuffing recipe and a little more information on Creekside’s award-winning soup.  Next is Brian Reiss, the sous chef of Strongsville’s Bier Haus and Euro-American Bistro. Reiss is planning a personal …

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'Save Thanksgiving:' Should Stores Open at Midnight?

Vote in our survey on whether retailers should start Black Friday sales early

More than 75,000 people have reportedly signed an online petition to "Save Thanksgiving" by convincing Target not to open its doors for Black Friday shoppers at midnight on Thanksgiving. The surging campaign on Change.org was launched by Anthony Hardwick, a Target employee in Omaha, NE, after he learned the company had moved the standard Black Friday opening time from 5 a.m. on Friday to midnight on Thanksgiving. The new opening time will require employees to arrive at work by 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. According to Benjamin Joffe-Walt, director of communications for Change.org, Hardwick's petition has spurred several dozen people to launch drives of their own against other retailers. Target, Macy’s, Best Buy and Kohl’s all plan to open …

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Malley's is Open for Business

Candy store now has two locations in Strongsville

Malley's Chocolates has opened in a newly constructed building on Pearl Road just south of Royalton Road. It is the first of the three tenants in the new building to open its doors.  It will be joined next by Dunkin' Donuts, which opens to open next week. Later, a First Federal of Lakewood bank will join them in the plaza. Malley's also has a location in Westfield SouthPark.

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Remember Downtown Store Window Displays? Cute Little Cake Shop Does

New bakery will feature animated holiday scene when it opens Dec. 10

The Cute Little Cake Shop will open Dec. 10 with a celebration that will include a visit from Santa, free hot cocoa and holiday face painting. The new bakery, which will feature more than 70 flavors of cake balls and cake pops, is opening at 15131 Pearl Rd., in Strongsville Towne Centre, near Cleats and Plato's Closet. And in a nod to the holiday displays that used to grace downtown Cleveland's department store windows, the bakery will have an animated scene called "Snow Day at the North Pole" in its front window. Mayor Tom Perciak will cut the ribbon at 10 a.m., with festivities following from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Janet Yurcik, who will run the store with her mom, Marcia Rehak, said the bakery will be "the first of its kind anywhere in the …

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Mad Cactus Owner Can Finally Talk About TV Makeover

Calls Chef Irvine 'a hothead' and says crews tricked him

Tom Krukemeyer and Food Network Chef Robert Irvine didn't exactly get off to a great start. Within minutes, the TV chef was hopping mad. "I'd never even met him until two minutes earlier," said Krukemeyer, who owns the Mad Cactus, focus of a Restaurant: Impossible makeover this August. Here's how it happened: Producers had Krukemeyer and Irvine walk to their places to be introduced on-camera.  But the director changed his mind and asked them to switch places. Irvine went ballistic, Krukemeyer said, calling the director names. Then he demanded his coffee, even though it was sitting on a table a few feet away.   "He actually waited till the producer came and picked up his coffee for him," Krukemeyer said. After the scene, Krukemeyer went to …

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Fitness Center Approved for Ethan Allen Site

Planning Commission gives Dynamic Fitness permission to take over vacant furniture store at mall

A small fitness center has won city approval to move into the former Ethan Allen store at Westfield SouthPark. The city's Planning Commission voted 5-0 Thursday night on a conditional use permit for Dynamic Fitness, now at 14415 Pearl Rd., to open a full-service gym in the vacant furniture store. Attorney Nick Catanzarite said the 15,000-square-foot facility would offer memberships at "a low monthly rate" for use of exercise equipment and free weights.  It would also offer classes, personal training and tanning, he said. Dynamic Fitness owner Bryan McIntosh said he does not yet have a timetable for opening because he is still working out lease details with the owner of the building. In his current location behind Taco Bell, McIntosh offers…

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