Remodeled Kohl’s store to reopen

‘Grand reopening’ for two local Kohl’s

Kohl’s stores in Huber Heights and Troy will host “grand re-opening” events on Thursday following store renovations designed to give customers — in the words of Kohl’s PR folks — “a fresh, exciting shopping experience.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 7:45 a.m. at both stores: at 8301 Old Troy Pike in Huber Heights, and at 1869 W. Main St. in Troy.

The remodeling and renovation include a redesigned Home and Juniors departments; updated Children’s, Jewelry and Shoe departments; updated fitting rooms; updated check-out stations; expanded customer-service and gift-registry areas at the front of the store; and updated restrooms. Several other Dayton-area Kohl’s stores, including those in Fairborn and Centerville, received similar renovations earlier this year.

Tile specialist lands choice gig

A Centerville tile company landed a high-profile project in Connecticut. Europoamerican Tile, 96 E. Franklin St., provided the specialty mosaic tiles for a 900-square-foot city center mural called “Cool Waters” in downtown Waterbury, Conn., Carlo Americo Odella, owner of Europamerican Tile, said in a news release.

The mural consists of more than 130,000 mosaic tiles in 20 different colors, including 23,000 special gold-plated tiles imported from Germany. Artist Joanne Hunter found Europamerican Tile through — you guessed it — an Internet search.

Odella is a former CPA who decided to chuck corporate America and go into business for himself, buying Europamerican Tile 25 years ago. “With the name Carlo Americo Odella, I either had to start an Italian restaurant, sing opera or go into tile and marble,” Odella said.

Hispanic businesses ‘hunkering down’

From my colleague Chelsey Levingston: Local Hispanic business owners are optimistic about their companies, but they’re hunkering down and conserving cash despite that optimism, PNC bank officials said.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, PNC conducted a survey of Hispanic businesses to capture the insights of one of America’s fastest growing populations. Among the key findings: 69 percent of survey-takers told PNC their business was meeting or exceeding expectations for sales and financial performance. Survey results show 77 percent of Hispanic business owners plan to grow their business the next two years. However, 71 percent also said they will “definitely” or “probably” conserve cash the next six months, PNC said. And 68 percent are cutting back expenses.

“We do see a lot more Hispanic-owned business on our daily activities,” said Joel Roediger, head of business banking for PNC’s Dayton market. “The survey mirrors not only the Hispanic community in Dayton, but the general small business atmosphere in Dayton: conserving cash, reducing capital expenditures, paying down capital.”

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