On Monday, July 1, 2013 at 4:00 PM, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for Mystic Water Kava Bar and Yoga Studio at 109 South Cayuga Street.  

Mystic Water’s specialty is the Kava beverage, a traditional non-alcoholic elixir from the South Pacific made from the ground root of the Kava plant. Kava has been consumed for centuries and is known for its natural stress-relieving properties.

Mystic Water provides downtown Ithaca with an alcohol-free nightlife alternative where guests from all backgrounds can come together to enjoy music, art, conversation, and community or engage in wellness-based classes at an affordable cost.

Mystic Water is a family owned-business started by Avigdor Weber in Hollywood, Florida four years ago, with a second location in San Diego, California. The Ithaca location will be overseen by Avi’s sister Judi Galgoczy and her husband Paul, who have resided in Ithaca for the past seven years.

Mystic Water Kava Bar is open daily from 4:00 PM until 2:00 AM with happy hour 2-4-1 specials from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM Monday through Friday.

On Wednesday, June 26, 2013, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance and Mayor Svante Myrick will hold ribbon cutting ceremonies for three new business locations in downtown Ithaca.

 At 1:00 PM, there will be a ribbon cutting for Jenn & Andy’s at 124 South Cayuga Street, next to Lot 10. “Wondering what an unusual gift shop is? Come in and find out!” invites owner Jenn Rizos. The store offers a wide variety of merchandise, including tropical houseplants like jasmine and gardenias; artisan French chocolate and caramels; and locally-sourced wood furnishings. Many items are Certified Fair Trade. This month’s special deal is 20 percent of QMT wind chimes, and local painter Yvonne Piburn is this month’s featured artist. Says Andy Rizos of their new store location, “Although we’ve lived many other places, Ithaca is our home and downtown is our neighborhood.”

At 1:15 PM, there will be a ribbon cutting for Deeply Devoted Massage at 120 East State Street, directly above Benjamin Peters. Deeply Devoted has grown rapidly and has moved to a new 1,600 studio overlooking the Commons. Says owner Marcie Leib, “We found ourselves with the happy problem of having greater demand than we could accommodate. The new space will allow us to bring affordable massage to even more people, and we’ll be adding more therapists to help meet the demand.” Deeply Devoted has also just launched a new website at DeeplyDevotedMassage.com where you can see the diverse services offered as well as information on Deeply Devoted’s therapists.

At 1:30 PM, there will be a ribbon cutting for Sarah’s Patisserie at 130 East Seneca Street, in the Hilton Garden Inn building. Sarah’s Patisserie has been supplying the community with fine French-inspired chocolates, pastries, and cakes from their Community Corners location since the spring of 2004. In their new elegant Art Deco-inspired store in the heart of downtown, customers will be able to watch Chef-Owner Tammy Travis transform blocks of chocolate into gourmet confections infused with key lime, passion fruit, chili, and dozens of other exotic flavors. Says Travis’s partner Sarah Jefferis, “We chose this space for its possibility, its promise, and its accessibility to other restaurants on the Commons.”

http://www.ithaca.com/opinion/building-downtown-new-zoning-encourages-sustainable-development/article_72442268-d857-11e2-b720-0019bb2963f4.html

http://www.ithacajournal.com/article/20130616/NEWS01/306160025/Commons-rebuild-on-schedule-

Earlier this year, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) announced its annual Best of Downtown Awards, including the Emerging Business of the Year Award, the Retail Business of the Year Award, and the Business Achievement Award. Honorees were presented with plaques by DIA Board President Michael Cannon and Executive Director Gary Ferguson at a gala dinner featuring food from a number of downtown restaurants and a keynote speech by City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick.

The Emerging Business of the Year Award was presented to Penelope Pankow and F. Oliver’s Oils and Vinegars. During a business recruitment trip around the northern Finger Lakes region, a group of DIA staff and board members happened upon F. Oliver’s in Canandaigua. They were at first puzzled by the concept of a store that sold only olive oil and vinegar, but once they went in and experienced a round of tastings, they quickly realized that this business was not only offering top-quality gourmet products but also a unique shopping experience – something that they wanted to see more of in downtown Ithaca. Two years after that visit, F. Oliver’s owner Penelope Pankow committed to opening a new location on the Ithaca Commons. In the months since it opened, F. Oliver’s has taken downtown Ithaca by storm, demonstrating the strength of the market. There have been many rave reviews from community members who have gone in for tastings with Pankow and the store’s very personable and knowledgeable manager, Sean Hellman. Said Pankow, “All of us at F. Oliver’s were thrilled and honored to receive the award. Establishing our store in Ithaca has proven to be an excellent decision.”

The Retail Business of the Year Award went to Tony Johnson and Alphabet Soup. When it was announced several months ago that the Harold’s Square multi-use development project was going forward, many in the community were very excited by the prospect of new residential and retail space on the Commons but were concerned about the future of Alphabet Soup, whose longtime storefront would be displaced. Many Ithacans have fond memories of bringing their children to this wonderful, creative toy store – or being brought there as children themselves. It is safe to say that this store is one of Ithaca’s most beloved businesses. The DIA  was most pleased that instead of closing, owner Tony Johnson chose to relocate to another space on the Commons. “All the congratulations should go to my wonderful, hardworking staff. They are what make this a winning business,” said Johnson. “We are looking forward to the redesign of the Commons and the building of Harold’s Square, and in the meantime we are content and we are doing very well in our new home in Center Ithaca.”

The Business Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Nicole Pagano and Green Street Pharmacy. Following the departure of CVS on the Commons, it was an enormous challenge to recruit a new pharmacy to downtown Ithaca. It was a triumph when Palmer’s Pharmacy opened at 131 East Green Street next to the Public Library; however, it was not long before the proprietor Darrin Palmer had to bow out of the operation and it seemed that downtown Ithaca would once again be without a neighborhood drugstore. Fortunately, Darrin’s cousin Nicole Pagano stepped in as owner/operator; she renamed it Green Street Pharmacy. She kept and enhanced the authentic old-fashioned soda fountain that serves hand-mixed sodas and sundaes made with local ice cream. Many downtown employees and residents have made Green Street Pharmacy their designated drug store of choice and truly appreciate Nicole’s commitment to speedy service, competitive prices, and friendly and exceedingly knowledgeable customer consultations. Despite a very demanding schedule as a pharmacist, business owner, and young mother, Nicole has also recently become active in the DIA’s Government Relations Committee. “I never imagined myself working in downtown Ithaca, and now I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” said Pagano. “This community has welcomed me as if I were a family member.”

Said Gary Ferguson, Executive Director of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, “F. Oliver’s, Alphabet Soup, and Green Street Pharmacy represent the finest of downtown’s independent businesses.  These are retailers that are consummate professionals. They understand customer service and they excel at presentation and marketing. They illustrate why there will always be place in our community for small bricks-and-mortar businesses.”