Kiger's Notebook

Rochester fitness club + makeover

One of Rochester’s longtime fitness facilities is getting a makeover.

Northgate Health Club at 1112 Seventh St. N.W. in Northgate Center is undergoing what its owner Dave Skinner calls its “most comprehensive facility upgrade” in its more than 30-year history at the location.

This makeover will include painting, a new wood fitness class floor, refinishing and installing new “green” energy-efficient overhead lighting.

Skinner says every part of the club will be affected.

Phase one is under way. It’s focused on the lobby, group fitness classroom and the indoor pool facility.

Skinner expects to be done by Christmas with this phase. More will follow.

The 24-hour club will remain open while the work is done.

This upgrade was launched after Skinner signed a lease extension through 2011.

More on Passionate Nails

Tasha Khuth is passionate about nails after working for many years in salons.

After a little time away, she opened a new salon in Rochester Tuesday, and its name reveals her feelings about her career.

With help from her daughter, Salina Long, Khuth chose the name of Passionate Nails for her new business at 1126 Seventh St. N.W. in the Northgate Plaza.

“It is something I love to do,” she says.Her salon offers the full range of nail services. However, she says there are a few specialties that set it apart.

“We specialize in sparkle toes, glitter tips and luxury hot rock spa pedicures and manicures,” Khuth says.She has three on staff in the 1,200-square-foot salon.

A Touching story

Here’s a touching Rochester story.

Healing Touch is moving its spa and massage business to two locations.

Owner Mary Jo Majerus explains that the 23-year-old business is moving completely out of its long-time home in the Kahler Hotel subway in downtown Rochester.

Chair massages in the subway under the downtown Rochester Marriott Hotel still will be offered.

The spa services are going to the second floor of the University Square Mall next week. The massage portion part will move in with the Massage & Spa Professional Academy at 17 13 1/2 St. N. on Monday.

While the University Square space will be long-term, Majerus says moving in with the school, which she also owns, is temporary.

Back in August, Majerus announced plans to move into the former Audibel Hearing Center on North Broadway between Taco Bell and Dairy Queen. That didn’t work out, because it could not accommodate her salon business.

To stay open in the short term, she is splitting things up and dropping the salon for now.
She hopes to find a location or a partner to house the spa, salon and her school in one place.

Nailing it - a new salon opening in Roch.

As I made my way through Friday's giant slushy of a night, I saw something glowing through the darkness.

• Was it a high-speed commuter train?

• Was a UFO?

•Was it the light of the Earendil star?

Nah. It was none of the above.

It was a sign for a new nail salon - Passionate Nails - set to open in the Rochester's Northgate Shopping Center in the city's northwest quadrant.

I should have more on this (without silly asides) soon.

Tanworld + T.J. Maxx Plaza in S.W. Roch.

Looks like things are warming up a bit at the TJ Maxx Plaza in southwest Rochester.

A Tanworld sign went up Thursday over the storefront last occupied by Creative Custom Floral.

It is also beside the space O&B Shoes is developing for its second Rochester store.

I should have more tanning details soon.

Another brick in the Walgreens

Since my five-year-old son started really digging Pink Floyd a couple weeks ago,  I have been wanting to use this headline for an update on the construction of the South Broadway Walgreens mega drug store. 

That means big store, not a store that sells big drugs. Anyway, the new Walgreens is progressing well.

 And now N Nails, the first tenant signed by Darci Fenske of Paramark Real Estate Services, has a sign up in their future space.

It is an interesting slogan they are using.

New salon + N.W. Rochester

Looks like northwest Rochester's Elton Hills/ Rec Center neighborhood now has a new salon and spa – Ravissant Salon and Spa.

It is tucked away behind the commercial center across Elton Hills from the Rec Center.

I should the details on this soon.

New massage place + N.W. Roch

It looks like the Valhalla Shopping Plaza has a new massage therapist moving in. A sign for "Swan Asian Massage" went up this week and two people were in the empty space Tuesday seemingly prepping for a business to move in.

Due to language difficulty, I handed them my card to show the business owner later.

I should have more on this soon, once I put the squeeze on my sources.  Heh. Or not.

Couple w/ downtown dreams buy building

Annie and Ross Henderson wanted to live in downtown Rochester. As they were shopping around their Realtor showed them the commercial building next to the Rochester Senior Center.

That brick building was built in 1927. It was three businesses on the street level - Viva Tattoo, Area 51 computer services and an international clothing store (which doesn't have a sign up yet). It also has five apartments on the second level.

After some thought, the couple, who own and operate Citywide Appraisals, brought it from Gary Larson. They paid $654,000. 

They have some plans for the building and are living/ will live in one of the upstair apartments.

"It seemed like a good investment," says Annie Henderson.

I'll have more on this in print Monday in one of print columns.

BluH20 washing over downtown Roch. skyway

Things keep a moving and changing around in Rochester, downtown and all around town.

My current example?

The skyway along the Radisson/Doubletree Plaza Hotel that to leads across Broadway to the University Square Mall is changing once again.

When I first rolled into Rochester, that area was dominated by McCormick's Bar with an moderately dim skyway next to it.

A part of that space later turned into the Metro followed by brighter skyway lights and white tile instead of the previous brown hazy atmosphere.

Now another splash of color is hitting the skyway - The BluH2O Salon. That's what the former Metro/ McCormick's space is being transformed into.