A Closer Look

New Business Update

October 31, 2008

CBT Staff

New ballroom dance studio opens at Peach Tree Plaza

Ballroom dance teacher, Amanda Buchana, of Ballroom Academy of Columbia, dances with her student Don Gerhardt during a lesson in international Latin dancing. Buchana and her partner, Jason Shearin, recently opened a ballroom dance studio loacted next to Blockbuster in the Peach Tree Plaza. The academy offers American and international style ballroom, Latin and rhythm dancing, as well as Swing. The two recently took seven students to competition and placed third as Top Studio at the First Coast Classic in Jacksonville, Fla. Shearin says that despite the bad economy Columbia is still a viable area for ballroom dance interest from a social aspect.

Dust off those old dancing shoes. A new ballroom dance studio opened next to Blockbuster in the Peach Tree Plaza in the same space as the now closed Ballroom Dance Studio. The Ballroom Academy of Columbia offers American- and international-style ballroom, Latin and rhythm dancing, as well as swing. Ballroom dance teacher, Amanda Buchana, and her partner, Jason Shearin, will be heading up the academy. The pair recently took seven students to competition and placed third as Top Studio at the First Coast Classic in Jacksonville, Fla. Buchana received her degree in dance from StephenÕs College, and Shearin received his certification in ballroom dancing through Fred Astaire Dance Studios. To sign up for lessons call the academy at 573-673-8411.

Across town, another ballroom dance studio, Twilight Dance Studio, 1903 N. Providence Road, is going through its own transition period. As of Nov. 1, the studio will be under new management. Ashley Mayer, a dance instructor at Twilight, will be taking over. v

Coffeehouse and roastery opening at Forum Shopping Center
Dunn Bros Coffee is moving into a section of the former T.K. Brothers location in front of the Forum Shopping Center. The coffeehouse and roastery, an independent and locally owned franchise, will open Nov. 13.

After T.K. Brothers closed, Forum Development Group divided the building into three spaces and added a drive-through window on the south end, where Dunn Bros Coffee will be located.

Co-owners Andy and Shelly Vercelli opened their first Dunn Bros Coffee outlet two years ago in Jefferson City. They married after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia in the 1980s.
Dunn Bros Coffee was founded in 1987 and now has more than 90 locations in the United States, including one in Kansas City.

The Columbia coffeehouse on Forum Boulevard will roast beans on-site daily and will have outdoor patio seating, free wireless Internet access and computer terminals.