It’s time for another round of openings, closings and other retail and restaurant news. Find out the new places to shop, eat and more as The Ticker tracks down some of the latest changes in the local business scene.

OPENINGS
Michael Collins and David Zawicki are opening Suhm-Thing, a gift and home accessories store “with an urban flair” at 153 E. Front (former Evergreen Gallery). Collins says the target opening date is October 17. This is the second location for the shop – the duo opened the first Suhm-Thing in Birmingham, Mich. six years ago. Collins, who grew up in northern Michigan, describes the shop’s wares as “small batch” unique items along with a few bigger lines and an ever-changing, fresh inventory.

Two doors down, designer Yana Dee has opened her first retail storefront at 157 E. Front, former location of Red Hare Tack & Togs. She sells women’s and children’s clothing and accessories, all handmade by her using organic and salvaged materials.

Darla Stites is opening her second clothing store in Traverse City. The owner of What To Wear on Front Street is opening Liana’s at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Stites took over the inventory from The Green Canopy – a yoga clothing store previously operated by Yoga For Health Education owners Mike and Libby Robold at The Village– and is also adding other women’s fashions and children’s wear.

Stites is closing her What To Wear store in Elk Rapids, which she operated for seven years, at the end of October.

Other recent (or soon to be) TC openings include:
– the second location for Flips Pizza Co. at the corner of Eighth Street and Munson Avenue (former Subway)
– a “pop up” restaurant at Frenchies Famous on Randolph called Frenchies Taqueria, open Fridays only, 5-9pm
– Panera Bread, opening at the corner of Franke Road and U.S. 31 on October 20
– Georgina’s restaurant at the former Phil’s on Front downtown (the sign went up over the weekend, but no official opening date has been set)

CLOSINGS
Office Depot in Traverse City is closing November 15, one of 165 locations across the U.S. that will close by the end of the year. The decision was made after an “earnings call” on August 5, according to a company statement. Office Depot, Inc., created by the merger of Office Depot and OfficeMax in November 2013, resulted in an “overlapping retail footprint.” A total of approximately 400 Office Depot locations will close over the next several years.

The Fit For You location at Centre Ice in Traverse City closed at the end of September. Co-owner Vern Gauthier tells The Ticker the business “didn’t make money” after three years of operation, noting the location is tough. The main location on S. Garfield is unaffected. Centre Ice Executive Director Terry Marchand says he feels “pretty confident” that one of the two parties management have had recent meetings with will re-open the facility’s fitness center.

“The rink owns 90 percent of the equipment in there so it’s a turnkey operation,” Marchand says. “Our fingers are crossed that it will be reopened within a month.”

Serious Donut Co., which opened on S. Garfield in March, suddenly closed its doors at the end of September. The owners did not disclose a reason for the closure, but recent Facebook postings indicate a need for “an investor or investors.”