Previews offered at new framing store

CHERRY GROVE - A new custom framer lets customers view their project as if it were hanging on a wall.

The Great Frame Up uses a magnetic design board to give folks a realistic idea of how their artwork will look. It also maintains a computerized gallery of more than 14,000 prints and sells pre-framed art.

The frame shop and gallery opened Nov. 25 at 454 Ohio Pike, in the Cherry Grove Plaza. Owners are Dan and Joan Schulte. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Since its corporate founding in 1972, the framing chain has established stores all over the country.

Information: 688-1828 or Web site.

Pet store expands, becomes Petland

NEWPORT - Jim and Kitty Curran's pet store has a new name, more space, and a new pet adoption service.

Formerly Pets N Such, the business has become a part of Petland Inc., an international franchise operation headquartered in Chillicothe. The store expanded into an adjoining 5,000 square feet of space at its Newport Shopping Center location.

"Most of the expansion is in the fish department," said Jim Curran. "Ours is now one of the biggest and one of the most exciting retail presentations of tropical fish in the Cincinnati area."

The owners will offer Petland's Adapt-A-Pet program, which aims to place shelter and unwanted animals, and to raise awareness about spaying and neutering. In the near future the Currans plan to establish other Petland programs that promote responsible pet care.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Petland is at 64 Carothers Road.

Information: (859) 292-8700.

Best of Cincinnati warehouse open

SPRINGDALE - Holiday goodies at good prices are available again this season at The Best of Cincinnati Inc. warehouse outlet.

The company, which sells Cincinnati products to folks far and near via its Internet marketplace, opens up a physical store every year during the holiday season.

"We have a brand new catalog and our store is stocked with lots of new stuff," said owner Ed Imm. "Our warehouse outlet is truly a wholesale operation where we sell selected glassware, novelty items, books, calendars, hats, coasters, etc. at wholesale prices."

New products this year include Sturkey's salad dressing, Husman's salsa and LaRosa's Italian dressing, Imm said.

The store, at 484 Northland Blvd., is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. It will be open through December.

Information: 851-2900.

Roto-Rooter makes use of technology

WESTWOOD - Cincinnati-based Roto-Rooter is among the 100 companies that make the most creative use of new technologies, according to a technology publication.

The company was in the group of companies that have improved their supply chain processes through technology, according to the Oct. 31 issue of InfoWorld. Nominations for the list came from readers, technology partners and other companies.

"Roto-Rooter built an innovative wireless solution to meet critical technical and business objectives," said Steve Fox, InfoWorld's editor-in-chief.

The company is in the process of equipping its technicians with special Nextel wireless phones that have Global Positioning System software as well as software that allows technicians to total a customer's bill on the spot.

"By equipping our field technicians and dispatchers with a mobile productivity tool, we are able to respond to customer calls more quickly and cut back on the time technicians are required to spend at a customer site by significantly reducing the amount of paperwork," said Steve Poppe, Roto-Rooter's chief information officer.

Information: 762-6434 or Web site.

Furniture Fair now has Web site

FAIRFIELD - Ed and Anthony are now on the Web as well as on TV spots, thanks to the Independent Computing Group LP.

The IT group took Furniture Fair online with a Web site that enables the local home furnishings company to control the products that are shown there.

"The online product management system, called the CAT System, allows Furniture Fair to add, subtract, change or re-assemble any products they have online," said Ed Burns Sr., Independent Computing Group's director of sales and marketing. "This being a new site you'll have a rare opportunity to see products being added and grow daily. They don't have to wait until they upload some 80,000 items but can go on at their own speed. The savings for this type of site maintenance can only be measured in the thousands (of dollars)."

The new Furniture Fair Web site.

Information: 942-7869.

E-mail jcallison@zoomtown.com or fax 564-6991 with openings, expansions and other news about neighborhood businesses.