Current Tenants
The following list includes a brief description and contact information for all of the current tenants of the Athens campus at 94 Columbus Rd.
A Complementary Approach to Health
Contact: Pauline Giannaras, Jennifer Jones
Location: B - 17
Email:
Website: N/A
Pauline Giannaras is specialized in massage therapies. She offers a complementary approach to health, pregnancy massage, and stress relief and relaxation massage.
Athens Upscale Attic
Contact: Linda Markham
Location: C - Retail Space
Email:
Website: N/A
Ancient Roots Botanicals
Contact: Justin Reynolds
Location: C - 2
Email:
Website: http://www.silvermoonmidwifery.com/ancient_roots_herbs
Appalachian Ohio Story Telling
Contact: Thomas Burnett
Location: A - 16
Email:
Website: N/A
Community Food Initiatives
Contact: Ronda Clark
Building: C
Room: 3 & 13
Email:
Website: http://www.communityfoodinitiatives.com
Community Food Initiatives is centered on helping people grow their own food in the greater Athens County area, as well as helping to promote self-sufficiency as it relates to basic food production, preservation, and preparation.
Crumbs Bakery
Contact: Jeremy Bowman
Building: C
Room: 12
Email:
Website: N/A
Crumbs Bakery offers goods with homemade tastes from traditional recipes. Some of their products include bread, pastries, noodles, cookies, pizzas, crackers, muffins, cakes, and special orders.
Erin Nash, LMT
Contact: Erin Nash
Building: A
Room: 15A
Email:
Website: http://www.erinnash.com
Specializing in Swedish and relaxation massage.
Good Vibrations Wellness Center
Contact: Kathleen Kutsko
Building: B
Room: 12
Email:
Website: http://www.goodvibrationswellnesscenter.com
Kathleen Kutsko of Good Vibrations Wellness Center is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Mental and Behavioral Health and Social Services.
Green Lotus Therapies
Contact: Jeannie Faulkner
Building: A
Room: 8
Email:
Website: N/A
Green Lotus Therapies is a massage therapy practice that utilizes a variety of massage techniques, including spa and Ayurveda therapies. Mrs. Faulkner is licensed by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage.
Herbal Sage Tea Co.
Healing Hands, Healing Hearts
Contact: Darlene Champ Stube, Kraig Curry
Building: B
Room: 3
Email:
Website: http://athenshealinghands.com
At Healing Hands, Healing Hearts, you will find a place to relax, unwind, tune into your own body, and tap the energy source that is waiting to nourish your mind, body, and spirit.
Holistic Synergy
Contact: Linda Bowsman
Building: A
Room: 4
Email:
Website: N/A
Lula's Alterations
Contact: Lula Toban
Building: A
Room: 18
Email: N/A
Website: N/A
Lula Toban has 45 years of experience in the alteration business. At Lula's studio customers can find the most sophisticated alterations that they desire.
Matrix J Technologies
Contact: Josh Kolbe
Building: B
Room: 4
Email:
Website: http://www.matrixj.com/
Matrix J Technologies provides on-site and in-home technology solutions related to software, hardware, networking, new installations, and more. The company offers solutions for all levels of the community, including businesses, schools, or home consumers.
Perform Best Fitness
Contact: Mandy Maughmer
Building: A
Room: 9 & 10
Email:
Website: N/A
Perform Best Fitness offers a variety of group classes and individual personal training options including:
- Youth & Adult Taekwondo
- Combat Sports (MMA)
- Kick Boxx Aeorbics
- Boot Camp
- Core Performance
- Speed & Strength
- Personal Training
WJKW-Christian Faith Broadcasting
Miss Christa's Music Studio
Contact: Christa Sigman
Building: A
Room:
Email: christamiss@gmail.com
Website: http://www.misschristamusic.com
Miss Christa’s Music Studio’s offerings include her own products and services along with the full range of Kindermusik’s world-renowned curricula. Miss Christa’s program is recognized for exceptional service among the top 5% of 6,000 in over 60 countries.
Partner Success Stories
Listed below are stories highlighting the work of several current tenants located at ACEnet's Athens business incubation center.
Green Lotus Therapies
Jeannie Faulkner: “Business incubation is a fantastic thing for small businesses in Ohio.”
Founded in April 2009 by Jeannie Faulkner, Green Lotus Therapies is a Massage Therapy practice focusing on therapeutic massage, spa, and Ayurveda therapies.
Until April 2009 when Ms. Faulkner moved to the Athens business incubator operated by the Appalachian Center for Economic Development (ACEnet), she had been working as an independent massage therapist by renting space from other practitioners. She has always had a strong desire to open her own space as her business continued to grow. Since she has been an entrepreneur in the past, starting this new business was a smooth transition, according to Jeannie. ACEnet supported Green Lotus Therapy by offering preferential rent for the space with good location, excellent service and a safe environment. The studio of Green Lotus Therapies presents clients with a relaxing environment under the expert skill of Ms. Faulkner.
Ms. Faulkner is licensed by the Ohio medical Board and also by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Green Lotus Therapies operates with variety of techniques, including aromatherapy and the 5,000 year old art of Ayurveda, which is a system of medicine that originated in India. Translated literally, Ayurveda means “the Science of Life.” She is also the coordinating instructor for the spa therapy and spa management programs at Hocking College in Nelsonville.
“I hold the philosophy that massage is one of the most vital factors in the physical and emotional healing process. In today’s hurried culture, we rarely give ourselves the time to allow relaxation and healing through touch. Therapeutic and relaxation massage produces multiple positive effects in the nervous system, the connective tissue, the circulatory system and the energy system through the simple yet complex nature of touch”, says Ms. Faulkner.
Lula's Alterations
Lula’s Alterations: “ACEnet offers an economical way to get to the business, to get started and see if you can do it.”
For 45 years Lula Toban has been working in the field of clothing sales and alterations. Her first approaches to alterations were as an amateur, yet with the time she soon discovered that she had ”the hands” for the job and making alterations become her occupancy. For a considerable period of time Lula had been working in the atelier of someone else, changing three different stores. Even though the service she offers in the Athens area is unique, she did not have an option to open a business at home. The most difficult challenge she faced was finding an adequate location for her studio.
In 2008 Lula entered into the business incubator of Appalachian Center for Economic Development—ACEnet. The Center offers Lula a luminous atelier and very competitive rent, affordable for most small entrepreneurs. ACEnet’s incubator makes it possible for Lula to work on her own, reducing the costs and increasing the benefits of her micro-business.
During her 45 years in the alteration work, Lula got to know more about her customers, making the transition to her own business easier. After her new business and atelier were featured in an article in the Athens Messenger, crowds of people needing alterations came to Lula. Her clients come from all across the region, some being loyal customers to Lula for 40 years, and others making a first appearance in Lula’s shop. Her broad client base demonstrates that people need what she is offering. Lula defines as key for success in her small business: “Working steady and trying to be here for my customers and doing what they want, when they need it.”
Matrix J Technologies
Joshua Kolbe: “Athens is all about local business and local products and I’m very proud to be part of it.”
Matrix J Technologies has completed its first phase of expansion. The company has added two more IT specialists and expanded their market in Southeast Ohio from Zanesville to Athens and Marietta to Gallipolis and doubled their office space in ACEnet’s Athens Incubator.
Matrix J Technologies was founded in 2001 by Joshua Kolbe. Kolbe decided to start a business to provide IT expertise and services to the local community, after developing a strong technology skill set over several years. Matrix J Technologies offers IT support, hardware upgrade and maintenance and software services. Recently the company started developing creative solutions for a basic web and graphic design. Matrix J clients are businesses, non-profit organizations, schools and individuals. The philosophy of Matrix J is to offer personalized IT support and provide its clients with advice on the numerous computer components and software programs that are on the market. Kolbe is convinced that the best advertisement for Matrix J is the way the company is working.
Matrix J Technologies’ growth from a new business to an affirmed local company is evidence of the impact that ACEnet’s incubation services and facilities can have. Kolbe agrees, stating that “ACEnet plays an important role in the local economy, as it provides support to starting micro businesses. ACEnet is filling a major gap for new entrepreneurs to gain the knowledge of how to run their own company and network with other local companies.”
Praising Kolbe’s endeavors, Angie Hawk Maiden, President/CEO of ACEnet noted, “We are very proud of Matrix J’s success. Josh’s hard work and focus on customer service has really paid off. He is the kind of entrepreneur that will continue to expand economic opportunity in the region.”
