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Longtime employee Emi Ebben (left) talks with customers Lawrence Katzen and Ann Frumpkin during Jewelry Artisans’ reopening party Dec. 15 in Plaza del Mar. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

Jewelry Artisans has celebrated its reopening as stores continue to resettle in Manalapan’s Plaza del Mar.

After being in the same location at the mall for 28 years, the store moved to make way for a new Publix grocery being constructed to anchor the mall.  

Owner Pedro Maldonado is “excited about the plaza and our customers are happy with our larger display space. It allows us the opportunity to relax and create in a more open environment.”

                                

If you’re looking for a bargain — and who isn’t? — you’ll be pleased to know there’s a new upscale consignment shop in Delray Beach. Affluent Finds consignment boutique just moved from Lake Worth to 809 George Bush Blvd. 

The shop carries designer brands such as Armani, Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Escada, Gucci, Lilly Pulitzer, Pucci, Roberto Cavalli, St. John, and Valentino. Affluent Finds is owned by April Willis, who has a background in luxury retail with Cartier. 

At the new location, Willis plans to hold in-store events, along with neighboring merchants Cheap Frills, Bella Reina Spa, and Second Time Around. 

                                

If hardware and garden supplies are more up your alley, there’s good news for you, too. Orchard Supply Hardware, a home, garden and hardware store, has opened five new Florida stores. One is at 525 Congress Ave. in Boynton Beach, and another at 510 Linton Blvd., suite 120 in Delray Beach.

                                

DK Delray Downtown LLC, a Kolter affiliate, will build a four-story, 150-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel at 135, 145, 169, and 185 SE Sixth Ave., according to property records and news reports. 

The development and investment firm closed on a $27.3 construction loan from PNC Bank mid-November, and plans to break ground early this year and open the hotel in 2019. Slattery & Associates is the architect.

                                

The median sale price of single-family homes in Palm Beach County has seen a 10 percent year-over-year increase to $330,000, according to the Florida Realtors Monthly Market Detail report for November. The number of closed sales increased 1.5 percent to 1,243, with cash transactions down 8.2 percent to 427. The median time to contract increased 14 percent to 57 days. Inventory of active listings decreased 4.4 percent to 7,058 and the month’s supply of inventory decreased 2 percent to 4.9 months.  

                                

Christel Silver, broker/owner of Silver International Realty, was approved by the Florida Realtors professional development committee and confirmed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to instruct Graduate Realtor Institute appraising and international real estate courses. Her office is at 55 SE Second Ave., No. 206, in Delray Beach.

                                

Members of the Women’s Council of Realtors of Greater Palm Beach County met in December at The Polo Club in Boca Raton to pass the gavel from President Cathy Lewis to incoming President Debra Shapiro. 

                                

The Greater Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce’s new board of directors began its term Dec. 6. Michael Mohl, owner of Senior Helpers, is the 2018 chairman, and Sophia Eccleston of FPL is the new 2019 chairwoman-elect. 

The board was joined by new members Edward Boylan of the Boynton Beach Mall; Debbie Eisenberg of Porges, Eisenberg, Levine, CPA; Michael Kolesar of Atria at Villages of Windsor; Ela Lena of Bethesda Health; Veronica Rogers of Allegro; and Debra Slobodow of Primerica.

                                

CPA Neil H. Fishman of Fishman Associates, Boynton Beach, will speak on the effects of the changes in tax law at the Greater Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 10. Fishman is a member of the Florida Institute of CPAs, the New York State Society of CPAs, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, the Forensic CPA Society, and the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, where he serves as executive vice president. 

From 2015 to 2017, he was a member of the IRS advisory council. To purchase tickets, visit www.boyntonbeach.org. The price is $35. The luncheon will be at Benvenuto, 1730 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Also, the Chamber’s Business Awards Gala will be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at Benvenuto’s restaurant.

                                

Jerry Hildebrand, a pioneer in social entrepreneurship, will be the director of Lynn University’s new Social Impact Lab. Serving as a career launch pad for young professionals, the lab will offer real-world experience, professional connections and mentorships, as well as industry preparedness and training. It will also serve as a talent pipeline for startups, impact investment firms and social enterprises. For more information, visit www.lynn.edu. ;

Additional news from the university: Anthony Altieri was appointed vice president of student affairs.

                                

Having passed all canine tests, including cuddling and posing for pictures, Kol, a certified therapy dog, returned to Florida Atlantic University in December to comfort students studying for final exams. 

The 71-pound golden retriever and his owner, Jane Eisenberg, are volunteers with Therapy Dogs International and have visited nursing homes, hospitals, schools and other institutions for five years. College testing does not bother him in the least, Eisenberg says.

His visit was sponsored by the FAU Mentoring Project. 

                                

The American Greyhound Track Operators Association gave its Lifetime Achievement Award to Dennis Bicsak, a greyhound-racing owner and a breeder. He is also a photographer, journalist, racing official, handicapper, simulcast sales director and industry managing coordinator. 

“I love the greyhound breed and the wonderful people in the industry,” Bicsak said. “Working with everyone from breeders, kennel operators, track management and industry partners made me feel part of the movement to move greyhound racing forward.”

                                

Louie Bossi’s Ristorante in Boca Raton has a new general manager, Richard Douglas. Previously, Douglas was general manager at Brand Steakhouse in the Monte Carlo Hotel/Casino, and the CarneVino Italian Steakhouse in Las Vegas. He also served as a specialty wine sales representative for J&P Wholesale.

                                

Employees from Source1 Purchasing, a Boynton Beach supply chain management group, participated in Feeding South Florida’s Mobile Food Pantry in West Palm Beach. The team volunteered its time to package vegetables and hand out food items for individuals to take home for their families.

                                

The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host County Commissioner Dave Kerner speaking on “Palm Beach County vs. State of Florida: Who Makes the Decisions for Us?”

The luncheon will be  from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Atlantis Country Club, 190 Atlantis Blvd., Lake Worth. Tickets are $35. To RSVP, call 968-4123 or visit www.lwvpbc.org.

                                

At the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches’ luncheon Jan. 23, MSNBC producer Debbie Bornstein Holinstat will share her story of survival in honor of National Holocaust Remembrance Day. She will also be available to sign Survivors Club, a book she co-wrote with her father, Holocaust survivor Michael Bornstein. 

The luncheon, which is open to the public, will begin at 11:30 a.m. and take place at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott, 4000 RCA Blvd. Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased by visiting www.ewpb.org. For information, call 868-7070.

                                

At the Women Helping Women Entrepreneurs/South Florida Business Owners Networking luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 25,  participants will  learn to market their businesses online using systems and automation for Messenger Bots, Facebook ads and social media tools. To register, visit https://standoutonlinesystem.com/lunch. The event will be at Pavilion Grille, 301 Yamato Road, No. 1201, Boca Raton. 

Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

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