Bits of business | Gas distributor sets roots in Centre County

The decision to open a store in Pleasant Gap was easy.

There’s a market in the region for things like safety equipment and industrial and medical gases and little competition, according to Airgas branch manager Dave Bair.

“It’s a prime market, and the company felt like there are great opportunities for us in this area,” he said.

Airgas, a Radnor-based distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases and hard goods, recently opened a retail store at 606 E. College Ave.

“We will eventually have a delivery truck delivering cylinders of gases like oxygen, argon, CO2, acetyline, nitrogen and other products,” Bair said. “We’ll have that by this month.”

Airgas will also host an open house from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 16-18. Multiple vendors will have products on display during the open house.

Movin’ on up

TriYoga of Central Pennsylvania’s old South Allen Street studio was always temporary.

Even after it operated there for years, the non-profit’s executive director, Theresa Shay, kept looking for a more fitting space for TriYoga.

“We were there knowing it wouldn’t be a permanent home,” Shay said. “We kept our eyes open, and this is that.”

TriYoga, which also has studios in Bellefonte and Spring Mills, relocated in July to Boalsburg at 106 N. Church St. It’s a space that Shay said feels more like the home of a yoga studio.

“It’s larger, it’s more beautiful for our most active facility, and it was important to find something to support those people well,” Shay said.

“Something very simple like getting the windows open is a plus, and it’s something we’re delighted about to have a fresh experience in and out.”

Being in Boalsburg has also brought advantages.

“We’re in a beautiful village,” Shay said. “There’s peacefulness and calm in the town. It feels like we’re a part of something bigger than what we’re doing.”

TriYoga will host a grand opening in its new 850-square-foot space from noon-1:30 p.m. Sept. 19. A free class will be given at that time, an open house with prizes will be held from 2-4 p.m. and the celebration will culminate with chanting at 7 p.m.

North Central Sight Services stakes claim

Bellefonte is home to North Central Sight Service’s first branch office.

The Williamsburg-based non-profit, which serves six counties, recently opened at 221 W. High St. and will host a ribbon cutting and open house from 4-6 p.m. Sept. 10. The ribbon cutting will happen at 4:15 p.m.

NCSS provides programs, services and employment to the blind and visually impaired as well as education, prevention services and products to its clientele.

“We offer blindness prevention, provide services and life skills training for people experiencing vision loss or if they are already blind,” NCSS spokesman Lesley Larson said.

“We have so many stories from people that come here that have advanced glaucoma and their vision loss happens suddenly. Someone else came out partially blind from a hip surgery, and we teach them to live and remain independent. I could give you examples all day.”

The open house, Larson said, will be an introduction to NCSS and a networking event.

“We were also looking for someone to man the store in Bellefonte who is visually impaired, but haven’t gotten interest,” Larson said.

Maybe she’ll meet someone at the open house.

Adding a little to the back

Like any small business would hope, A Little Off The Top’s clientele has grown during its six years in business.

To accommodate their growth and an increasing demand for their products, the Milroy business at 53 Naginey Road recently expanded its building.

Brooke Bishop, a business partner of owner Selina Bittner, said they opened a 988-square-foot wig room.

“It’s a giant room in the back of salon wigs, hair pieces and similar products,” Bishop said.

“She recently had the wigs in the salon, and it wasn’t big enough for our wig clientele. We expanded, because we needed to show everything we had in one area.”

The wig room will open in mid-September.

This story was originally published September 4, 2015 at 12:32 AM with the headline "Bits of business | Gas distributor sets roots in Centre County."