Many locals probably thought Stone Mountain Village wasn't trendy enough to have its own body art studio. With that being said, those same locals probably raised their brows when the 980 Main Street space was lit and open in November, advertising for that same type of art. Sisters Candi and Trinity DaNae Sparrow head one of the Village's latest additions, Trinity Studios, a Christian-based business specializing in tattoos and piercings. This week, the tatted-up gals talk with Patch on how their mom inspired them to get into the industry and Toys for Tats. Patch: So on your Facebook page, it …

Barbara Hartsfield currently holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest collection of miniature chairs. Her museum, Collectible & Antique Chair Gallery, holds more than 3,000 chairs in a variety of styles and themes. From chair-shaped tissue boxes to ordinary doll chairs to miniature chairs that hold a smoking pipe, Hartsfield collects anything chair-related and displays it in the museum she's had open for two years. Hartsfield, who's also a nurse of 39 years at Grady, talks to Patch this week on her Guinness record, how she fell into collecting chairs and what her museum, which …

Jump Oasis started three years ago when owner Alicia Moise realized she wanted to open a business involving parties. As a mother of three children who are all under the age of 10, she's equipped the play facility with a Wii gaming station, a karaoke stage, inflatables and a toddlers' area. Jump Oasis is much more than just a kids' playplace, though. It also caters to birthday parties for adults, Halloween shindigs and teen dances. Patch sits down with Moise this week to find out how the Snellville resident opened the business and what Jump Oasis has to offer. Patch: What inspired you to open …

Owner Ron Herndon opened his barbecue establishment in 2000, and since then, he hasn't looked back. Serving up collard greens, ribs, chopped pork and more, Crazy's Ron's BBQ has been going strong. Growing up with Southern cuisine and a father in the kitchen, it only seemed natural that Herndon followed the same path. Sitting outside the train engine-shaped restaurant, Herndon talks with Patch about life and how he and his wife started Crazy Ron's. Patch: What inspired you to open up the shop? Ron Herndon: I wanted to be in business. I worked in corporate for about 10 years, and I worked for a…

Dante and Amy Putmon have always believed in true customer service. With cozy chairs and a no cell-phone policy ("If you hear someone arguing or talking loudly on the phone, and you're trying to read or relax, there's no comfort," said Amy), the mother and son duo value their customers like no other salon.  They've had their shop, Petals Salon & Spa at 857 Main Street, since 2004 to uphold these beliefs while offering services from hair straightening treatments, body waxing, and cutting and styling. They also have a massage and nail area, but those services are currently on hold since they're…

Even though neither of them have had design school experience, sisters Barbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward-Woods always have had a passion for interior design. While running their independently-owned Decorating Den franchise shop for the past 14 years, that passion has geared the duo to win 23 design competition awards and be featured in 35 publications including Good Housekeeping and Better Homes and Gardens. Elliott and Ward-Woods has also gained more than 900 clients and designed thousands of residential and commercials rooms.  Their shop, Interiors by Decorating Den, has been in its current…

Chavonne Anderson has been creating designs through embroidery for two years, but she just officially opened her first storefront in late April in Stone Mountain Village. Her business, CMA Designs, specializes in team sports apparel for cheerleading, dance, football, track and more, in the design formats of embroidery, screenprinting and heat transfers.  From uniforms to hoodies to polo shirts, it's hard to find an article of clothing that the Lithonia resident won't print or thread a needle through. This week, Anderson talks to Patch about what inspired her to start embroidering.  Patch: How…

Sardar Reza has been the owner of the Health Nut for 14 years, but his passion for a healthy lifestyle started when he was only a boy in India. Just by sitting down and talking with him, it's obvious that Reza is no amateur when it comes to herbology and the like.  Glancing at the tens of thousands of different items inside the Health Nut, which resides on Main Street, Reza can tell you what every product aims to assist with. The herb Chinese ephedra is most commonly used for weight loss, reducing mucus and giving more energy to its user. Dong quai root helps balance women's hormones, in …

It's impossible to pass through Stone Mountain Village without noticing the five point's beige European-style building that houses the Village Corner German Restaurant and Bakery. After almost 40 years in the Village and three different locations, the Village Corner is still thriving under the ownership of  husband and wife Claus and Hilde Friese. They moved to the current spot 26 years ago, at first as a bakery only. When the 1996 Olympics rolled around, the two decided to build the restaurant portion and their home above it. The restaurant has become a staple of the Stone Mountain community…

It's only been two weeks since Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends Pet Central made its debut in the Village, but they've actually been around since 2002. Having its headquarters mainly consist of the founders' and volunteers' homes for several years, it was time, they decided, to make a resource center for the public.  As a no-kill, non-profit, spay/neuter center, AARF Pet Central is truly the ultimate resource center for dog and pet owners, or for anyone that wants to adopt a dog or cat. They are the "Whole Foods for pets" with their wide range of healthy food and supplies; they have an in-house …

Most curly haired gals think it's a curse to have their hair. They're constantly battling it with irons and blow dryers to straighten it. And when they occasionally leave it curly, harmful products are used to try to tame the frizz. It's a never-winning struggle. Well, unless you visit Curls of the World. Curls of the World, which just opened Saturday in the Cranky Princess' old spot on Main Street, helps embrace the curl with all-natural products made from safe ingredients. Owned by Rhian and Chris Sharp, Curls of the World started when Rhian's product line by the same name started its …

Owner John Cartwright opened his first business, Stage Door Old Time Photo, late May this year in the heart of Stone Mountain Village.  With hoop dresses, Confederate soldier uniforms and even costumes for pets, Stage Door allows customers to dress up in Antebellum-era clothing to capture a one-of-a-kind photo, developed either in black and white, sepia tone (which is black and white but with a faded, brownish look) and regular color.   Although his business is the only one like it in the area, Cartwright said it's not doing as well as he'd hoped it would, but he hopes that business will pick…

"Photography makes you see the world rather than just look at  it."                                                                                                               ~Author Unknown This week Meet The Owner profiles Ayesha Lakes of PhoArtgraphy LLC. Eight years ago, Ayesha turned a lifelong passion for photography into a successful mobile photography business, sharing her unique photographic style with families across Metro Atlanta and documenting her sessions in her blog PhoArtgraphy.com/blog.  Read on to learn a little more about the lady behind the lens and why time spent with …

Would You Walk at Night on Memorial Drive? That question was posed by Stone Mountain Patch recently. What was your answer? If you are anything like many Stone Mountain residents - including this one - your first answer was "not a chance." It is an unfortunate yet indisputable fact that there is a prevelance of crime on and around Memorial Drive. A woman was brutally attacked, robbed, and raped in, of all places, a church just off of Memorial Drive in February. While the suspect in that case has since been apprehended, the thought of walking on Memorial Drive at night is still not a thought at…

Renowned writer and gardener Sydney Ellison was once quoted as saying "gardens are a form of autobiography." If what Ellison says is true, then to take in the plant life at Hall's Flower Shop & Garden Center on Memorial Drive is to take in the story of a very special family. Their story begins in the 1940s when Wayne Hall and his father began selling bedding plants (marigolds, petunias, etc.) to the public. Eventually the two went into the cut-flower business and on Nov. 9, 1946, they opened a flower shop.  In 1947 Wayne married. It was Wayne and Mildred Hall who first opened Hall's Flower …

It is a rare occurence to meet someone who is living his dream. While many can say they enjoy their profession, their dream may be halfway around the world.  When you meet those rare people, you know it right away. There is a sparkle in their eyes, a contagious enthusiasm, a pride in the way they speak of their craft that leaves you feeling better to have made their acquaintance. I recently met such a person. His name is Kris Dunbar and he and his brother Howie own Aztec Cycles in Stone Mountain Village. Like many Northern transplants, Dunbar moved to Atlanta in 1996 "in search of something …

Coming together for tea is a time-honored tradition.  Genee Dozier, owner of The BodTea Shoppe in Stone Mountain Village, is no stranger to what she claims are the social and medicinal benefits of tea.  A Dekalb County resident for many years, Genee has moved The BodTea Shoppe (www.TheBodTeaShoppe.com) from an on-line boutique to a prime Main Street location in just six months.  I recently sat down with Genee for candid conversation, a glimpse into the world of a tea lover, and of course, a delicious cup of tea. Patch: I want to thank you for sitting down with me today, Genee.  First of all I…