With the Hooters now closed, it leaves the commercial strip along Aldrich Avenue S. near the Burnsville Parkway exit on 35W in Burnsville with another empty space.

Other businesses sitting vacant are Timber Lodge Steakhouse and Parrot Island.

The Hooters closed near the end of October. With that closing, the chain has only one location left in the state. That restaurant is at the Mall of America in Bloomington.

Skip Nienhaus, the economic development coordinator for the city, said it was interesting that several establishments so close to each other had shut their doors, though he said it could have just been coincidental with corporate decision making.

"Why that was a good location for restaurants for years and years, and why it isn't now, I don't know," he said.

Shidor opens another Farmington location

A year after the opening of Shidor in Farmington, a second shop called More Shidor recently held its grand opening not far from the first.

The secondhand shop's new location is at 308 Oak St. in downtown Farmington. The store specializes in reselling furniture and books.

The Ugly Mug has new owners and a new menu

The Ugly Mug restaurant located at the Farmington Market Place strip mall off of Pilot Knob Road in Farmington has new owners.

Dan Radmacher and Kathy Stronach have taken over the establishment that has been open since 2002.

The pair purchased the coffee bar and grill from Melinda and Jeff Blansit, who had owned it since November of 2005.

The restaurant has almost the same menu but also offers some additions, such as burgers and flatbread pizzas.

The hybrid of coffee shop and restaurant was a good fit for the couple, Stronach said.

"There have been quite a few coffee shops that have closed their doors ... But a restaurant, you can't go wrong with that," Stronach said. "People need to eat."

In the future, Stronach said she wants to install a wine bar.

Farmington pet spa now a Groomingdale's

Pampered Pet Spa is now one of several local Groomingdale's Pet Salons.

The pet groomer is located off of Pilot Knob Road at the Farmington Market Place in Farmington.

The chain has been in the Twin Cities area since 1988. Its other locations are in Burnsville, Eagan and Lakeville.

VoIP event with TDs scheduled for Nov. 16

To learn how to use the latest "Voice over Internet Protocol" (VoIP) technology to increase productivity, businesspeople can attend a demonstration of TDS' VoIP solution "ManagedIP" on Tuesday.

TDS said some of ManagedIP's benefits include reduction in telephone system maintenance cost, e-mail notification of incoming calls and voicemails, and mobility, with one phone number that can ring anywhere to any device.

The event is 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the TDS office at 3460 Washington Drive, Suite 109, in Eagan. Continental breakfast will be served.

RSVP with Sue Courteau, TDS associate market manager, at 651-289-3242.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495