By SHARON L. BOND and JON WILSON
Published August 24, 2003
ST. PETERSBURG - The Boley Centers' retail thrift store opened Saturday at 6163 Ninth Ave. N in Oak Tree Plaza.
Called Your Neighborhood Store, it will specialize in "gently used" items such as clothing, housewares, furniture, toys, small appliances, books and shoes, say Boley officials. Profits will benefit clients of Boley Centers, a behavioral health agency with 32 housing and service centers around Pinellas County.
The 12,000-square-foot store features a drive-through donation center. People with items to contribute can drive up beside the store and employees will unload the goods.
The store is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Boley has several other drive-through centers in Pinellas County.
Ex-banker starts new company
ST. PETERSBURG - Former bank chairman Gene Oliver and his son, Ken, have started a computer solutions company called Solutions on Site or SOS.
Gene Oliver was chairman and chief executive officer of South Trust Bank of West Florida and has 30 years in banking. He is chairman of the new computer company. Ken Oliver is president. He has more than a decade in computers and technology.
SOS is aiming to help small businesses by providing software and hardware support. Other services include network training to ensure a network owner has all computers communicating with one another.
SOS says it has a special expertise in Quicken and QuickBooks, financial bookkeeping and planning software.
Rogers Cleaners expands business
ST. PETERSBURG - Rogers Cleaners, in operation here since 1916, bought property at 1720 Central Ave. where it will have a garment restoration business.
The site is next to Rogers' original dry cleaning facility that opened in 1918, according to the Rogers family. The Knights of Columbus hall used to occupy 1720 Central Ave.
Rogers has equipment and techniques that put it beyond a regular dry cleaning business in restoring items, according to the family. Items it will work on include clothing and household fabrics damaged by mold, water or smoke.
Mitchell Rogers IV, co-owner, said the restoration business allowed Rogers to participate in the rejuvenation of Midtown. Midtown is a section in the inner core of St. Petersburg where city officials are trying to raise the standard of living. The Rogers' site is at the northern edge of Midtown.
