Standard and Image changing to Stuffed Olive and Voodoo Lounge

The Standard martini bar and its second-floor Image Nightclub downtown are undergoing upgrades and name-changes, as owners Brendan Kelley and Rob Iovinio have awarded Cedar Falls’ Barmuda Companies a management contract on March 1. Image Nightclub closed on May 4, and preliminary renovations have begun. The Standard will do the same later this month. The Stuffed Olive will still boast one of the largest martini lists in central Iowa with a new upscale look. Voodoo Lounge will be a relaxed atmosphere with a full-service bar, cushy furniture, a live DJ on the weekends but no dance floor.

Barnes & Noble going under?

This may be the last year that Barnes & Noble bookstores remain open, according to author Michael Levin, of www.BooksAreMyBabies.com. B&N has been closing about 20 stores per year since 2012 and has said it will continue to do so for the next several years, after a decades-long period of expansion that pushed privately-owned bookstores out of neighborhoods. Levin says Amazon is now doing the same to B&N, and also blames publishers for offering best-sellers at deep discounts in non-traditional outlets such as Wal-Mart and Costco. Those factors, joined by the cost of printing and trucking, fails in the Internet era.

DMSC holds grand opening

The Des Moines Social Club is hosting its official grand opening at its new permanent home at the downtown Firehouse at 900 Mulberry St. on Saturday, May 10 from 5-9 p.m. with a keynote address by musician David Byrne of Talking Heads and a showcase of the programming it will house, followed by an after-party in the basement bar. 

Artisan Row breaks ground

Artisan Row is a first for-sale, customizable community downtown with 1,600-square-foot rowhomes each featuring two or three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, private rooftop patios with pergolas, two-car attached garages and 10-foot ceilings. The exterior echoes the design of the Meredith Corporation campus and Western Gateway with a balance of glass and brick. Artisan Row will be completed this fall, but homes are for sale now. For more information, call Iowa Realty agent, Darla Willett-Rohrssen, at 203-6108.

Mills Civic Parkway Paradise

The 40-location chain, Paradise Indian Cuisine, recently opened at 6630 Mills Civic Pkwy., No. 3102, in West Des Moines, offering a diverse menu Indian recipes served with a “modern twist” of Mugal, British, Chinese and Portuguese influences called “Hyderabadi ccuisine.” Learn more at www.dsmparadise.com, or call 225-2024.

Facebook No. 2

Altoona Planning and Zoning reviewed the plans last week, and the City Council approved them at its May 5 meeting to construct Facebook’s “Altoona 2” data center, set to break ground soon with about the same size and layout as the first building — 476,000-square-feet — where Facebook says more than 460 Iowans have logged more than 435,000 hours of work already.

Mediacom Internet speeds up

Mediacom Communications announced last week the deployment of faster Internet speeds for residential customers without raising prices for the “Prime Plus” and “Ultra” tiers and will be phased in throughout the summer for “Ultra Plus.”

MidAm Holdings changes to Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Berkshire Hathaway’s ownership of Mid-American Energy Holding Company allows for reinvestment opportunities for the business, as it takes “a long-term view” of customers’ needs, reinforces its strategy to own and operate a portfolio of high-quality assets, grow and diversify through a disciplined acquisition strategy and build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships. Local management will continue, and the names and operations of businesses will not be affected. Learn more at www.berkshirehathawayenergyco.com.

Accordia Life launches new biz

Accordia Life announced last week the launch of its Des Moines-based company focused on delivering competitive life insurance solutions through its network of distribution partners and professionals with products designed to help meet the protection, wealth transfer and small business needs of customers throughout the country. CV

Submit On the Move news to Amber Williams by Monday at 8 a.m. to be included in that week’s issue. Email to editor@dmcityview.com, or call 953-4822, ext. 320.