Hot yoga studio opens in Urbandale

Lindsey Opp opened a hot yoga studio called Lindsey Opp Yoga at 3975 100th St. in Urbandale. She offers traditional and boot camp classes, as wells as a program for kids and teens. Opp moved to Iowa from California in 2008. Class hours at Lindsey Opp Yoga vary each day. There are sessions at 5:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 4:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Call 657-2331, visit www.lindseyoppyoga.com or find it on Facebook.

West Des Moines Anytime Fitness gets new owner

The Anytime Fitness at 1925 Grand Ave. in West Des Moines has been re-organized by its new owner, Jason Gast. The 3,200-square-foot space now has more defined workout areas. Gast said he plans to add equipment and increase the hours that a staff member is present at the gym, which is open 24 hours a day. Gast is the owner of another Anytime Fitness center that will open in a new development near Southwest Third Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in August. He also owns the Waxing the City store in Clive. Call the West Des Moines Anytime Fitness at 225-3224 or visit www.anytimefitness.com.

Little Morocco bakery opens in Des Moines

Taoufik Essaidi and Jenna Irving, a husband-and-wife team that has been selling goods at the Des Moines Farmers Market for three years, have opened a Moroccan bakery at 833 42nd St., Suite 859, in the Shops at Roosevelt. Little Morocco offers Moroccan pastries, sandwiches, salads and coffee. Almonds and semolina flour are used often in Moroccan baking, and the pastries are not so sweet. Essaidi, originally from Casablanca, Morocco, and Irving, a native of Iowa, have offered several Moroccan pop-up dinners at Red China Bistro. Little Morocco is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. Call 864-6800, visit www.littlemoroccopatisserie.com or find it on Facebook.

New restaurant planned to open in Des Moines building

A mixed-use building named Sevastopol Station, which opened in 2013 at 1938 S.E. Sixth St. in Des Moines, is the site for an American restaurant that Kim Carstens plans to open. Carstens is an accountant by trade but plans to open Marlena’s in September. The restaurant will be on the main floor of the development at the east end of the building. The menu will feature old-school French entrees and a changing list of about 12 items, including appetizers, salads and entrees. Carstens will hire a local chef for Marlena’s, which will seat about 50 people and offer dinner only to start, and she plans to use locally sourced products.

Condos could replace downtown Kirkwood Hotel

Downtown’s Hotel Kirkwood might be turned into condos in the next few years if a developer succeeds in his plans. Exit Realty Capital City owner Timothy Schutte, who has a contract to purchase the Kirkwood building at 400 Walnut St., plans to renovate the 12-story building’s 54 apartments and sell them as condos beginning when the renters’ leases expire. Schutte’s purchase does not include the restaurants or retail spots on the first floor and skywalk level, but an open space on the first floor is available following the recent closing of Gramercy Tap. The Kirkwood Hotel was built 85 years ago and converted to apartments in 2005. The previous developer configured the units to be sold as condos, but the condo market fell before it could happen, according to Schutte.

Homemakers announces plans for renovation

The Homemakers store in Urbandale is expanding yet again, making this the sixth major renovation to the site since it opened the facility in 1985. Homemakers will build a 120,000-square-foot warehouse facility on a five-acre plot of land on the property’s northeast side. The facility’s space will be the equivalent of 42 tennis courts, and it comes one year after the company launched its e-commerce site. “We’re always looking for ways to improve the customer experience,” said Homemakers President Dave Merschman. “What our new warehouse addition will enable us to do is make more merchandise immediately available for the customer.” Homemakers is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday. Call 276-2772 or visit www.homemakers.com. CV