BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS: New Honda showroom; chamber head on state panel

By Bradley Koltz
   Congratulations to Honda of Princeton, which recently opened its much-anticipated new showroom on Route 206.
   It’s everything that you might have thought driving by and then some: sleek, open and accessible. And filled with knowledgeable people and of course lots of beautiful new Hondas. Stop in and check out the new facility and the great cars.
   Robert D. Prunetti, president and CEO of the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed to the Capital City Redevelopment Commission by Governor Christie.
   The Capital City Redevelopment Corporation, is a legislatively established arm of state government and acts as a catalyst to coordinate, initiate, expedite, finance and package redevelopment in the district.
   The owners of Community News Service in Lawrenceville and U.S. 1 Publishing Co. in Princeton have merged to create a single company.
   Jamie Griswold and Tom Valeri, co-publishers of Community News Service, and Richard K. Rein, founding editor and publisher of U.S. 1, share ownership of the new company, Community News Service LLC.
   The 2012 Community Tour celebrates those who give their hearts, time and skills to strengthen communities.
   The two-month program kicked off on May 12th in Miami, Florida, and continues up the East Coast, following the route of the East Coast Greenway and culminating in Portland, Maine, on July 7, the International Day of Cooperatives.
   The Tour features eight major weekend stops in key cities along the northern route, including Miami, Charleston, Durham, Fredericksburg, Wilmington, New York City, Providence and Portland.
   Additionally, smaller weekday events will take place at stops along the route between the key cities. While events and activities will vary by market, the overall theme of cooperatives, community service and volunteerism will be the hallmark of each celebration.
   The cyclists take a well-earned break for lunch on Day 41 of their ride: from Trenton to Edison. Luncheon will feature Cabot Greek yogurt parfaits, Cabot Chipotle Cheddar Cheese wraps and Cabot Cheddar Apple tarts prepared by Griggstown Chef Matthew Sytsema.
   Prudential Fox & Roach, Realtors recently honored sales associates from the Princeton Home Marketing Center with a Sales Performance Award for their excellent sales performance for 2011, placing them in the top 21 percent of associates company-wide. Sales Associates honored include Ruth Uiberall and Lisa Candella-Hulbert, Lorraine and Gil Marchany, Shyhshin Liou and Carol Robinson.
   The Hamilton Manor will be featured for the second time on the popular TLC network show “Four Weddings” to be aired this fall.
   The show features four weddings at different venues where the brides compete to win an exclusive honeymoon.
   The Hamilton Manor finished second the first time they were on the show after being in business for only a few short months.
   There will also be a special show on August 24th, A Tribute to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, a Jersey Boy affair which is sure to draw a big crowd. The Hamilton Manor is located at 30 Highway 156, adjacent to Highway 130, in Hamilton Township.
Specials and deals
   If you’re looking for a great deal on gifts, check out Charmed by Claire. They are having a summer madness clothing sale with 30% to 50% off of select items in their “Thrill of the Hunt” area.
   They are located at 33 North Main Street in Cranbury. Visit them online at www.charmedbyclaire.net or give them a call at 609-409-6077.
   If you’re looking for a bite to eat in Robbinsville, check out Santino’s Pizza and Restaurant. They have great dinner specials updated every Friday. You can view them online at their website at www.santinosristorante.com. They are located at 1240 Route 130 South in Robbinsville. Give them a call at 609-443-5600.
   Look inside TimeOFF for a great offer from Princeton’s Tiger’s Tale restaurant. If you and another guest buy two regular priced entrees you will get a free brownie sundae to share. They are located half a mile north of the Princeton Airport on Route 206. Call them at 609-924-0262.
   If you are looking to get into the groove on Saturday nights, check out Poseidon Mediterranean Bar and Grill. On Saturday nights, they feature a Saturday Night Fever theme with music from the 1960s through the 1990 along with drink specials. They are located in Washington Town Center at 2360 Route 33 in Robbinsville. Visit their website for more information at poseidonbarandgrill.com or give them a call at 609-223-2749.
Doing good
   On Saturday, June 9th, The Bank of Princeton on Bayard Lane hosted a Coin Counting Event for “Kids4Kids Through Music”, who came with coins collected from their fundraising efforts.
   Kids4Kids was started 5 years ago by Lidia Usami, a Princeton piano teacher and her students (ages 5-14). These young musicians earn donations for practice hours, and each year choose a worthy cause for their earnings. This year, the group has chosen the Princeton-Peru Partnership as their musical fundraising project.
   Barbara Cromwell from The Bank of Princeton showed the students how to use the coin counting machine, available in most branches. The student’s total, along with a matched donation, came to $880.
Welcome
   Hamilton-Robbinsville Home Marketing Center welcomes John Miranda as a sales associate. Miranda was with the New Jersey State Police prior to joining Prudential Fox & Roach. A member of the Mercer County Association of Realtors, he was a volunteer coach with New Jersey Youth Soccer and is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Elks. Miranda and his wife, Lynn, are residents of Hamilton. He serves Mercer and Burlington counties.
   Earth Fruits Yogurt, located at 438 Route 206 in Hillsborough, is having a grand opening on Saturday, June 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Events start at 12 noon, and include appearances by your favorite cartoon characters, a DJ keeping the music going, fun for kids and adults. Check them out online at www.earthfruitsyogurt.com.
   Desi’s Wood Burning Brick Oven Pizza and Restaurant is now under new management. Call for their new specials at 908-281-5558, of just stop in at 424 Route 206 in Hillsborough.
   On Friday, June 22, learn more about Mimi Omiecinski, owner of Princeton Tour Company, and about Princeton by joining the members of the Princeton Chapter of Gotham for a networking lunch at Medittera on Hulfish Street in downtown Princeton. Cost is $35 per person for lunch and networking. Payment cannot be made at the door, but can be made on the Gotham website at www.gothamnetworking.com.
   If you’re a local business or institution doing something new, interesting, good for the community, or just want to let our readers know about a new product or service, please contact General Manager Brad Koltz at [email protected].