Shop to serve golfers

About a year ago, brothers John and Julian Bunn closed their six Carolina Custom Golf stores.

It was the end of a retail business that dated back to 1972 and at one point had eight stores from the Triangle to Southern Pines.

Now the Bunns are back to give golf retailing another try with a new store called Continental Golf.

John Bunn says they've gone back to where they started -- the service business.

Carolina Custom Golf began as a service shop in Raleigh's Five Points area, where Lily's Pizza is now.

Continental Golf will also be focused on service, particularly custom-fitting clubs and servicing clubs.

The store will sell some apparel, golf bags and other items, Bunn said, but the focus is squarely on the service.

"It's almost funny how full-circle we've come," he said.

Carolina Custom Golf failed because there was too much competition, Bunn said.

Indeed, chains such as Golf Galaxy, GolfSmith and Dick's Sporting Goods have expanded here in recent years, putting a lot of pressure on smaller golf retailers.

"We were too big to cut back a lot and too small to expand," he said.

With this new venture, the Bunns are relying on their 37 years of experience in the golfing world to set them apart.

"We're not going to try to be everything to everybody," Bunn said.

Continental Golf will open in early November at 1401 Capital Blvd. in Raleigh, just down from a former Carolina Custom Golf store.

In North Raleigh, the Whole Foods is one step closer to reality.

On Wednesday, Raleigh City Council approved the plans for the Market at Colonnade, which will be anchored by the gourmet grocer.

The center near Six Forks and Strickland roads will include the 40,000-square-foot store plus an additional 17,000 square feet of small-shop space.

Developer Regency Centers will begin construction on the project around the first of the year. That means the store will likely open in the first quarter of 2011.

Raleigh art dealer Lee Hansley is opening a studio for the holidays on Glenwood Avenue. Lee Hansley Gallery, Too will be at 126 Glenwood Ave.

Its first exhibition, featuring art from New York abstract painter Vincent Mastracco, opens Sunday.

Hansley's main gallery is not moving from 225 Glenwood Ave., where it has been for a decade.

Other items: In Apex, the Ocean Stars restaurant at 1402 E. Williams St. is expanding to add an oyster bar later this month. ... In Chapel Hill, Radio Shack is opening this weekend at 1800 E. Franklin St. in the Eastgate Shopping Center. ... In downtown Raleigh, the Krispy Kreme at the new City Plaza on Fayetteville Street will open on Oct. 24. The Jimmy John's there is on schedule for an early December opening.