> SOUTHERN INDIANA — Billow, a cigar and smoking lounge, is now open at 137 E. Market St. in downtown New Albany adjacent to Quill’s Coffee.

Co-owners Josh Bullock and Kevin Metcalf are offering a variety of premium cigars, smoking accessories and even apparel donning the Billow logo at the shop.

“New Albany really seems to be taking off and doing well, and we think it’s going to be a good investment of our time to open here,” Bullock said. “Everyone has been very supportive in terms of promoting us.”

Billow features a walk-in humidor and a smoking lounge complete with a 60 inch flat screen television, seating for 12 and a filtration system. Bullock said Billow will soon offer cigar lockers for customers.



MORE BUSINESS NEWS

• Achilles Pizza is now serving up both Chicago and New York style pie in Jeffersonville.  

Owner John Stamper along with his mom and dad opened the place in January. The family formerly owned Johnny Grill in Charlestown.

“It’s a family restaurant. We believe in hospitality as a family value,” he said.

As for specialties, Stamper recommends the pan style pizza or the barbeque chicken pizza. If you’re going hungry ask for “the legend” — a large, meaty pie.

The business is located at 730 Williamsburg Road in Jeffersonville, which is just off Charlestown-New Albany Pike Road.

• Southern Indiana Rescue has opened Sophie’s Hope Thrift Shoppe at 3808 10th St. in Jeffersonville. All proceeds go to the animal rescue group.

“We have a little bit of everything, hard to find items,” said volunteer Lynda Sylvester. “All the items have been donated. We’ve got a good following. Animal people get pretty passionate.”

A grand opening celebration, with refreshments, is planned at 2 p.m. on Feb. 5.

• Hanger’s Home Medical, the medical supplies side of Hanger’s Pharmacy, has been sold.

New owner Jamie Hagan, who owns Sellersburg-based Community Home Medical, took over ownership of the business on Jan. 1. Neither side would disclose the purchase price of the business.

“We’re going to focus on the pharmacy,” said Rick Scott, who co-owns the pharmacy with his sister. He said the medical supplies side of the business, added years ago while Hanger’s was in a franchise agreement with a nationwide company, was essentially breaking even.

Hagan, on the other hand, believes it’ll be a boon for his business.

“It makes it to where we’re able to be more competitive. It brings retail that I don’t currently have.”

• Seal Beach-California based Clean Energy Fuels is nearly complete with a natural gas for vehicles station on U.S. 31 in Sellersburg, near the intersection with Ind. 60. The construction of the station has been ongoing for the last four months or so.

According to Natural Gas Vehicles For America, a trade group, there are about 112,000 natural gas vehicles on the road in the U.S. and more than 13 million worldwide. There are about 1,000 fueling stations in the U.S. — and about half of them are open to the public. Natural gas costs, on average, one-third less than conventional gasoline at the pump, the group said.

Clean Energy Fuels was called but could not be reached for comment on when the Sellersburg station would open.

• The Jeffersonville location of New To You Boutique, a Spring Street thrift store which funded New Hope Services, is closed. The locations on Lewis & Clark Boulevard in Clarksville and Market Street in Charlestown remain open.

• R & W Tire, 955 Spring St., and Mr. G’s Liquor, 200 W. Market St. are now closed in downtown Jeffersonville.

• Family Dollar is building a new store along State Street in New Albany, on a site that was once a gas station in the downtown area.