Mini mall celebrates grand openings

By Laurie Gordon
ANDOVER — Several businesses in the Andover Mini Mall celebrated grand openings while other businesses simply celebrated the day on Sunday.

The lot to the mall, located on Rt. 206, was blocked off to traffic and filled with tables and tents, sales and specials, food and festivities.

Dr. Terry Litchfield has been in the plaza for 35 years. The owner and chiropractor at Andover Chiropractic has seen the plaza change over the years as businesses have come and gone.

"I think that now we have a really good blend of people," Litchfield said.

The doctor and her staff were doing raffles and signing people up for complimentary chiropractic phone consultations.

Owned by Umit Kocaoglu, of Hamburg, and Ismail Alptelcin, of Newton, Tobacco Town opened its doors on Feb. 9.

"We chose this location because we thought it would be good to be in the same area as the tattoo store and motorcycle shop, plus there aren't any smoke shops in this area," Kocaoglu said.

Tobacco Town sells tobacco, cigars, electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapor, e-juice, e-liquid, Hookah and materials to roll your own cigarettes.

Russ Eaton, of Stillwater, and his daughter, Theodora, were working in tandem with dad manning the inside of the antique shop while daughter took care of the sales outside.

Eaton's Estate Service is a home grown company with roots in the community and branches that reach around the world.

"This location is fantastic," Eaton said, "Thousands of cars pass by every day."

After having been located on Spring Street in Newton for 14 years, Eaton made the move in March to revitalize the retail end of the business. In addition to the antique store in Andover, Eaton's is a full estate service.

John Balinski owns Bright Ideas Tattoo and Body Piercing, which he opened in October of 2013.

"It's not a grand opening for me, but we're celebrating with the other businesses here," he said.

Balinski travels between his shops here and in Tennessee and said he's been busy.

"The business has changed as now you see people from all walks of life getting tattoos. We also now tatoo firemen and police a lot more. We have some great artists," Balinski said.

Full Moon Cycles opened in the plaza in October after having been an on-line business. The store is a full parts and service destination for riders of American made bikes, for now. Plans are in the works to expand to imports as well.

A tire store is also located in the plaza.