Gallery Fraga closes its doors

After six years on Winslow Way, with a little white dog named Poco manning the door, Gallery Fraga has announced its closure.

Owners Jeff and Kathe Fraga said the shift wasn’t sudden. As interest in their represented artists grew, they’d already begun looking at spaces in Seattle’s Pioneer Square earlier this year.

“We really wanted to be able to show the work to a larger audience,” Jeff said. “We actually got down that road a ways. But soon after that, we started noticing that the economy was skidding.”

That reality combined with the fact that their Winslow lease was about to end led to the realization that while it was the wrong time to move to Seattle, it was still the right time to close up shop in Winslow.

The former Gallery Fraga space will become the new offices of Prudential Real Estate, now located in The Winslow Building on the corner of Winslow Way and Ericksen Avenue.

Kathe will show her new “French Wallpaper” paintings at Gallery Fraga’s next door neighbor, Roby King Galleries.

Jeff, meanwhile, will continue with his corporate communications business – he said the only change will be that he has one fewer job.

“We definitely enjoyed these six years we spent being part of downtown,” he said. “It was just a thrill, all the artists and the people. I think who’s going to miss it the most is our dog Poco…his social life is definitely changing.”

Find Kathe at www.kathefraga.com and Jeff at www.jfraga.com.

Kollers attend rug course

Ron and Heidi Koller, owners of RH Koller Oriental Rug Cleaning, recently completed a five-day training course held by Phil Auserehl in Berthoud, Colo.

“We attended the class 14 years ago and some of the processes have been improved, but the cleaning philosophy of dust, wash, rinse and dry is still the cornerstone,” Ron Koller said.

For more information, call 206-842-5671 or go on the Web site at www.rhkoller.com.

Babysitting

service opening

Doreen Gibbs, owner and operator of Doreen’s Day Care off High School Road, is branching out.

Doreen’s at The Pavilion Babysitting Service will offer drop-off babysitting for island parents for up to three hours upstairs in the building, Suite 210.

The new business is scheduled to open on Monday, Nov. 17.

Parents with children from ages 2 to 7 may use the service from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Call 206-842-3027 or 842-8699 for more information.

Healthy Living Expo coming

The Healthy Living Expo, sponsored by the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce, has been set for Jan. 24 and will include health, fitness, safety and nutrition workshops and speakers.

Vendor applications are available at the Chamber website, www.bainbridgechamber.com.

For more ifnormation, Call Liz Gadbois at 842-3700.