By the time the holiday shopping season rolls around in November, visitors to Shannon Mall will notice a big difference in the look of the mall.

Mall officials announced Wednesday that the mall will start on an ambitious $10 million renovation project that will virtually transform the appearance of the shopping center.

"We believe this will better reflect the taste of our customers," said Shannon Mall's general manager David Long.

As part of the renovation, the mall is changing its name back to Shannon Mall from Shannon Southpark Mall. Mall officials decided to change the name back after nearly 38 percent of respondents in a survey still called the shopping center Shannon Mall. Southpark was added to the mall's name in 1987.

The renovation project includes replacing the floor with Italian tile and enhancing the ceiling to make the whole mall feel lighter and airier, Long said.

The park benches will be replaced with soft seating to enhance the image of the shopping center as a community area and the large fountain in the center will be replaced by a smaller one to add to the uncluttered feel of the mall.

The current rise in the food court area will be leveled to create an open eating environment and each of the three entrances will be redone with a new look of lighter colors.

While the mall is still seeking a replacement for Macy's, which left the center last March, Long said the renovation needs to be done and he believes that quality tenants will follow.

The South Fulton area is experiencing a bit of a residential boom with 1,600 homes under construction within five miles of the mall. The mall also draws extensively from Fayette and Coweta counties and Long believes the renovation will put the mall in a better position to compete with some of the newer shopping centers.
Quantegy closes corporate doors in Peachtree City
Quantegy Inc., announced yesterday it was closing its corporate offices at 800 Commerce Drive and relocating its headquarters staff to the company's production facility in Opelika, Ala. effective April 30, 1999.

Dick Lindenmuth, president and CEO said, "to maintain our leadership in the audio and video tape market, I felt this was a necessary move to strengthen all phases of our business and make us more competitive with the increase of, and often times, unfairly priced imports."

Lindenmuth said the major benefit of the move, which will be completed in a week or two, is that the sales, marketing, distribution and senior management staff will be in the same office space as operational personnel, allowing for better communications, and coordination of functions.

Quantegy is headquartered and has manufacturing facilities in Opelika and is the world's leader in the manufacture of professional audio, video and instrumentation media products. The company serves professionals in the entertainment, education, communications, aerospace and government markets.