This is an installment of an occasional series in the Anchorage Daily News taking a quick look at the comings and goings of businesses in Southcentral Alaska. If you know of a business opening or closing in the area, send a note to reporter Annie Zak at azak@adn.com.
OPEN
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Hillside Natural Wellness: This cannabis retailer at 8639 Toloff St. in South Anchorage had a soft opening Jan. 13 and plans to have its grand opening Feb. 1, said manager Marla Diaz. The shop, in a brand-new building, sells marijuana flower, pre-rolled joints, concentrates and more. In the future, it plans to carry hash, infused sugar and other items, according to its website.
Hillside Natural Wellness appears to be the southernmost marijuana retailer in the Anchorage Bowl so far. It's open noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
AK Joint: Marijuana shop AK Joint opened this month at 7801 Schoon St. in South Anchorage. The store carries a variety of cannabis products and is open for walk-ins and also private appointments.
"There's a lot of people who don't want maybe their congregation to know, or their colleagues, so we offer that service," said owner Colleen Howard.
The store is open to the public noon to 10 p.m. Friday through Monday, and by appointment Tuesday through Thursday. Howard said her plan is to be open seven days a week to the public and have appointments before opening each day.
House of Green: This bright-green house at 3105 Minnesota Drive used to be blue and boarded up. Now it's a marijuana retailer. There's also a cultivation facility onsite that provides much of the cannabis for the store.
House of Green officially opened Friday and is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Office manager Ashley Tipton said it's a family-oriented business that focuses on "quality flower."
[Alaska's marijuana shops, mapped]
F & H Fitness Studio: This fitness studio, which has locations in North Pole and Fairbanks, will have a grand opening for an Anchorage location Feb. 10, according to the Facebook page for the business. F & H offers personal training, group training and classes. It will be off Brayton Drive in South Anchorage (but the Facebook post didn't include a specific address).
Thai Kitchen: This Thai mainstay, around for the last 30 years, just moved a few doors down in a strip mall on Tudor Road. Thai Kitchen had its grand opening last week at its new spot at 3421A E. Tudor Road, according to the restaurant's Facebook page, after a soft opening that involved dishing out free food.
SHUT
Blockbuster: The Blockbuster video store at 591 E. Parks Highway in Wasilla will soon close. The last day for rentals was Sunday, according to the Facebook page for Blockbuster in Alaska. The store will reopen Wednesday to start selling off its inventory before it closes permanently at the end of February, said manager Trey Reihle.
This is the most recent Blockbuster casualty in Alaska: The Eagle River location closed in July, and Kenai and Anchorage lost stores in 2016. After the Wasilla location closes, the state will have five Blockbusters left.
Crazy Hook Pub & Restaurant: This restaurant — in a strip mall on West 36th Avenue near Arctic Boulevard that also houses a Domino's, Campobello Bistro, Eastern European Store & Deli and more — appears to have closed. It was shuttered Friday and appeared to be mostly empty inside, with some boxes and papers on the floor and a mop bucket near the entrance. Most of the lights were off. The restaurant's phone number also seems to be out of service.