Itsy bitsy store for kids to open

With an appeal to those with small children in their lives, a store called itsy bitsy is opening in the former Fiancee bridal shop on Laurel Street in downtown Brainerd.

The store is expected to open March 1.

Owner Nancy Macken has been getting help from family members as she transforms the space from weddings to a place specializing in all things infants with offerings for toddlers (such as a bath line) and preschoolers. The store will offer furniture, bedding, gifts, books and other baby products along with gifts for mom.

Plans are to include infant carriers, little rockers, cradles and high chairs. While the store has individual pieces for a child's living space, Macken said it also will offer to design an entire room. Customers can pick fabrics and create their child's room from wallpaper to curtains to bedding. Bedding may be upgraded to designs that fit a growing toddler and older child while still fitting the room's color or scheme. The bedding inventory is expected to appeal to children ages 10 and 11, Macken said.

She plans to create a book nook area and a story hour.

Murals in the windows are attracting attention as preparations for the store continue. Macken said the decor is a shabby chic garden look with a painting of a life-size girl swinging on a tree. In the theme of being child friendly, the store will have a playroom.

Casey's two convenience stores on Washington Street will close Monday.

At the Westgate Mall, Whispering Pines and FYE are empty spaces and Espresso Gourmet Cafe & Gift is closed.

Cousins Subs on Washington Street is closed until April.

A Subway restaurant will open next to Caribou Coffee in the East Brainerd Mall. Construction work is ongoing in the space between Caribou Coffee and J.C. Penney.

Brainerd International Raceway developers deny rampant speculation that Six Flags Theme Parks is interested in buying and transforming the raceway into an amusement park. A recent check at the Crow Wing County Courthouse did not find a change in the property ownership. According to its Web site, Six Flags owns and operates 30 parks in North America serving 34 of the 50 largest metro areas in the nation. The publicly held amusement park company has corporate offices in New York City and Oklahoma City.

Spalj Construction Co., Deerwood, was found to have a violation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration safety regulations after a safety investigation in December found a violation of operating a commercial motor vehicle without a valid commercial driver's license.

RENEE RICHARDSON, senior reporter, can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.