Cobb

DJango’s Big Toe at Hickory Street will be a jazz club, according to city officials and local leaders. The club is expected to open this fall. We’ll share the details when we hear from the owner.

You’ve likely also noticed the new look of the building at Industrial and Hickory streets. Crews have been putting finishing touches on the place, which is expected to house several restaurants. Rumor has it that seafood might be on one menu.

Word is a new boutique will open in the former Garden Gate location across from the Campus Theater on Hickory Street in late June. Garden Gate relocated to its Elm Street address recently.

The new boutique will feature arts and crafts, jewelry, scarves, gift items for men and women, items made of recyclables and much more.

Home sales in Denton County have in­creased steadily since January. According to the Real Estate Center, sales for January totaled 407 with 521 recorded for Feb­ruary. March showed a slight increase at 554 with the rise continuing for April with 581. However, in April 2007, a total of 690 homes were sold, a drop from the 756 sold in March of last year.

The average home price for April was $186,500 with a median price of $152,800. The total number of listings for April was 3,739. In April 2007, the average price for a home sale was $203,600 with a median price of $165,600. The total number of listings in April 2007 was 4,026.

Avery Johnson, former Dallas Mav­ericks coach, recently opened the Avery Johnson North Texas Nissan at 5650 S. Stemmons Freeway in Corinth.

The dealership is the first venture for the partnership of Johnson and auto sales veterans Keith Orr and Paul White, according to a news release. The dealership will be part of the Texarkana-based Orr Auto Group, a third-generation company that owns 19 other car dealerships across northeast Texas. The Orr Auto Group, which currently employs more than 900 people and has projected sales of $800 million for 2008, is planning to open as many as 40 dealerships, including a number under the Avery Johnson banner. The company has six Nissan dealerships in addition to dealerships under Honda, Chevrolet, Mitsu­bishi, Hyundai, and Kia.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association recently met in Sanger at the Sundown Ranch where current events affecting producers were discussed. Dr. Jason Banta, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, spoke about adapting to market changes, according to a news release. Other topics included theft prevention and an update on the beef industry. The event was sponsored by the Bayer Animal Health, Hargrove Ranch Insurance and Martindale Feed Mill.

Congrats

The Geico North Texas location at Corinth Parkway and Interstate 35E was recently named the top office in the U.S. for home policy sales in 2008 year-to-date.

Coming up

A meeting for a Denton networking group is set for 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the North Central Texas Workforce, 1300 Teasley Lane. The discussion will focus on the entrepreneurial mind and the business of technology. To RSVP, visit http://smallbiz.meetup
.com/3. Meetings will continue on the first Wednesday of each month. Cost is $15 per person.

Beginning this month, The Denton Noontime Kiwanis meets on Wednesdays at Fremaux Metropolitan Catering on Uni­versity. For information, call 940-387-6323.

The Boys & Girls Club of Denton County will host the Wed­nesday coffee meeting at 7:15 a.m. for the Lake Cities Chamber of Commerce. The event will be at 303 Alamo Avenue in Lake Da­llas. A ribbon cutting will follow at 8 a.m.