Ephrata Hardware Store Grows ; Candy Store Opens Crazy Tomato Coming Pool Store To Move

PaulB Hardware in Ephrata is putting the finishing touches on a major renovation and expansion that began in April.

The hardware store just south of Route 322 at 50 Wood Corner Road added 12,600 square feet of retail space to give it 62,500 square feet overall. It now has wider aisles and more room across all departments, which include tools, paint, plumbing and electrical.

The parts department, especially, has grown, Jim Wall, a store spokesman, said.

The expansion of the retail store was completed in late summer, with the subsequent addition of a new loading dock and office space. In all, the work created 35,700 square feet of new space. Wall said he could not estimate the total cost of the project.

Hours: 7 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday; 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. 738-7350. paulbhardware.com.

The hardware store is one of the Paul B. Zimmerman Inc. family of companies, which includes a wholesale division, PBZ steel manufacturing services, CropCare sprayers, Zimmerman cattle control equipment and Keystone Koating.

Across all the divisions, the company has about 270 employees.

Candy*ology 2, a candy store that carries retro and specialty candies, has opened in Lancaster at 309 N. Queen St.

It is owned by Cory Ceresini, whose sister, Rita Garson, owns the original Candy*ology shop in Lititz at 69 E. Main St.

In addition to candies and chocolates, the roughly 1,500-square- foot Lancaster shop offers gift baskets, bags and displays for events.

The store is in a spot that had been occupied by Rachel's Cafe & Creperie, which has moved to 201 W. Walnut St.

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 1-4 p.m. Sunday. 824- 3131, candyology2.com.

The owners of Crazy Tomato Grill, who have two restaurants in York, plan to open one in Lancaster by next summer at 380 Centerville Road, just off the Centerville Road exit of Route 30.

Crazy Tomato is owned by Mike and George Stantzos, who are currently overseeing an extensive renovation to the 3,400-square- foot building that most recently was an insurance office. They've already built a deck and installed sidewalks and patios outside.

Crazy Tomato will have pizza, subs, wraps, salads, wings, stromboli and cheesesteaks. Its specialty is a pretzel boli, which can have a variety of fillings.

The restaurant also will sell beer-to-go and have some 40 beers on tap along with wine dispensed from 12 spigots. There will be seating for nearly 100 customers.

Mike Stantzos said that with the liquor license and the renovations, he expects the investment in the restaurant to be about $570,000, which includes $270,000 for the real estate. crazytomatopa.com.

Leslie's Poolmart, which sells swimming pool supplies, is moving its Lancaster store sometime this spring from 1480 Harrisburg Pike - across from Park City Center - to 1285 Manheim Pike.

With some 5,200 square feet of retail space, the new store will be slightly larger than the current one, a spokeswoman said.

The store is moving because the small strip mall that is its home will be torn down under a plan to construct two commercial buildings on the 2.2-acre site.

That plan, which has been proposed by Quattro Development, could have the new buildings completed by September 2014, the company has said. lesliespool.com