Biz Buzz

Sexy's Going Back. Tulsa is losing a little bit of its sex appeal as Massad's, 2647 E. 15th St., prepares to shut its doors soon. For more than 60 years, the store has provided adult lingerie, yet the owner has decided to call it quits. Currently, there's no closing date set for the store, but the owner does plan to sell all inventory before closing for good. Right now, the store is offering 20 percent off merchandise in the store, and it will continue to increase as time goes on. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am till 6pm.

Over and Up the Hill. It has been 100 years since one of Tulsa's most endeared, upscale department store opened its doors. This month, it's time to celebrate that achievement. Miss Jackson's, 1974 Utica Square, has planned a month-long celebration to commemorate the centennial achievement. On Thursday, April 8, the festivities start with an invitation-only gala and continues throughout April with trunk shows, designer appearances and varying display windows, too. "Tulsans have learned they can trust Miss Jackson's to take care of them, look after them, even shop for them," said Judy White, general manager of Miss Jackson's. Miss Jackson's was founded in 1910 by Nelle Shields Jackson and moved to its Utica Square location in 1952. For more information on events or the store, visit missjacksons.com.

Naturally Growing. Akin's Natural Foods has decided to branch out and expand its locations. No, this isn't April Fools, this is serious. On April 1, Akin's will open its new store at 8am at 121st and Memorial. This not only marks the store's fifth opening throughout the state, but it helps commemorate its 75 years in business. "We've had an overwhelming number of requests for a store in this area," said Mary Ann O'Dell, MS, RD, Nutrition Director for Akin's. "This new location in Bixby will make access to superior natural products easier for consumers in the south Tulsa, Bixby, Jenks and Broken Arrow area." Throughout the month of April, the store will also feature giveaways, prize drawings and samples of food and beverages.

Reporter

Stick with It. Is it too early to start casting votes for the 2012 Summer Olympics' gymnastics team?

Brittany Harris, a 17-year-old Tulsa gymnast, successfully defended her state championship title for the third straight year. Brittany's 38.20 points -- out of a possible 40 -- was the highest score in Oklahoma's (Level 9 and 10) 2010 State Championship Competition held Saturday, March 20, in Bartlesville.

Both this year and last year, she earned four gold medals in the all-around, vault, floor exercise and uneven bars, and a silver medal on the balance beam. Brittany's win officially makes her an 11-time All-State Gymnastics Team member. Brittany has earned a spot on Oklahoma's All-State Team 11 times in 12 years.

Brittany, a senior at Union High School and a sports medicine student at Tulsa Technology Center, will represent the state of Oklahoma and Krafft Academy of Gymnastics at the 2010 Region 3 Level 10 Junior Olympic Regional Championships in Rio Rancho, New Mexico on April 10. If Brittany earns a spot on the Region 3 Team, it will mark her seventh consecutive Junior Olympic National Championship appearance in as many years.

Krafft Academy of Gymnastics in Tulsa is recognized as a gymnastics dynasty in the state of Oklahoma and is highly regarded for consistently producing top NCAA and National Team Athletes.

Commissioned Reenactor. Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology history instructor Cal Kinzer has been fascinated by U.S. Civil War history ever since he was in third grade. His grandmother commented on his enthusiasm at the time about seeing the movie, The Alamo, starring John Wayne. "She said if I was interested in that, I would really be interested in my great, great grandfather, Jay Fairbanks," Kinzer said.

"According to family history, he was a sergeant in a New York Regiment during the Civil War. He fought at Gettysburg and Lookout Mountain and was with Sherman on his march to the sea."

Kinzer was hooked, beginning an exhaustive study of the War Between the States, and becoming a Civil War reenactor shortly after graduating from high school.

Forty years later, he's teaching history at OSUIT and has become even more involved as a reenactor. He's worn both the blue and the gray in many reenactments of famous battles, has been in numerous films and television specials, and now holds the reenactor rank of Union captain of the 24th Missouri Regiment -- an actual regiment during the 1860s.

The State Historical Society liked Kinzer's experience of a combination of hands-on camping, drilling and marching across Civil War era battlefields, along with his position as a university history instructor. So, Kinzer was recently appointed to the Oklahoma Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission. The group's purpose is to assist the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma History Center in preparing to commemorate the sesquicentennial (or 150th anniversary) of Oklahoma's participation in the American Civil War.

One of the points Kinzer makes with his students is the great impact the Civil War had on Oklahoma. In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Land Grant Act, which created agricultural and mechanical universities all across the U.S. "Without that, there wouldn't be an Oklahoma State University," Kinzer said.

For more information call 293-4680 or 1-800-722-4471. Information also is available online at HYPERLINK "http://www.osuit.edu"; www.osuit.edu.

New Librarian In Town. The Tulsa Library Commission unanimously voted during their March 18 meeting to ask three CEO candidates back for second interviews. Candidates are Juliet Machie, Alison B. Landers and Sarah Rosenblum.

Candidates will return to Tulsa April 1-3. During their return trip to Tulsa, the candidates will meet stakeholders, appear at a public meeting and have a formal interview with the entire Commission. The public meeting will be held on Saturday, April 3 at 10am at the Martin Regional Library Auditorium (2601 S. Garnett Road). Residents are encouraged to attend the public meeting and fill out a comment card with their impressions.

Ms. Machie currently is the Deputy Director of the Detroit Public Library. She has more than 20 years experience in public library service across the country. She has a technology background and believes that technology has changed and will continue to shape library service in the future.

Ms. Landers currently is the Deputy Director of Public Services for the Sacramento Public Library. She has almost 40 years experience in public libraries, serving in a variety of public and behind-the-scenes capacities.

Ms. Rosenblum currently is the Library Services Manager for the Santa Barbara Public Library System. She has more than 30 years experience in public libraries across the U.S. and in England.