Stopped by the former 54 club.  The windows are taped.  The guy outside sweeping, who says he's just "The Sweeper," says a new club will be opening up in the spot.

The Weekly Volcano knows it's not this. â€" Brad Allen

Other new openings

• Blackwater Bar & Grill has opened at 84th and Pacific Avenue in Tacoma.
• Sushi Yushi will open in the former Jim Moore's space at 99th and South Tacoma Way in Lakewood.

If you’re the one who keeps telling yourself, “This month, I am going to go down to Barefoot Studio’s ‘10x10’ thingy. I am going to learn all about the supposed cultural side of Tacoma.”

You’re going to have to wait.

Paul and Josephine Zmolek will reorganize and relocate their Barefoot Studios after a Pierce Transit bus crashed into their building, the City’s “D” Street Project disturbance, a 50 percent rent increase and a tenuous month to month agreement. â€" Suzy Stump

• Barefoot Studios Press Release: Saturday, June 30th, 2007 will be the last day of classes offered at Barefoot Studios' present location, 311 Puyallup Avenue in Tacoma.  Barefoot Studios will close as a for-profit business to be replaced by a new 501(c)3 not-for-profit business, Barefoot Callous Arts, which will continue and extend the work of Barefoot Studios. September/October 2007 is the target date for Barefoot Callous Arts to commence operations in yet to be determined location(s). 

That part of Pacific Avenue witnessing a recent food boom welcomes another friend. Capers Downtown has opened for lunches (and wine and beer). Sous-chef Shannon O’Dell from Capers Take Home Eatery in the Proctor District is behind the stove so expect wonderful treats. â€" Jake de Paul

[Capers Downtown, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 701 Pacific Ave. across from Old City Hall with tables at Fireman’s Park, Tacoma, 253.123.4567]

It’s a dilemma.

I find out weekly, sometimes daily, about people offering services and doing them really well, sometimes at really good costs. Things like massages, waxing, pedicures, manicures, hair cuts, hair coloring, are brought to my attention, and I get to meet fabulous professionals who rock my world.

And then there’s that loyalty thing.

I love my peeps, those who have been my providers for services since, like, forever. I feel like a married hot chick in a singles bar â€" so many options, all so interesting … and yet …

So I put this to you, dear readers: What do you do when you want to change providers for spa services? Just fail to make follow-up appointments? How do you explain situations if providers are good friends? And have you ever been placed in the awkward position of finding a provider in your existing salon who you wish to change to, but don’t know how to explain that to your current provider?

Tell me what you do via the comment thingy on this blog or at feedback@weeklyvolcano.com; put “hairchat dilemma” in the subject line.

Thanks for your loyalty! â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Tacoma Musical Playhouse, the nonprofit theater than owns and operates the historical Narrows Theater along Sixth Avenue, has announced plans to expand the theater.

The new theater will have significantly larger lobby, a new box office, new restrooms, a spruced up concessions area and larger cast dressing rooms.

All the work is expected to be finished by the time the theater starts its next season in the fall. The architectural firm is BCRA and the general contractor is Summit Central Construction Inc.

“TMP is offering this upgrade as a gift to our community in return for years of loyal patronage,” TMP Board President Ed McGuire says.

Patrons will be astonished as they enter the facility for the first time and notice the delightful new design enhancements reminiscent of styles of the Art Deco era, he said. Women, who for decades have waited in line for the tiny two-stalled restroom, will have the benefit of a new restroom with 11 stalls.

“This is a monumental occasion in the continuous evolution of TMP and our facility," says Jon Douglas Rake, managing artistic director.

The theater will add about 3,600 square feet of space during this first phase of work, followed by plans of two more rounds of renovations that will address some of the more technical challenges of the historic theater, particularly electrical and technology updating.

State of Washington Building for the Arts kicked in $75,000, City of Tacoma matched that amount and Pierce County footed $30,000.  Pledges donors and several fund raising events will allow the theater to complete Phase 1 without starting a full-fledged capital  campaign. â€" Steve Dunkelberger