It was one of those vacation-induced, beach-side conversations that ultimately led to the opening of Mellow Mood, a juice bar and bagel shop at 111 W. German Street. Philip and Shanna Mastrangelo were watching the surf in Hawaii when he proposed the idea. After months of searching and holding out for the right space, the shop opened in April.

Featuring vegetable drinks and fruit smoothies, the bar features an attention-grabbing array of concoctions that boldly venture beyond the garden-variety ices and smoothies. Morning Dew, for example, combines cucumber, lemon, and mint into a slightly Middle Eastern flavor. It has a bright, light finish. Philip’s favorite is the Sweet Sunshine, an apple, ginger, and wheatgrass cocktail that’s as sweet as ginger soda pop but packs, so he says, the equivalent nutrition of two pounds of vegetables into a cup. The juiced wheatgrass has a syrupy consistency, but offers an energy jolt similar to caffeine (one of those circumstances where a product lives up to its billing).

In addition to fruit and vegetable juices, Mellow Mood serves up coffee and morning bagels and pastries. “Everything is locally baked,” said Mastrangelo. “The bagels are already a hit.” Philip also is considering offering vegetable sandwiches.

It’s Time to Fly

Bryan Kelly, longtime owner of the Angler’s Inn in Harpers Ferry, brings his nationally known guide service and fly-fishing school to a Shepherdstown location with the May 1 opening of Kelly’s Fly Fishing Shoppe. Kelly’s will also feature fishing tackle, gear, and outdoor apparel. And for every would-be angler who has ever dreamed of casting a line, Kelly will offer an extensive line of training videos and guides.

Eclectic Personal Chef

The Eclectic Skillet Personal Chef Service, a customized in-home personal chef service, is now available for busy people in the Eastern Panhandle. Owned and operated by Sally McKee, the company offers “palate-specific” personal meals cooked from fresh ingredients in private homes. McKee is a member of the American Personal and Private Chefs Association (APPCA), and is ServSafe certified by the National Restaurant Association.

“A personal chef is not just for the wealthy,” said McKee. “So many households have both parents commuting and working, and meal planning and preparation becomes an extra burden.”

A personal chef differs from a private chef. Private chefs are employed by one family, usually live-in, and prepare all meals. A personal chef has several clients, cooking for one each day, and preparing several meals at one session. The client simply reheats the meal when they want it. The service can be weekly, biweekly, once a month, or even just for a one-time booking. There’s no set term. The emphasis here is on personal; the customers decide when and how long to use the service. For information: Sally McKee, The Eclectic Skillet, 876-8105, www.eclecticskillet.com

Eco-Cleaning Comes to Shepherdstown

Throw away those hazardous chemicals under the sink—the ones that end up in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay—and get your house cleaned in the environmentally friendly way. GreenClean, a year-old residential cleaning company serving the Eastern Panhandle, uses only nontoxic, biodegradable cleaning products. “More and more reports tell us that a large percentage of water and air pollutants come from common household chemicals,” said Anne Hamilton, owner of GreenClean.

“The rise of allergies and asthma has been attributed to indoor air pollution,” she added. “Also, breast cancer patients who work at home have a 54 percent higher fatality rate, according to the U.S. EPA.”

For Hamilton, this was a personal way that she could do something positive for the environment and the health of her customers. For information: (304) 702-1646; anne.greenclean@yahoo.com.

New Advisor for Hoxton

Hoxton Financial, Inc. announced the addition of S. David Burns as a senior institutional advisor. He will oversee the firm’s institutional advisory unit, which provides investment advisory services to company retirement plans. Burns joins Hoxton after a successful career with The Library Corporation. He can be reached at dburns@hoxtonfinancial.com.

JSB Announces Promotions

Jefferson Security Bank announced the promotions of Cynthia Kitner, CPA, to executive vice president and chief financial officer, Dustin Branner to vice president/commercial loan officer, and Jayne Jackson to assistant vice president, loan officer/credit card manager.

Kitner has been working at Jefferson Security Bank as its senior vice president and chief financial officer, responsible for directing all activities of the finance division, including the controller and other accounting staff. Prior to joining Jefferson Security Bank, Kitner served as an audit manager specializing in financial institutions for Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C., in Winchester, Va. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the West Virginia Society of CPAs and the Virginia Society of CPAs.

Dustin Branner assumes his new role as vice president after serving as a commercial loan officer and licensed financial specialist for the institution. Branner is a former account specialist of UUNET Technologies and has served as a licensed financial specialist and loan officer for both First Union National Bank and Wachovia. He has also served in the United States Navy.

Jayne Jackson expands her role as loan officer/credit card manager to assistant vice president, loan officer/credit card manager, where she is in charge of consumer and real estate loans. She is a Shepherd University graduate, where she earned her associates degree in business in 1996. She is a member of the Professional Business Women’s Association, Jefferson and Berkeley Counties Chambers of Commerce, and the Business Education Partnership.

Anderson Electric Expands

Due to a larger demand for quality electrical contracting services, Anderson electric has added Mike Goldsmith to meet the growing demand.

Mike, a former motorcycle mechanic, grew up in New Jersey, and lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia before moving to Shepherdstown in 2005.

“I am happy to be working with George who is not only an excellent electrician but my father in law. I enjoy working in a family business and serving the local community,” says Mike.