Hello, Cycle9. The bicycle shop opened at 601 W. Main St. in Carrboro in early December. The building formerly housed S.H. Basnight and Sons building supplies.

"We're focused on bicycles for transportation," said Elise Giddings, who owns the store along with her spouse, Morgan Giddings. "We use different technologies."

One adaptation they offer is electric assist bikes. The bicycles feature a battery and an electric motor mounted around the axle of the rear tire. "It gives a higher average speed and helps on hills," said Giddings. "Kits' costs range between $600 and $1,600. We add kits to standard bikes. That way you choose the bike that suits you."

Another adaptation they specialize in is cargo biking, devices that extend the frame toward the rear and add hauling capacity, with long saddlebags, or panniers, and a wide flat board. These cargo extensions, too, can be affixed to most bicycles that you might already own. Cycle9 also sells bicycles that haven't been adapted yet.

Giddings said they started Cycle9 because they couldn't find other bicycle shops that offered much help with the practical matter of making bicycles a more convenient mode of transportation.

"This way, you use the bikes more and the cars less," she said.

The couple opened in May in the White Cross community, and moved in September. Until they opened in Carrboro last month, they operated their store online only, at www.Cycle9.com.

• The Carrboro Animal Hospital has new owners. Long-time Animal Hospital veterinarians Erik Dorsch, who writes a monthly Q-and-A about pets for The Chapel Hill News, and DeWana Anderson, closed on the purchase the last day of the year. They bought it from Charles Ward, who founded the hospital in 1975. He was the sole owner until Dec. 31, 2008.

Dorsch just completed his seventh year at The Animal Hospital and Anderson her sixth, Dorsch wrote in an e-mail.

"Our first priority is to continue the tradition Dr. Ward established of delivering exceptional medical care with compassion and understanding.

"We do have plans to move the hospital forward in time," he added. "We will look to move towards digital radiology in the near future. We will put considerable time and effort into making our web site a resource for our clients to learn about their pets, their pets' medications, common problems, and much more."

The web address is www.theanimalhospital.biz

• A fundraising event for TABLE, Inc. will take place Tuesday, Jan. 13, at Whole Foods Market, 81 Elliot Road in Chapel Hill. TABLE receives 5 percent of all proceeds from store sales that day. TABLE is a nonprofit coalition of college students and community members feeding Chapel Hill and Carrboro hungry children. Shop that day and help feed hungry children.

• A new high-end dining establishment is coming to West Franklin Street. Cypress on the Hill, which will feature Southern-influenced gourmet cuisine, will open after renovations are complete in the former Trail Shop building later this month.

The chef, Alex Gallis, one of the owners, will build on the contemporary American cuisine he created most recently at the Magnolia Grill in Durham and before that at Acme Food and Beverage in Carrboro. He is a practitioner of the Slow Food movement, and his menus will be built around locally grown ingredients.

The other owners are Trey Delamar, sous chef, and general manager John McCallus. Cypress on the Hill will be open only for dinner.

• GlaxoSmithKline will be a presenting sponsor for Cornucopia House Cancer Support Center's 10th A Chocolate Affaire fundraiser Sunday, Feb. 8.

The $10,000 sponsorship is the largest in the center's history. The pharmaceutical company has supported Cornucopia House for more than a decade in its efforts to serve anyone affected by cancer, and contributed the first corporate gift to the Center in 1997.

The annual signature fundraising event will be held at the Carolina Club at UNC's George Watts Hill Alumni Center from 2 to 5 p.m. All proceeds ensure that Cornucopia House can continue to offer its programs and services free of charge to anyone affected by cancer -- patients, families, friends and caregivers.

A Chocolate Affaire features a silent and live auction and myriad desserts and beverages provided by area restaurants.

For tickets and information about sponsorships and volunteer opportunities call Cornucopia House at 401-9333.

Send your business news to Julian Sereno to sereno@mindspring.com