Local accounting firm now has a new name

One of the Fredericksburg area's largest accounting firms, PBGH LLP, has a new name. The firm, whose local office is in the Mill Race North building on Jackson Street in Fredericksburg, merged with Newport News-based accounting firm Witt Mares PLC, effective Jan. 1.

On Wednesday, the companies announced that the combined firm's new name will be PBMares LLP.

The merged company chose a combination of the former names because of the brand awareness each separate company had established. PBMares has offices in Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, Warrenton and Williamsburg. The company expects its conversion to the new website, pbmares.com, to be completed within the next few weeks. Once that is done, people who visit the current Witt Mares and PBGH websites will be redirected to the new site.

Two local businesses named top vendors

Virginia Living magazine recently named two Fredericksburg-area businesses as among the state's top wedding vendors.

Eden Try, a 12-acre property owned by Linda Morrison and Gary Gratopp on River Road in Spotsylvania County, was named as one of the top garden and manor venues. The Knot magazine also recently honored Eden Try as among the state's best wedding venues.

Morrison and Gratopp have owned Eden Try since 2005 and started holding weddings and other special events on the grounds about three years ago. Gratopp is now building a "wedding barn" on the property that will offer indoor event space.

Virginia Living also honored Ambria's Bakery, a Stafford County home-based business, in the category of macaroons and cake pops.

Hair-loss struggle leads to new business

A woman's struggle with a disorder involving the urge to pull out one's own hair was the inspiration for a new business coming to downtown Fredericksburg.

Denise Webster and her daughter, Heather Lease, plan to open a business called TrichWig Co. in a 1,400-square-foot space at 1008 Sophia St. by mid-February. The boutique will carry wigs, hair extensions, jewelry, head and scarf coverings, and a variety of hair- and skin-care products.

The name of the business comes from a disorder called trichotillomania, with which Webster has long suffered. Lease said in an email that her mother's life changed after trying a wig, and they decided to provide the experience to others.

--Bill Freehling

Complete Nutrition sets ribbon cutting

Complete Nutrition will have a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Friday for its store at 1261 Carl D. Silver Parkway. That's in a strip shopping center that also includes a Caribou Coffee shop. The fast-growing national franchise focuses on health and nutrition, and carries more than 200 nutritional supplements. Staff members are certified personal trainers, strength coaches and experienced fitness professionals.

Morgan Rasmussen and Tyler Altenhofen, who own the Central Park store, moved to the Fredericksburg area from Iowa late last year. They plan to open four or five stores in the Richmond market, one in Frederick, Md., and may add more locations later. They will have three or four full-time employees and the same number of part-timers per store.

--Cathy Jett