Ready to suit up? OHM Fitness, a group fitness studio specializing in wearable tech workouts—with electrical muscle stimulation!—is bowing in three Triangle locations, the first of which is slated to open in Raleigh. Say ohm! @ohmfitnessstudios
Got skillz? Book a class at Sk1ll Fitness Studio—which made its debut in April—for a slew of ops for your sweat sesh: indoor cycling, cardio, Pilates, dance aerobics. Step this way! @skillfitstudio (Sk1ll Fitness Studio)
These boots are made for walking… and that’s just what they’ll do. Slip on a pair of Tecovashandmade cowboy boots over at the Texas-based shop’s forthcoming North Hills locale. Yeehaw! @tecovas
Hey, sis—ready to slay? We can’t keep quiet aboutHUSH, a luxe salon now open in Smoky Hollow that’ll have your hair, lashes and brows on fleek. Pop off! @hushraleigh
Find flower shop Golden Florabudding its business via grab-and-go bouquets for weddings, events or whatever you’re feelin’ like nabbing flowers for. There you grow! @goldenflorashop (Caitlyn Frank)
Pet parents, rejoice! Local vet Dr. Stephanie Call is opening a new veterinarian hospital in Apex this June in partnership with GoodVets. It’s sure to be doggone great. @good.vets (RWE Design Build)
Cancer is the No. 1 leading cause of death in dogs—and, in most cases, late diagnosis is to blame. Enter Oncotect, a Raleigh-based biotech business pioneering early screening of canine cancer risks.
Founded by CEO Chan Namgong, the screening test is the recipient of the 2022 NC IDEA MICRO and SEED Grants—one of only three companies awarded both grants in the same year. Inspired by his mom’s early breast cancer diagnosis, Namgong started working on the test 2 1/2 years ago.
Now, Oncotect (formerly known as Animal Cancer Dx) is available at 30 animal hospitals throughout the Triangle and counting. And Namgong, who also serves on the board of the SPCA of Wake County, is hoping to launch a direct-to-consumer option later this year so pet parents can order a testing kit, collect a urine sample at home and send it to Oncotect’s lab to test.
The test reports whether your pooch has low, moderate or high risk of developing cancer. If high, Namgong recommends scheduling a diagnostic test with your vet. For healthy dogs, he encourages annual noninvasive screening starting at age 7—with those higher-risk (typically larger breeds like boxers and goldens) starting at 5 or 6.
Namgong has spoken to many animal specialists and pet owners. “Veterinarians need a tool to easily screen for cancer in pets… and pet owners want to protect their dogs,” he says. “Many owners have lost their dog to cancer, and they all say they wish they’d known sooner so they could provide a better quality of life.”
While treating cancer is an expensive endeavor, Oncotect’s screening test costs only $99–$199 (competitors’ tests run ~$1,000), and the accuracy is 82% true positive and 96% true negative to boot.
“Our mission is to make our test accurate, but also make it simple and accessible to as many pet owners as possible,” says Namgong. “Many dogs get diagnosed too late and they die because of it. Our test allows owners to screen and catch cancer in their pets early.”animalcancerdx.com
We get asked all the time—who’s our go-to guy or gal for everything from home repairs to clothing alterations to dog walkers. You name it. … Whether you’re a longtime Raleighite or a newbie, everyone is always looking for the local who can do this, that or the other. And since we are the authority on what’s what and who’s who in Raleigh, we figured it was high time we compile our vetted in-the-know list of the best of the best across a slew of categories. So here you go, Raleigh. Your guide of who to call for almost any need you can think of. We only ask one favor in return. When you call one of these people, tell ’em we sent you.
