Cigar shop on tap?

A pair of Russians recently rolled their motorcycle tour of the world through Amarillo, not just as a logical stopping point but also for business reasons.

Maxim Perivezentsev and Vladimir Roshchin are exploring expansion of their Total Flame cigar company to Amarillo.

About now, you’re wondering the same thing I did. How in the world — literally — did two Russian businessmen zero in on Amarillo?

Credit a chance encounter Roshchin had on a previous journey, while listening to live music on the Plaza in Santa Fe, N.M. There, Roshchin met Kaye Pullen, who told him about her cigar enthusiast son, Eric, an Amarillo attorney, and Roschin traveled here to meet the barrister.

Now, the cigar-making partners are working with Eric and Callie Pullen to establish the Total Flame brand — billed in Russia as a biker’s cigar brand — in the United States. Total Flame merges the guys’ passions, good cigars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, according to a company website emblazoned with the motto “Life’s short. Do it hard.”

“Exploring” means I’ve got no timeline to give you for when Total Flame might arrive in Amarillo. But I can fill you in on Perivezentsev and Roshchin’s fascinating travel itinerary.

They motored into Amarillo recently after visiting Africa, Australia and South and Central America. They’re headed for L.A. then will wind their way across China and Mongolia, returning to Russia in two months, Callie Pullen said.

Continuing with an international theme, a Korean family transplanted to Amarillo found enough success on South Bell Street to expand.

Benjamin’s Donut & Bakery, which set up shop at 7003 S. Bell St. in 2009, has opened a second location at 1900 S.E. 34th Ave. in Tradewind Village. Susie So, who manages the southeast store, said her stepfather, Benjamin Lee, and mother, Linda Kim, set roots in Amarillo after living in other cities because Lee, a baker, wanted to start his own business instead of working for others.

“He’s been baking for over 40 years,” So said.

Benjamin’s Donut & Bakery on Bell operates from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Customers can select from a range of doughnuts, pastries, cakes and other baked goods.

At the Tradewind Village location, the family has launched a broader, and more daylong, menu, So said. Early-morning items include pastries, breakfast sandwiches and burritos. Lunch and dinner offerings include sandwiches, homestyle hot plate entries like meatloaf, spare ribs and pulled pork and a salad bar.

The southeast shop serves breakfast from 5 a.m. to noon, lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. It is open Monday through Saturday, So said.

Patients who use Broome Optical go there to see better. And now, thanks to an extensive remodel, they’ll also see, well, better.

“The building was built in, I think, 1978, and there had been some minor revisions over the years,” optometrist Dr. Neal Nossaman said of the office at 3408 Olsen Blvd. “But we felt like we wanted to bring it into the 21st century, to open up some space and make it more patient-friendly.” Changes include a centralized reception area, revamped business office and a larger and — more fashionable — optical sales area.

Broome now showcases more than 1,800 styles of women’s, men’s and children’s glasses frames. The practice will host an Oakley trunk show on Thursday, giving guests the chance to customize some varieties of Oakley sports frames with college or high school colors. The day includes giveaways with every Oakley purchase, Nossaman said.

Broome is a partnership of five optometrists and includes six optometrists altogether.

Amarillo-based Bruckner Truck Sales — this year celebrating 80 years of operation — will celebrate the grand opening of a $5.7-million, 12-acre truck dealership and service facility on Interstate 20 in Dallas between Interstates 35 and 45, company officials said.

The location, which has already opened its doors, lies virtually across the street from another facility where tornadoes recently plowed through Dallas. The twisters picked up the trucks like toys, an amazing show of power captured on video played by media outlets throughout the nation.

“How we kept from getting our building ripped apart, I don’t know,” said Randall Whalin, corporate marketing director. “That tornado went right by us.” Bruckner began as Bruckner’s Garage, founded by B.M. “Bennie” Bruckner Sr. in 1932. Ben Bruckner Jr. and sons Chris and Brian now run the company, Whalin said.

“Five years ago, they had seven stores, now they’re up to 17,” including five dealerships and two parts shops in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he said.

The company plans a new 8-acre sales center in Albuquerque, N.M., Chris Bruckner said.

Nunn Construction, a Colorado commercial construction company, has opened an Amarillo office with Rick Fleming, formerly of Western Builders, as division manager.

Company President Ray Nunn has roots in Amarillo and is the brother of Jeff Nunn, president ofCitizens Bank, Fleming said. The construction company is building Citizen’s Bank’s new Amarillo location at Interstate 27 and Georgia Street, which should be completed in June.

The bank structure features natural stone, used outside and inside, including on a floor-to-ceiling fireplace. That, and large heavy timber trusses contribute to an expansive interior filled with lots of natural light, Fleming said.

“It’s going to be a gem right there on that corner,” he said.

By the time you read this, I will have been doing my part to support National Stress Awareness Day on Monday. But, alas, vacations come to an end.

I did like how mentalfloss.com suggests we all celebrate the day: “Relax. The only extra activity you need to pencil in for this holiday is a break.”

Interact with Karen Smith Welch at karen.welch @amarillo.com, facebook.com/karen smithwelch or @Karen_Welch on Twitter. Hear her talk city government news at 6 a.m. Thursdays on the NewsChannel10 Early Show or view the segment at amarillo .com/business.