Archives: News
What’s in Store For You At Aine’s Boutique
Reading, MA – Need a new outfit, some jewelry or other accessories? Stop by Aine’s Boutique at 622 Main Street in Reading for the newest trends in clothing, handmade accessories and even lotion and cards.
The chic boutique originally opened on Haven Street three and a half years ago. They moved to their expanded location on Main Street last June. Owner Julie Centrella has been a Reading resident for 10 years, and has always had a soft spot for fashion.
Madison Park Greetings Partners with SnorgTees for New Collection of Greeting Cards
Madison Park Greetings, a leading stationery and gift manufacturer and distributor, is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the immensely popular online apparel store, SnorgTees. This collaboration has resulted in SnorgCards, a bold new collection of 16 greeting cards for occasions including birthday, friendship and love.
Funny, cute and contemporary, the unique graphics featured on SnorgCards come directly from top- selling SnorgTees’ designs.
Stake Your Claim with Lazart!
Gainesville, TX ⎯ Lazart Production, Inc.®© invites you to stake your claim in the garden and in gift stores. With spring planting in full bloom, Lazart’s new savory little herb stakes will take the guesswork out of identifying those tiny green sprouts as they start peeking through the dirt. Don’t have a full garden plot? Don’t worry! These stakes will feel right at home in a container garden on the patio or in individual pots on the kitchen windowsill.
SnapRetail Launches the Calendar
SnapRetail, a technology company that provides the only SaaS solution for small retailers to plan, promote, sell and stock their stores online, has launched the Calendar and Idea Bar.
The Calendar is a Web-based feature that helps retailers plan, create, schedule and send marketing campaigns to customers via e-mail or social media in about 10% of the time it takes with other email marketing systems. The Calendar offer ideas, inspiration and tools to help local retailers send innovative marketing campaigns to drive store traffic and increase sales.
Design Design Inc. Expands Holiday Tableware Line; More Elegant Seasonal Options
On the heels of their popular designs for birthdays, cocktail parties and everyday, Design Design has introduced classic holiday paper tableware additions in 2012 with floral, seasonal prints and rich, full-bodied color – just in time for those holiday celebrations.
Best known for their wide selection of playful, graphic designs the company introduced new elegant selections for customers looking for more sophistication.
“We want to be a one-stop celebration destination,” says Colin Littler, Marketing Director.
Fuquay-Varina Gets “Cash-Mobbed”
Fuquay-Varina, NC – At about 3:15 p.m. there were a handful of customers at David Anthony’s gift shop. At about 3:20 p.m. the quaint gift store was bursting at the seams.
The store had been mobbed – “cash mobbed.”
The international phenomenon known as cash mob – when a group of paying patrons visit a locally-owned store en masse – arrived in Fuquay-Varina on Saturday. Dozens of U.S. communities participated in International Cash Mob Day. The only other cash mob site in the area is in Wake Forest, according to cashmob.com.
Grace Ella and Eve Boutique Moves Location
Lexington, NC – Grace Ella and Eve Boutique recently moved to 30 W. Second Ave., and a grand opening is tentatively set for next week.
Lisa and Jeff Yarbrough originally opened the boutique at the Childress Vineyards in November 2011 but decided to move locations in February.
The boutique is a gift shop that offers everything from children’s clothing to home accessories, including women’s accessories. The shop will also carry pottery by Reedy Creek Clay Works.
Cash Mobsters to Swarm Coventry Business
Coventry, RI – Don’t worry … it’s a good kind of mob.
Tim Hudyncia, co-founder of LetsBuyLocal.org has organized Coventry’s first ever cash mob — where residents mob a locally owned business and purchase up to $20 in merchandise all at the same time.
Essentially, a cash mob is a social network effort that pulls in shoppers to a specific location and does not cost the business any money to take part. In fact, many businesses have no idea that the mob is coming until the ‘mobsters’ walk in the door.
Mother, Daughter Team Up to Open Dakota Ridge
Crawford, NE – A mother-daughter duo have teamed up in Crawford to offer the region everything from jewelry to western wear and tack.
Jarene Welling and daughter Kari Monroe opened Dakota Ridge last June and are set to embark on their second summer season catering to tourists and locals alike. The pair opened the store after spending years on the road as vendors at various cattle and horse events.
“It’s a lot of work,” Monroe said of the time on the road. They tried to set up at events that lasted more than one day to capitalize on the crowds.
Retailers Thank Easter Bunny: Spending to Rise 11%
New York, NY – Retailers will likely have a Happy Easter as Americans are expected to spend more on candy, flowers and little trinkets to celebrate the holiday, according to the results of a recent survey.
Consumers are expected to spend 11% more than they did last year, or about $16.8 billion, based on the results of a survey conducted by BIGinsight for the retail industry trade group National Retail Federation.
The Rug Market America to Debut 2012 Collections With Over 75 Designs at High Point’s Spring Market
As the spring 2012 High Point Furniture Market opens, The Rug Market America will debut multiple collections of rugs including a total of 75 designs and colorations for indoors and outdoors encompassing new innovative outdoor textures, dyeing and finishing techniques, and designs from traditional to transitional to contemporary. With the depth of these introductions, The Rug Market continues to provide floor covering for every décor from one source.
Cranford Artisan Gift Shop Artemisia Mixes Patriotism With Eco-Friendly
Cranford, NJ – Wendy Ramirez, 52, and her business partner and cousin Sandy Coleman are offering Cranford the chance to invest in American products.
Artemisia, at 19 Eastman Street, a few doors down from Cranford Theatre, is described by Ramirez as a place where you can do “gifting with a conscious.” A majority of their products are from artists all over the U.S.
Ramirez proudly mentioned New York jewelry designer, Lorella Medina, who now lives in New Jersey, and gave a tour of the mixed-media art pieces from Dolan Geiman, a Virginia native who lives in Chicago, that adorn
Business Q & A With D & H Variety & Gifts
New Hyde Park, NY – Driving along Jericho Turnpike there are plenty of shopping centers, chain stores and restaurants and of course small businesses.
D & H Variety & Gifts came to Garden City Park 3 years ago and they’ve been in the same shopping center since. The store is known for their cards, gifts and lotto cards as well as a drop off and pick up spot for buses bringing people to Atlantic City and other destinations.
What is it like being a part of the larger New Hyde Park area?
“It’s a great area to be in. We have a lot of local traffic and repeat business.
East of India U.S. Launches Website
General Trading Ltd, one of England’s premier giftable lines – East of India – is proud and excited to share with you the launch of its fresh, new website: www.eastofindiaus.com. East of India U.S. offers an extensive range of seasonally inspired collections including stationery, home accessories, wall art, ribbons, ceramics, and hand carved wood, all sourced from natural materials.
“We are thrilled with the end result of our new website,” says Todd Stracher Sales & Brand Manager of East of India U.S.
Jo Violette Jewelry Catches National, Local Eyes
Clarksville, TN – Rogate Hadley, the owner of the downtown fashion shop Rogate’s Boutique, was at a showroom in Atlanta shopping for new merchandise. She saw some colorful necklaces made of sheets of acrylic.
“It looked so pretty, so we ordered it,” Hadley said.
She didn’t realize, until Jo Violette came into the store to deliver the jewelry, that it was made by a local.
A Most Welcome Mob
Glenside, PA – Upwards of a dozen shoppers at a time swarmed into Dovetail Artisans in Glenside on Saturday, giving the small gift store sales receipts reminiscent of a December rush.
Such “cash mobs” have been springing up nationwide to send a jolt to the economy through small, local businesses. And this was one of the first in the Philadelphia region.
Cash Mob Philly was organized by Shahrzad Kojouri of Ardmore, who said, with concern: “I’m hoping people don’t hear ‘flash mob’ when they hear ‘cash mob.’ “
Gift Shop Makes Awards Finals
Melton, UK – A INDEPENDENT designer gifts and accessories shop in Melton has reached the finals of a prestigious awards.
Jupes in Sherrard Street is among just five shops throughout the Midlands and East Anglia to have been chosen as a finalist in the independent gift retailer of the year category of the ‘Greats’ Gift Retailer Awards 2012.
The awards, now in their 10th year, celebrate excellence within gift retailing, taking a whole range of factors into account including the range of gifts offered by retailers, customer service and product knowledge to name a few.
Made on Cape Cod: Cape Cod Beach Stone Jewelry
Barnstable, MA – According to Kathleen Masterson “everybody has a stone story,” whether people carry it with them in their purse or pocket, or have it on display in their home; “the stones mark a moment in time, or represent a special memory or place.”
A self-proclaimed wash ashore, Masterson moved to Cape Cod from the Catskill Mountains 27 years ago.
Amish Connection Store Bridges Two Worlds
Toppenish, WA – When Hope Johnson opened her furniture store, Amish Connection, nearly 20 years ago in historic downtown Toppenish, she never imagined the friendships and cultural exchange it would spawn.
She takes annual trips to an Amish community about 70 miles northeast of Columbus, Ohio, where she buys handmade furniture that she sells in her store.
After falling in love with Amish quilts, a local friend who makes quilts began teaching her and 10 other women, all longtime customers, how to quilt at the shop. They meet weekly.
Amish Connection Store Bridges Two Worlds
Toppenish, WA – When Hope Johnson opened her furniture store, Amish Connection, nearly 20 years ago in historic downtown Toppenish, she never imagined the friendships and cultural exchange it would spawn.
She takes annual trips to an Amish community about 70 miles northeast of Columbus, Ohio, where she buys handmade furniture that she sells in her store.
After falling in love with Amish quilts, a local friend who makes quilts began teaching her and 10 other women, all longtime customers, how to quilt at the shop. They meet weekly.