Archives: News
City Sales Tax Income Up
Total revenue from the city’s share of the 1.25 percent countywide sales tax showed even more growth.
From it, Fort Smith took in $1.23 million, a 4.38 percent rise from a year-earlier $1.18 million.
The city collected another $1.52 million from a 1 percent tax to pay off the bonded debt funding of the Lake Fort Smith water project.
Ray Gosack, acting co-administrator of the city of Fort Smith, said he would attribute at least some of the increase in revenues from the 1 percent taxes to the Jan.
Mother, daughters build business to keep family close
Bonners Ferry – Soon after her family moved across the border from Montana, Shelly Yount peeped through the windows of Lindsay-Helmer Hardware and got hooked on the downtown building.
Just a girl at the time, she found everything about the place captivating.
The Country Chick opens in old Spark’s Grocery
Cookeville — Cookeville residents driving down Hudgens Street near Capshaw Elementary School will notice a new business is a historic location. The Country Chick opened at 618 E. Hudgens Street in the old Spark’s Grocery store in mid-February.
Heather Bean and her mother, Bonnie Bowman, opened the Country Chick two months ago as an antique and cookie shop. The family business quickly expanded to include antiques, gifts and a menu featuring soups, sandwiches, casseroles and a large variety of desserts.
Webkinz: Interactive toys featured in celebration of their creation
Young fans of the plush Webkinz animals will be able to play some of their favorite online games at Rosenkrans Gift Shop & Pharmacy this weekend.
Webkinz Extravaganza will feature games, prizes, snacks and a free Webkinz with any $10 purchase. The event will be held at the store from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
“We thought it would be a great opportunity to get out there and do something fun for the kids,” said Gift Shop Manager Barb Kujawa. “Nobody is going to be turned away. … Everything is on Rosenkrans.
Toys go green: Eco-friendly playthings are fun for kids, reassuring for parents
Athena Brocus loves her pink Rattle Ring Girly – maybe because it’s soft and cuddly, maybe because it has big, floppy ears, maybe just because it’s there.
The 9-month-old has no idea that the toy from Keptin-Jr. is made in Europe from organic cotton or that it has a wooden teether instead of a plastic one. But her Mom, Nadja, does, and that’s why she bought it.
“When she was born, a bunch of her toys had recalls,” said Mrs. Brocus, 27.
More U.S. retailers give BPA the boot
Canada’s proposed ban on a hormone-like chemical in baby bottles has spurred U.S. retailers and legislators to try to phase out use of the ingredient, called bisphenol A, or BPA.
Canada’s announcement Friday came just days after the National Toxicology Program, part of the U.S.
Stores await consumers’ tax rebates
Sony wants to turn your tax rebate into a high-definition television. Home Depot has other plans for your check from Uncle Sam: help the Earth by spending it on energy-efficient appliances. And Sears is offering a gift card to customers for the amount of their rebate checks, plus a 10 percent bonus.
Merchants struggling with the slowdown in spending are stepping up promotions to court consumers who are expecting a cash infusion from federal rebate checks.
High gas prices take toll locally
As fuel prices rise, the pinch on motorists and businesses alike grows stronger each day.
“Obviously, it’s affecting everybody,” John Hill, director of transportation for Garrett County Community Action’s Garrett Transit Service, said. “It’s affecting our budget. We only have a certain amount to work within each year. We’re on efficiency mode, but not cutting back any services.
Retailer crafts outlet for her creativity
Middlebury— Usually when Nancie Dunn attends the National Stationery Show in New York City she goes as a buyer for her Middlebury country gift store, Sweet Cecily. This year she’ll be on the other side of an exhibit booth, selling her handmade greeting cards.
Dunn started making her own cards about three years ago when her store was low on Easter cards. She took up marker and paintbrush and whipped out a small series of colorful cards to fill the racks. The first batch sold so well, she followed up with another.”It just took off,” she said.
Stores to shoppers: Spend your tax rebate here, get a bonus
Can’t wait for that economic-stimulus check from the IRS?
Neither can Sears, Kmart and Fry’s Food Stores.
Starting next month, they will give shoppers a bonus to spend the bucks in their stores.
Sears Holdings Corp., which owns Sears and Kmart, and the Kroger Co., Fry’s parent, this week announced national campaigns that will allow shoppers to exchange their stimulus checks for store gift cards worth the amount plus an additional 10 percent.
“The average family of four spends between $105 and $235 per week on food purchased at a store and prepared at home,” Jon Flora, president of F
Opponents tee off on proposed Scotts Valley Target
Target critics offered up a litany of reasons Wednesday on why the big-box retailer would be a “nightmare” for Scotts Valley, while store officials said they wouldn’t back away from opening the store in face of opposition.
A 155,000-square-foot store proposed for a vacant lot on La Madrona Drive next to the Hilton could put the hotel out of business, impede a fire station slated to be built across the street, lead to homeless people using the parking lot to car camp, harm wildlife, increase crime, bring unwanted traffic, tarnish the city’s reputation and lower values of nearby homes, Targ
Polishing the boot
Burkburnett — There’s more than just boot-making going on at the Burk Boot Shop.
Owners Armando and Patricia Dominguez are in the midst of a major renovation of their longtime family business, including everything from a paint job and new flooring to the installation of a retail sales area in front.
Armando said he’s undertaking the project in hopes of kick-starting his business, even though he’s already got a steady clientele.
“I’ve got plenty of work. That’s not the problem,” he said. “The problem is that the trade hasn’t kept up with the economy.
Shop local, shop Wellesley
Wellesley – Whether you’re shopping for a greeting card, a child’s birthday gift, a book, an outfit for a wedding, a rake, house insurance, an appliance or just about anything else, “Shop Wellesley First.”
That’s the message local business leaders are hoping to get across.
Elaine Bannigan, co-owner of Pinnacle Residential Properties and chairman of the board of directors of the Wellesley Chamber of Commerce, said by doing so, shoppers are preserving the economic health and the vitality of the community.
As chairman, she said that she had been talking a lot to another board member, Rob
Macy’s will begin using recycled paper bags, offer totes
New York – Department-store operator Macy’s Inc. said Thursday it will begin using partly recycled paper shopping bags at its Macy’s stores and biodegradable packaging for its online shipments.
The changes start this month.
The new store bags will be made from paper with 30 percent recycled material and will be 100 percent recyclable. Its previous bag was laminated and not recyclable.
Design-Driven Product Takes Center Stage at Summer NYIGF
White Plains, NY – Offering both quality and quantity in equal measure, the 155th semi-annual New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) returns to New York City, running Saturday, August 16, through Thursday, August 21, 2008, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Metropolitan Pavilion and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 & 94.
Fashion Angels Enterprises Pair Dog Fashion with Gift to SPCA International
Milwaukee, WI – Those who think they can design dog apparel that is cuter and trendier than anything available in stores should check out two new products from the tween dream company, Fashion Angels Enterprises. The new Pet Fashion Design Sketchbook and the Design a Heavenly Pet Wardrobe puts doggie-couture design in the hands of girls all around the world, and best of all they will be helping a good cause.
Ceramic Dreams delights
Desirae Haynes’ husband grumbled in the car on his way to Ceramic Dreams, but when he left he couldn’t have been more proud of the piece he painted.
At Ceramic Dreams located at 1134 E.
Burned rubble replaces shops
The F.P. Kolbe gift shop on River Road in Point Pleasant was not badly damaged in Sunday’s blaze. But behind the store’s rustic clutter, it looks like a bomb went off.
An official cause has not been determined, but state police fire marshal Anthony Rhodunda said Tuesday the fire that destroyed several businesses appears to have been an electrical malfunction at the back of the Trading Post’s main showroom.
While Kolbe’s survived, all that remains of the Trading Post are heaps of burned rubble. Piles of terra cotta pots lie beneath more piles of charred, bloated books.
Third Street Bridge Mall new, expanded
Hobart — When the store formerly known as Treasured Blessings had to move from its Main Street location, the owner didn’t want to travel too far.
An empty building right around the corner filled the bill perfectly.
Renamed Third Street Bridge Mall, the craft, collectible and gift store opened shortly before Christmas.
“We had a slow start, since the street in front was closed the first week we were opened,” said store manager Becky Morton.
Find the perfect gift at Present Perfect
Before creating Present Perfect, Edie Argo found it frustrating that she had to go to a variety of shops to get exactly what she needed, wasting a lot of time and energy.
So when Edie opened her Hampton boutique, she wanted to make it a onestop shop, offering customers a place to find most anything, including unique and unexpected finds, without the sticker shock.
Now she travels far and wide in search of designer jewelry, fine fashions, skin-care products, home decor, pottery, paintings, garden accents, home-cleaning products and a selection of fun surprises.
One of her specialties i