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Area store thanks customers dollar at a time
Storm Lake, Iowa – When Molly Wilson lived in the Twin Cities, there were days she’d visit a store three times. Nobody bothered to say “Hi.”
“We were all rats driving down the interstate,” she says of a glum memory.
Things have changed for Wilson, who co-owns Sugar Bowl Gift Shop with husband Mike Kohler in downtown Storm Lake. On a recent chilly morning, she meets every customer at the store’s front door and hands them a crisp $1 bill.
History lover launches business, wins acclaim
Some might argue Suzanne Hines single-handedly keeps the history of Hamburg village alive.
Hines, director of the Hamburg Historical Museum and president of the Hamburg Historical Society, last week was named 2008 Marv Pedersen Citizen of the Year by the Hamburg Kiwanis Club for her efforts to preserve, restore and promote the historic area.
The small village community, south of M-36 down Hamburg Road, is somewhat off the beaten path from highly developed areas of the township down the M-36 corridor.
Hines is known around Hamburg Township for transforming the former Townsh
Flowers a staple of Mother’s Day gifting
Orem — This Sunday is Mother’s Day. And no group of businesses knows that better than local garden shops, nurseries and big-box stores that have a large variety of flora on sale to brighten Mom’s day. In fact, this is the biggest week of the season for sales in the garden departments.
“People always think about flowers when they think of mothers,” said Danielle Holdaway Taylor, a second-generation gardener and employee at the Vineyard Garden Center, 435 S. Geneva Road. “This is the craziest week of the season.
Flower shop opens new location
Fremont — Prairie Flowers recently opened at 121 S. Fifth St. and will continue to serve customers with fresh and silk floral arrangements.
Upon entering the store, you can see two display coolers of colorful fresh cut flowers and shelves filled with a variety of giftware. Green plants are everywhere.
Owners Bob and Christine Michael are enthusiastic about the new location. “It is a nice building, and there is plentiful parking.
Hard times for Humbug
The humble Humbug, a traditional British hard candy that began a popular run in Montreal during the Great Depression, has fallen on tough times in this latest recession.
Stilwell’s Home Made Candy Store, the confectionary shop that opened in September 1933 and became world famous for its distinct version of Humbugs, is now closed to the public.
At its peak, Stilwell’s sold at least a ton of Humbugs a year to sweet-toothed fans as far away as Europe, Russia, China and Japan.
Now, devotees are reduced to only five retail locations, all in Montreal, where they can still buy t
Surf and skateboard shop in San Clemente needs to stand out
DBC Ride Shop in San Clemente hit some rough waves in recent years as competition, the loss of a longtime location and an expensive experiment with snowboard gear drowned sales at the once-thriving skateboard and surf shop.
Co-owner Greg Armer, who has been keeping the business afloat with personal savings from his full-time job as a healthcare executive, recently gambled on a pricier new location in a prime retail spot on the beach community’s main drag to restore his kid-friendly small business to its glory days.
“Joobles – Icy The Penguin” Receives A Spring 2009 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval
Middleton, WI – Generally speaking, children’s product judges take their jobs very seriously. There are many important factors to consider: production quality, age appropriateness and developmental play patterns just to name a few. But when the judges at the National Parenting Center reviewed Fair Indigo’s new Joobles – Icy The Penguin, they were blown away by one of the most important characteristics a toy must possess.
Noah’s Naturals Debuts Modern Packaging, Expands Distribution
Los Angeles, Calif. — Three popular Organics by Noah’s Naturals products just received a spring makeover! Organics by Noah’s Naturals Rosemary Mint Body Lotion, Coconut Vanilla Body Lotion and Shea Butter Hand Cream have shed their former jar packaging and are now available in consumer-friendly tubes.
Mud Pie Introduces New Ideas to Make a “Happy Birthday”
Tucker, Ga. — Mud Pie, an award-winning international gift company offering products reflecting current trends and popular design, makes growing another year older more fun with Happy Birthday, a new collection of birthday-themed entertaining and gift items featuring polka dot and cupcake designs. In fun shades of pink, green, blue and brown, each gift item features a unique embellishment, including ribbon bows and metallic icon party hats.
Colonial Candle Marks 100 Years of Exceptional Quality, Style and Innovation
Cannon Falls, MN – Midwest, leading designer and manufacturer of the Colonial Candle®, Seasons of Cannon Falls® and Delight™ brands, announces a major milestone for Colonial Candle – 100 years of lighting the industry with exceptional quality candles and home fragrance products. Midwest will celebrate Colonial Candle’s landmark 100th anniversary by recognizing retailers for their dedication and support through the years by offering a new limited edition fragrance called “Celebrate!
Businesses Get Creative During Recession
Colorado Springs, Colo. — Davin Neubacher could have panicked when his business revenue nose-dived in the fourth quarter of 2008, from 20 percent growth to 7 percent.
“You can either throw up your hands or learn and adjust,” said Neubacher, who owns Navakai, an information-technology support company that opened in 2001.
Neubacher didn’t lay off staff or downsize or adopt a self-defeatist attitude.
Creative woman’s groovy puzzles making comeback
It started with doodles. Oodles of doodles. But the doodles soon became designs, designs that struck a chord with jigsaw-puzzle lovers during the turbulent times of the late 1960s.
Quincy resident Sandy Miller, then 23, designed a series of round jigsaw puzzles she named Thingies in 1967 that became kind of the hula hoop of the puzzle set after they were first unveiled at the New York City Gift Show.
There were 100,000 Thingies sold in just the first week under the banner of puzzle maker Springbok Editions, and soon the puzzles were sold in 5,000 stores across the country.
Relaxation on tap at tea shop
When Keith and Ella Barth first visited Vernon, what impressed them most were the smiles of the people.
Now they’re bringing their own smiles to their new 30th Avenue business, Tasty Tea ‘N’ Things, a tea, lunch and gift shop that specializes in relaxation of all kinds.
“When we came to Vernon, we both looked at each other and said, ‘This is where we want to be,'” said Keith.
They made the move and the career changes as soon as they could.
“I was a nurse for many years and saw the benefits of tea for people of all ages in helping them to feel less str
Mother’s Day spending expected to fall this year, but retailers say Southeast Texas sales are strong
Cambie Jenkins and Gina Savoie, two designers at Forever Yours Florist in Beaumont, expect to spend the next week knee-deep in twigs and flower petals.
The two will be working extra hours to fill the hundreds of Mother’s Day orders they’ve already started to get, and also to make sure the store has pre-made arrangements on hand for those who need last-minute bouquets.
According to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 Mother’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, about 67 percent of people will spend $1.9 billion on flowers for Mother’s Day.
Keisha Roundtree, manager at F
Expanding bow business keeps moms connected
It’s more than friendship that ties Julie Nitchie and Gretchen Stevenson together. Their innovative hair-bow business keeps them connected, too.
The moms came up with the idea for a business, The Pink Hippo Hair Bows, when they couldn’t find a hair bow that would stay in their daughters’ fine hair. They invented their own hair bow, obtained a patent and started selling the bows at farmers markets.
The concept took off, and the women kept adding to the line.
Gaylord’s Broadway gift shop caters to broad audience
Thoughts about shopping on lower Broadway can conjure up images of Hank Williams coffee mugs, Elvis ashtrays and more than a few hot-pink cowboy boots.
But with the mid-April opening of Opry Originals: The Shop on Broadway, that somewhat limited vision can be expanded.
Think local first to bail out the economy
When you’re trying to make ends meet on a limited budget, you might not consider what kind of impact your spending power has.
However, economists say the U.S. economic turnaround is dependent on consumer dollars.
Artists who think its good to cut corners
As much of an ancient practice as stone cutting or paper making, woodworking is a craft that produces both artistic and useable pieces.
While carpentry or architecture are part of the trade, many wood worker also build and cut smaller pieces.
Some local woodworking artists such as Dave Disselbrett make small figurines that customer can put on display. Disslebrett carves over 50 different caricatures from baseball players, golfers, fisherman to seasonal features like snowmen, pumpkin heads and Santas.
Unlike carpenters and architects, these artists work by hand.
Women learn firsthand the ins and outs of importing
From Spanish olive oil to French jewelry to exotic Argentine handbags to antique chandeliers, the products they import are as different as the countries from which they originate.
But what Susan Bullock and Laura Austin, Susan Smart and Bradley Proctor, JY Smejkal, and Susan Finger do have in common is good taste, a love of travel and an understanding of the hard work, marketing savvy and risk-taking needed to make an import business click.
Here are their stories:
B&A BAiscos
It all started at a dinner party with good friends.
Over good food and wine, the conversation tu
Sustainability and Artistry Featured in NYIGF’s Handmade
White Plains, NY — Eco-friendly materials and fine craftsmanship will be showcased by newcomers to Handmade® at the summer 2009 New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®). Other highlights of the juried craft division include an increased number of jewelry resources and more wearable textiles – two “affordably indulgent” product categories during a tight economy. Handmade at NYIGF is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, through Wednesday, August 19, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.