Archives: News
Trash still treasured at Woodstock Chimes; Founder shares story of company’s original products, built from landfill materials
Woodstock Chimes Founder and CEO Garry Kvistad does not take lightly the familiar saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” In the early 1970s, Garry began what would become Woodstock Chimes in – of all places – an Illinois landfill. A recent college graduate at the time, Garry was teaching at Northern Illinois University. As a benefit of the job, he could take several courses each year, so Garry enrolled in one that taught techniques for making instruments.
iCare by High IntenCity for Girls Inc.
Fair Lawn, NJ, – High IntenCity Corp. is especially proud to announce a new line of girl’s jewelry that supports and promotes the company’s favorite charities. The line, iCare by High IntenCity, debuts in support of Girls Incorporated, an extraordinary national non-profit youth organization dedicated to the mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold.
The debut collection features contemporary, clean updates to traditional necklace and bracelet silhouettes with trend-inspired twists.
New digs give Artic Poppy Boutique room to bloom
Even in the middle of summer, when you least desire it, the quaint “cup of tea” kind of coziness inside Artic Poppy Boutique & Gallery Showroom will warm you up and sway you to stay.
Artic Poppy, a little house tucked behind Snow City Cafe on the east side of L Street, is a bit out of the way considering local shoppers’ typical stomping grounds.
Sweet idea N.H.-inspired chocolate treats win awards for home business
Rochester — In the relatively short time they’ve been in the chocolate business, Richard and Bette Jo Menzel have come away with two observations.
“They all look at it and say, ‘Am I going to break my tooth?'” Richard said of customers.
And “seventy percent of the people who try it, buy it,” he added.
Many people recall the everlasting goodness of M&Ms when they try the Menzels’ “Granite Gourmet” or “Seacoast Sweetshells.”
The award-winning, candy-coated milk chocolate snacks are a salute to the state’s granite composition and the region’s miles of picturesque coastline.
Town’s charm is easy sell; Taneytown boutique is latest addition to steady influx of new tenants
When Jeff and Cynthia Lewis first saw the dilapidated Taneytown property in photographs three years ago, they believed it needed to be saved.
Inside, the ceiling was crumbling and the entire structure needed upgrading. But Jeff Lewis said he was up for the challenge.
“I bought the building for $170,000, sight unseen, with the intention of fixing it up on a part-time basis,” said Lewis, 51, of Fort Myers, Fla. “The location and the town were perfect.
Local retailers prep for holidays; Small-business owners scour country for the next hot product
It’s finally starting to feel like summer in Whatcom County, but many retailers these days are thinking about mistletoe, hot chocolate and holiday cheer.
The next few weeks will be a retailers’ version of a shopping spree, as many descend on vendor shows to find products they think will be the hot-selling items during the holiday shopping season this winter.
Hold on to customers by treating them as you would treat yourself
Why don’t people care anymore? Why are they so quick to say no? Why do most companies say they care about customer service but do so little to improve it?
The hard part of business is getting the customer, and the easy part is keeping them. I guarantee that if you tell this to senior management at some companies, they would disagree with me.
What is so tough here?
Welcome mat is out for campaign workers; State rejected idea, but Nashua merchants promote discount program
Nashua — There are just a handful of presidential candidate field offices here and months to go before the big day.
Stop by this store, just for a spell
Monroe — An old-fashioned straw broom hangs on the wall at Talisman, a New Age gift and craft shop at 150 Main St., but nobody grabs it to clean house.
It’s a magical broom. “You would use it to sweep away the negativity in a certain area,” said Laura Lenhard, the Shelton resident who opened the shop nine months ago to offer spiritual and mystical artifacts from around the world.
African drums, used to beat out a hypnotic rhythm in a drum circle, are available alongside Mexican “Day of the Dead” skeleton dolls, known as “katrinas.”
The skeletons are not there to scare anyone.
High Tea
Call this the Eloise part of the story. You remember Eloise—the precocious imp who lived in New York’s Plaza Hotel and often ordered room service when she couldn’t sleep.
Like Eloise, Gail Baral was a bit of an insomniac as a child. With no access to room service, she did the next best thing: She summoned her mum and requested a bit of toast and a cup of tea. Together the two night owls would sit in a room lighted by the silver-blue glow of the TV, sipping Lipton’s and watching Johnny Carson until little Gail would nod off in her mother’s lap.
Flash forward 40 years.
Leave the shore behind with tote bags made from recycled sails
When Beth Shissler walked into Hannah Kubiak’s life three years ago, Hannah was cruising along, doing her thing, which happened to be making tote bags out of recycled sails. Since 1999, she has spent her days cutting and sewing canvas and Kevlar, and hand-splicing rope to make a durable, continuous handle, just like her ocean-loving dad had taught her years before.
Beth had taken a little time off from her corporate job to help her mother open a gift shop on Isle Au Haut. When she saw Hannah’s bags, she knew they’d be perfect, so she ordered 15 of them.
“Hannah said, ‘What?
Big-box stores are homing in on teachers; They hope discounts will reward and reel in the out-of-pocket spenders
The back-to-school season often has parents scouring ads for discounts and promotions on school supplies.
But teachers are looking for discounts, too.
Downtown Bristol atmosphere and merchants are attracting diverse new businesses
Bristol, Va. – Scott Howard can’t stop talking about the warm welcome he’s received from people in the Twin City.
The owner of Short Sheet Fabric, Howard recently opened his business in the former J.C. Penney building on State Street. It’s one of several new businesses that recently opened in the city’s downtown.
“I feel more at home here in six weeks than in Crossville [Tenn.], where I’ve lived most of my life,” Howard said.
New Product Announcement from Prosperity Tree
Bring Another Seat to the Table!
When you’re ready to work, you need a seat at the table. And your gadgets need a seat, too. Now there’s iSeats for the table or desk – a completely new concept in accessories for your electronic gadgets. iSeat is just right for cell phones, PDAs, iPods, MP3 players, digital cameras – even remotes. Put your gadgets in their iSeat, and you’ll never misplace them again.
The new iSeats from Prosperity Tree are not just stylish and hip, they’re habit-forming, too!
Peek-A-Boo Bag makes a game of idle time for little ones
Draper, UT – Imagine you’re at the airport and they’ve delayed your flight for three hours. No big deal. You go to the gift shop and pick up a few choice magazines. Now imagine your flight’s been delayed but your 3-year old toddler is with you. What’s the kiddo going to do while you leaf through the latest copy of “Oprah?” Run around? Screech, “Mommy, mommy, mommy” for three hours? Or sit still and be quietly mesmerized by their Peek-A-Boo Bag, the newest, most innovative toddler toy to find its way into the market in years?
Luxury Consumers Spent More Buying Luxuries in the Second Quarter, but Consumer Confidence Wavered
Stevens, PA — Affluent consumers went on a spending spree for luxuries in the second quarter 2007. The typical luxury consumer spent $15,283 buying luxury goods and services during the second quarter, 9 percent more than the average expenditure of $14,024 in the first quarter. This according to the results of Unity Marketing’s Luxury Tracking survey of 1,000 affluent consumers conducted at the close of the second quarter 2007 (average income $155,500 and average age 44.3 years).
Couple’s shoe is made specially for toddler set
When Kim and Brian Gross picked up their 1-year-old daughter Riley from day care, she was often barefoot — even in the winter.
Because the child’s shoes were hard-soled, the day care workers took them off to let the youngster toddle more easily. It was only a matter of time before the socks came off, too.
Frustrated in their search to find shoes flexible enough for their young child to wear through the day, the Cockeysville couple decided to design their own.
Boston Gift Show Experiences Surge in First-Time Exhibitors
White Plains, NY – The Boston Gift Show will deliver fresh resources to retailers this September, as more than 60 companies make their debut at the September 15-18, 2007, edition taking place at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
Wilton Armetale Goes to the Dogs at the NY International Gift Show
Mount Joy, PA – Celebrate the dog days of summer with Wilton Armetale’s pet-themed picture frames, featured products of the Wilton Home Collection on display at the New York International Gift Show, Javits booth number 3545 and the Wilton Showroom, 7 W. 34 th Street, suite 931.
Wagging tails and playful pounces will win best of show in one of the five pet-themed frames to be introduced at the Show.
The complete Wilton Home Collection, which debuted during the January Gift Show, features gifts and decorative accessories including plaques, candles and serving pieces among other items.
Mud Pie Debuts New Additions to Its Popular EiEiO Collection
July 2007 – Mud Pie’s Popular EiEiO collection received even more accolades, when Bachelorette star, Trista Sutter received the three-piece Cow Clothing Set as a baby gift.