GBACC NEWSLETTER

APRIL 2008

Greetings!

GBACC is gearing up for a great Spring and the great events in store for the members. Let's continue to grow together and make GBACC the best it has ever been.

If you have anything that you would like to include in GBACC's monthly newsletter, please send it to Traci Giganti at t.giganti@myactv.net or Jerry Knight at cripplecreek2@verizon.net by the 20th of each month. Let's make 2008 the best year yet for GBACC!

GBACC NEWS

The Greater Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce (GBACC) celebrated its third anniversary with a Business Card Exchange on Thursday, March 27, from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm at the Brunswick Railroad Museum. Curator Vicki Dearing presented a special exhibit featuring businesses from Brunswick's glorious past.

An enthusiastic group of GBACC members met on the second floor of the museum for refreshments, door prizes and networking. The focal point of the hospitality table was a beautiful cake created by GBACC member The Jefferson Pastry Shop. The cake proclaimed "Happy Anniversary GBACC" around the organization's logo in the center. Special thanks go to Donna & Gary Smith, and Melisa Selby for this very special cake and also to congratulate them on being the 100th Member to join. Cutting the anniversary cake was Oneida Heffner of H&R Block, the oldest business in GBACC, boasting 37 successful years!

The following members or their guests won door prizes: Bill Hopwood of Brunswick Self Storage won a calendar from Sundance Art and Frame; Mary Nix of Aflac and Julia Saulnier of Treasures to Warm the Heart won a DHD Bookkeeping Gift Basket; guest Sandy Cole of Cole Cleaning Service won a gift basket from SAGE Small Business Services; Hanna Politis of Beans in the Belfry and Katherine Iacovelli of Maryland Business Advisors won flower arrangements from C.M. Bloomers; Mary McCormack of SAGE Small Business Services won a gift certificate from Head to Toes, a full service salon, and Karen Lyons representing Brunswick Main Street won a year membership to the Railroad Museum.

NOTE: The EDC is collecting business literature and handouts for the Welcome Baskets. Please take your business information to City Hall if you would like it included in the Welcome Baskets. For more information contact Katherine Iacovelli at katherine@marylandbusinessadvisors.com

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Give Customers An Experience...by Kevin Nunley

Customers like a good product or service, but even more, they like a good experience.

As business people and consumers spend more time at work, they have less time for experiencing life outside of work and shopping. As a result, many customers like to experience excitement or emotion when they buy.

People want to feel happier, smarter, sexier, or wealthier after they buy. While a customer may like your product, it could be your caring service that really turns them on.

In other words, it may not be how well your products or service WORKS that really count, but how it makes the customer FEEL.

The one thing all my customers want to feel is hope. They want to be reassured that their business will succeed. After we finish a job, we send the customer a postcard with a hand written note wishing them success and letting them know we are behind them

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
Judy Cheng (04/08), Emerald Garden Chinese Cook House
Cyndi White (04/14), Line Upon Line Advantage Writing
Ann Metzgar (04/21), Jake's Mom Cooks
Glenn Nininger Sr (04/27), Niningers Tire & Auto
Brian Handy (04/28), Handy Appliance Service

If your name is not mentioned in this column during your birth month, please let me know so I can add it to our GBACC Birthday list.

GBACC BUSINESS OF THE MONTH - APRIL 2008
Brunswick Self Storage
GBACC Member Bill Hopwood, owner of Brunswick Self Storage, is a long time resident of Brunswick and attended Brunswick High School. Bill has been in business here since 1993. Saturday, March 15, 2008 was the grand opening for Brunswick Self Storage.

NEWS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP

Main Street First Friday Events, April 4th 5-9pm

"Step into Spring" April 4th 5:00 to 9:00 pm. The shops on Potomac Street are open until 9:00 pm for your shopping pleasure. Have dinner at one of our local restaurants then enjoy browsing our unique stores.

12th Annual Bike Rodeo in the City Hall Parking Lot (1 W. Potomac St). Registration 6 - 6:30 pm, starts at 6:30 pm.

The Great "Deadman's Hill" Dowhill Mile. Registration 5:15 pm - 6:15 pm, for more infornation see www.brunswickmainstreet.org or call 301-834-5591

Downtown Dollars Drawing - The lucky winner will receive gift certificates in the amount of $65 to be spent on a downtown shopping spree at participating merchants.

Brunswick Railroad Museum Benefit
Saturday, April 19th, 7:30 pm, Brunswick City Park, THE SPRING FASHION SHOW. Phoebe's Travel Trunk & Pixie Dust Children's Boutique will present their spring and summer syles. Come see beauties of all ages as they model clothing from the discount fashion depots in historic Brunswick. Adults $5.00; Children Under 12, $2.50 to benefit the Brunswick Railroad Museum. For more information contact Cathy Tynan at katiatu99@yahoo.com

Community Pride Day
April 26th. Help clean up the community. Volunteer to help with the "Big Sweep" or help the EDC clean up the downtown area with their projects. Call Geri Reynolds 301-834-7500, Ext 3 or for the EDC email Katherine Iacovelli katherine@marylandbusinessadvisors.com.

Gallery in the Woods
1109 Silver Run Place, Knoxville, MD 21758
301-834-9806
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
April 5 -6 and April 12 -13
Art - Photography- Silpada Silver Jewelry

Trailside Outfitters has a new look! With spring just around the corner, changes have been made to the store. Trailside now has Woolrich Children's Clothing! Sizes run from Little Boys/Girls 4 to 7 to Youth Sizes 8 to 20. Also fully stocked on Recreational Kayaks. 8Ft Sit-Ins and Sit-Ons, along with 10ft Fishing Kayaks. Call David at 301-834-8071.

Sundance Art & Frame is currently exhibiting photographs of Assateague and Chinoteague Islands by Don Cooper and Joe Bruce from 6-9 p.m. The photographers will sign photographs and answer your questions about photo techniques and camaras. Sundance is owned by GBACC memeber Diane Ellis and is located at 18 W. Potomac Street. Regular hours are Wed-Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-4.

*NOTE: Anyone with annoucements for the newsletter please contact either Traci at t.giganti@myactv.net or Jerry at cripplecreek2@verizon.net. The announcements can only be short, the space is limited.

The following GBACC Members web sites have entertainment or educational events open to the public:
Beans in the Belfry (www.beansinthebelfry.com)
Book Crossing (www.thebookcrossing.biz)
Harper's Ferry Hostel (www.harpersferryhostel.org)
Patowmack Farm (www.patowmackfarm.com)
Stone Manor Bed & Breakfast (www.mycountryretreat.com)

GBACC Upcoming Events

April 2, 2008 - GBACC General Meeting, 7:00 pm at Green Country Inn, 620 Souder Road, Brunswick.
Gregor Becker of the Catoctin Sierra Club will speak on Climate Change: "Business and Government Working Together."

April 17, 2008 - GBACC Business Card Exchange, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Patowmack Farm, 42461 Lovettsville Rd, Lovettsville, VA, Phone 540-822-9017. Web site: www.patowmackfarm.com
Join us for an elegant evening of networking, light refresments and door prizes.

Hope the rest of your April is great; see you at the next Business Card Exchange.

Sincerely,

Traci Giganti
Greater Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce Secretary