GBACC NEWSLETTER

MAY 2008

GBACC NEWS

The General Membership Meeting for the Greater Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce was held on Wednesday, April 2nd at the Green Country Inn. Plans were announced by the Special Events Committee for a GBACC summer picnic. More details to be announced.

The "Spotlight Speaker" was Beverly Morton Billand of The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm. Ms Billand invited all GBACC members to attend the Business Card Exchange.

Gregor Becker and Ken Eidel of the Catoctin Sierra Club were the featured speakers and gave a slide presentation and talk about Climate Change. A group discussion with the audience followed the talk.

The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm hosted an exquisite Business Card Exchange on April 17, 2008. Owner Beverly Morton Billand welcomed members and their guests on the patio of the restaurant, which commands a stunning view of the Point of Rocks Bridge on the Potomac River, as Moonlit in the Sun (a trio of violin, viola and piano) serenaded throughout the evening. The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the Lovettsville Business Association joined GBACC members for this very special event. This Exchange will be long remembered by all guests who enjoyed networking, wine and canapés in a truly gracious setting.

The following members or guests won door prizes: Benjamin Mourad of Wild Wind Financial won a gift certificate from Donna Smith of Jefferson Pastry Shoppe; Mary McCormack of Sage Small Business Services won a gift basket from Julia Saulnier of Treasures to Warm the Heart; Nahid Shadrokh of The Lovettsville Home won a gift basket from Kristine Condie of Total Basket Cases; William Saccardi of M&T Bank won a framed photo from Brunswick Main Street(presented by Karen Lyons); Brunswick City Councilman Walt Stull of Sundance Art & Frame won a gift certificate from Lori Friedman, Membership Director of the Frederick Chamber of Commerce; and Diane Younkins of Wisdom Works won a lovely flower arrangement donated by Chris Spielman of C.M. Bloomers. Ms. Younkins then graciously donated the arrangement to The Lovettsville Home.

All local businesspersons are invited to attend the next GBACC regular business meeting on Wednesday, May 7th.

The next GBACC Business Card Exchange will be Cripple Creek Antiques on Thursday, May 15th.

NOTE: The EDC is collecting business literature and handouts for the Welcome Baskets. Please take your non-dated 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 FROM THE MEMBERSHIP

The Board and Members of GBACC welcome Linda Evans, Executive Directory of The Mission of Mercy as a new member of GBACC.

Main Street First Friday Events - May 2nd, 5-9pm

"Art Abounds"
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. Special activities, live entertainment. The Urbana Dance Company will perform iin Square Corner Park at 7;00 Pm to 9:00 pm.

Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest at Square Corner Park 6 to 7:30 pm, judging at 7:40 pm. Chalk will be provided. For ages 16yrs and under. Prizes will be awarded by age group.

12th Annual Bike Rodeo Registration, 6 - 6:30 p, City Hall Lot, Starts at 6:30 pm.

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.

Sundance Art & Frame Flowers - Color & Light, original watercolor paintings and colored pencil drawings by Merri Nelson. Show Opening First Friday, May 2, 2008 5 - 9 pm. Sundance is owned by GBACC member Diane Ellis and is located at 18 W. Potomac Street. Regular hours are Wed-Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-4.

Total Basket Cases will be at two wine festivals....Tarara Winds and Wine Festival and the Chrysalis Vineyards Jazz Festival...Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18. Check out the TBC website at www.totalbasketcases.com for more details!!

Greater Goods, Lovettsville's Green General Store and Fair Trade Art & Craft Gallery, will be marking World Fair Trade Month with special events and sales all May. Join us on Saturday, May 10th at 3:00 pm to take part in the National Fair Trade Coffee Break! We'll be serving Fair Trade Coffee and sweets. For more information please see our website: www.forpeopleandplanet.com. Greater Goods is located at 1 South Loudoun St. in the heart of historic Lovettsville.

May is STRAWBERRY season at the Jefferson Pastry Shoppe. We have strawberry cakes, strawberry pies, strawberry parfaits, strawberry cream puffs and more. Open Wed - Fri 6AM-5PM, Sat 6AM-3PM, Sun 7AM-1PM. Place your orders today by calling 301-473-8258

Trailside Outfitters holds their Anniversary sale every May, and this year is no exception. If there is something that anyone is looking to get in our shop, the month of May would be the best time. Our Anniversary is our biggest sale event aside from Christmas! Congratulations on your Anniversary, Trailside!!

Saturday, May 31, 2008, BRUNSWICK MAIN STREET Presents A
Patsy Cline Tribute Benefit Concert
Dine & Dance the Night Away with Ruthie Logsdon and her award winning band. Right where it all began.. at the Fire Hall in Historic Brunswick, Maryland

Doors open at 6:30 pm

7-9pm Dinner & DJ hosts classic tunes
9-10pm Patsy Cline Tribute Show
10-11:30pm DJ: Dance to the classics
11:30-12:30 Ruthie and the Wranglers Live Dance Set

Advance Tickets: $45 per person
Tickets at Door: $50 per person
The proceeds will benefit the Firehall, the Food Bank, and Brunswick Main Street. Mother's Day is May 11th, this would be a wonderful gift.

For more information go to www.brunswickmainstreet.org

DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES MAKE THE NEWS!!
NBC CHANNEL 25 NEWS PROGRAM - April 22, 2008
(The following is from the Channel 25 news program - "Brunswick Women Shop Owners". Two women mentioned in the program are GBACC Members.)

BRUNSWICK, MD - Brunswick's one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants have more than just their small-town charm in common. Nearly 20 downtown businesses are owned by women.

"I don't know if it's a coincidence or a sign of the times," says shop owner Melanie DiPasquale.

DiPasquale has owned "Beans in the Belfry" for more than four years. She says the town's female business owners have paved the way for others.

"I've had other female business owners tell me ‘You've showed us the way,’" she says.

Not only are so many businesses in downtown Brunswick run by women, but many are also on Potomac Street.

"I think it's rare, especially in such a consolidated area of businesses," says Traci Giganti, co-owner of the store "Book Crossing."

Being the boss has its benefits, but ’having it all‘ can sometimes be tough.

"It's a struggle at times, but women just do it," Giganti says.

Giganti calls juggling a career and family a balancing act, but says she wouldn't have it any other way.

She adds, "I think it's great that women are showing that we are capable of doing both things."

Brunswick's town pride and spirit are two reasons the women chose to set up shop there.

Giganti says, "I think people are realizing that downtown is coming back to life and it's bringing people who have lived here their whole lives back to downtown."

"I think maybe people are tired of the big box stores and want something a little different," DiPasquale adds.

Whatever the reason for the unique phenomenon in the sleepy town, it's safe to say girl power is alive in the streets of Brunswick.

Here is the web site connection to watch the program: Downtown Business

INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
Complaints and Questions Can Help Your Business Grow
By Lisa Lake

How many mottos for service companies have you heard that claim "We Listen to Customers"? Ignoring customers is like ignoring the brown speckled leaves on your tomato plants. They both feed you. But every business gets customers who complain about a product, service, new look, price hike, or change in policy. Are they just whiners, or have they put some thought into their opinions?

Consider Complaints Carefully

I'm that kind of customer that likes to make suggestions for improvements when I shop. I do it kindly, I believe even intelligently. With a marketing background I can't stop myself.

Be tolerant with this sort of consultant/complainer. My dad is one, too.

Take, for example, the egg department at Mega grocery Store. You could call it scrambled, week after week. The little plastic prices are half broken off the shelves, never repaired. The sign overhead is crammed with more little plastic numbers and undecipherable abbreviations. The whole situation makes me doubt whether they ever change the prices, even though their grocery flyer claims week to week sale prices. At Smaller grocery Store a mile away, they switch out paper signs above the egg racks every week. The simple signs are nicely handwritten on thick colored paper. Disposable. Inexpensive. No-brainer. THIS WEEK! LARGE DOZEN, 99 CENTS. I grab one and head off.

I had to point out the unnecessary egg chaos to management in Mega grocery. The problem? It's much too difficult for the busy shopper to decipher egg prices. The solution? Easy! Apparently he didn't like my telling him how nicely his competitor does it, because he didn't change a thing. (Or ask his vendor to.) But sometimes I get results.

Watch out for the mere grumblers. Those with chronic complainitis.

Every time my family went to dinner with my husband's grandparents, they whined about having to choose between soup OR a salad with the entrée. "You mean you don't get BOTH? Really?"l The grumbling went on for whole minutes, their complaining more acidic than the lemon in their ice tea. Diners all around us ordered with ease and enjoyed their dinners. It had been a long time since restaurants had offered both, especially at your Chicken Fried Steak for $5.99 kind of a place - and they knew it. But Gramma and Grampa were STILL unhappy about it, and always let waitresses know.

So when you get complaints does it mean you made a mistake or that it's time to change a product or policy? Not necessarily. Is the complaint coming from an isolated individual or a very small group of customers? You can't please everyone. You may be pleasing a large group of customers (who you don't hear from) while the same policy brings complaints from a few.

Watch for the Same Question Over and Over.

One of the best gifts your customers can give you just happens to be among the most annoying. From time to time you will notice customer after customer asks the same question.

This happened to my employer when just about everyone who inquired about his press release service wanted to know if they could approve the release before it was sent to thousands of media. Soon after that a new web page paragraph in bold red letters proclaimed, "We send your release to you for your approval BEFORE it goes to media." Sales jumped.

Recurring questions in your business can lead you to correct an oversight. That can give sales an immediate boost.

Ads often declare, "You asked for it. Now we offer Product X!"

Business is, after all, about pleasing customers. Currently I'm "consulting" my grocer on the benefits of reduced-fat salami. Half the fat but excellent taste. Can't they find a vendor please, and soon?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
John Ballos - Brunswick Barber Shop 05/18
Bob Nalewaik - Gallery in the Wood 05/18
Charlotte Klaar - Certified Educational Planner 05/31

*NOTE: Anyone with annoucements for the newsletter please contact 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

May 7, 2008 - GBACC General Meeting, 7:30 am at Green Country Inn, 620 Souder Road, Brunswick.

May 15, 2008 - GBACC Business Card Exchange, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Cripple Creek Antiques, 24 West Potomac St, Brunswick, MD. It will be hosted by Cripple Creek Antiques and Sponsored by Bellwether Printing and Cripple Creek Antiques. For more information email Mary Nix at mfx639@yahoo.com or phone 301-834-5591 or call Jerry at 301-834-5774.

Join us for an evening of networking, light refreshments and door prizes. www.cripplecreek2.com

Sincerely,

Traci Giganti
Greater Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce Secretary