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Emporia Main Street Calendar of Events |  | |
February 22
Business Enhancement Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office.
Home Based Business Meeting
12:30 p.m. in the Emporia Main Street office.
March 17
St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Emporia
April 1-4
National Main Street Conference- Baltimore, MD
April 13-15
Glass Blown Open Disc Golf Tournament by Dynamic Discs
April 19-20
Kansas Main Street Quarterly Training, Dodge City
April 21
The Taste
Civic Auditorium
May 19
Downtown Car Show by the Flatland Cruisers
June 2
The Dirty Kanza
June 9th
Symphony in the Flint Hills
Do you have an upcoming event for your business or organization? Let Emporia Main Street know and we may include it on our upcoming calendars!
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| General Level Members | |
AKA Marketing/The Sports Fan
Amanda's Bakery
Applebee's
Ash, LLC.
Atherton & Huth Attorney at Law
Barden & Thompson
Bath Expressions
Bennett Dental Group
Best Western Hospitality House
Brown's Shoe Fit Co.
C & J Woodworks
Cable One
Cable One Advertising
Capitol Federal
Cassell Insurance
Chester Press, Inc.
Clark Carpet & Tile
Coffelt Sign Co.
Commercial Street Diner
Complete Works
Country Mart/Price Chopper
Dan's Hands
Dorsey & Wise Family Eye Care
Douglas Chiropractic Center
Dynamic Disks
Emporia Chamber of Commerce
Emporia State Federal Credit Union
ESU Memorial Union
E-Town Solutions
First Community Bank
Flint Hills Eye Care Associates
Flint Hills Lanes
Flint Hills Music
Flint Hills Tech College
Flint Hills Mall
Forget Me Not Productions
Four Seasons Apartments
Furniture Loft
Genesis Health Club
George Groh & Sons
Gerald Schumann Electric
Glendo
Granada Coffee Company
Granada Plaza & Lofts
Graves Drug Store
Hair Krafters
Helbert & Allemang Attorney's at Law
High Gear Cyclery
Hornet Residential
IM Design Group
Inno-Vest Corporation
Java Cat 5
Jimmy John's
Kansas Radio 96.1 The Wave
Kari's Diamonds by Design
KISS 103.1
Krueger & Williams Law Office
L & L Pets
Little Acorns
Little Caesers Pizza
Lyon County State Bank
Lyon County Title
Marion National Bank
Mark II Lumber
Mathis Physical Therapy
McDonald's on 6th Ave.
McKinzie Pest Control
Menu Foods Midwest Corp.
Midas Touch Golden Tans
Modern Air Conditioning
Muckenthaler, Inc.
Nature's Paradise
Navrat's Office Products
Pizza Ranch
Plum Bazaar
Poehler Mercantile
Pool & Wright
Prairie Sage Apartments
Prairie Land Partners
Pro Cuts
Redi Upholstry
Redline Trucking
Ru Yi
Sauder Custom Fabrication
Scheller's Lawn & Landscape
Simmons Pet Food
SS Graham Insurance Agency
Stanley Jewelry
Studio 11
Subway
Sunflower Gymnastics
Symmonds & Symmonds Attorney at Law
The Help Desk
The Henrikson Team
The Medicine Shoppe
The Sweet Granada
The Villiger
The White Rose Inn
Thompson Auto Repair
Toso Appraisal Service
Total Technology, LLC
Town Crier Bookstore
Town Royal
Verona Grill and Pizzeria
Wash House
Water's True Value
Westar Energy
Wheat State Pizza
Williams Automotive
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| Non-Profit Level Members | |
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Community Theatre of Emporia
Corner House
Emporia Arts Council
Emporia Farmer's Market
Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance
Emporia High School Future Business Leaders of America
Emporia Public Library
ESU Foundation
Small Business Development Center
First Presbyterian Church
Flint Hills Optimists Club
Jayhawk Area Council (Scouts)
Lyon County Historical Society
National Teachers Hall of Fame
Plumb Place
The United Way |
| Home Based Level Members | |
Boyzen Bunny Fiber Arts- Tracey Graham
Energy Innovators
Family Jewels-
Leticia Rust
Gold Canyon Candle- Stephanie Morgan
Green Door Recycling- Amy Becker
Independant Longaberger Consultant- Judith Dieker
Interdependent Web- Ben Stallings
Joe the Furniture Doctor- Joe Kurzen
Kynda Kreative- Amanda Mendoza
Mary Kay- Brenda Braynard
Pampered Chef- Chelsea Gerleman
Patti Cakes- Patti Lipson
Paula's Creations
Paula Roper
Premier Designs Jewelry- Nikki Simmons
RossTography
Mike Ross
Scentsy- Deann Rose
Scentsy- Kelly Long
Stampin-Up
Darcy Johnson
Tastefully Simple- Vanessa Apodaca
Thirty-One Gifts
Linsey Hopkins
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| Individual Supporters | |
Anne Strobel
Brad Harzman
Dale and Carolyn Davis
Erin Woods
Fred and Patricia Gilligan
Julie Johnson
Kayla Oney
Mark & Amy McAnarney
Mary & Tim Helmer
Matt & Val Zimmerman
Pam & Fred Stephenson
Peggy Mast
Rob Gilligan
Sue Blechl
Tyler and Melanie Curtis
Victoria Partridge |
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Emporia Main Street E- Newsletter |
Greetings!
Thank you for supporting Emporia Main Street. |
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St. Patrick's Day Activities
For information on the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 17th at 1:00 p.m. in downtown Emporia, CLICK HERE!
Click HERE for the release form |
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Glass Blown Open and Moonlight Madness
Click HEREfor more information on the Glass Blown Open Disc Golf Tournament
On Saturday, April 14th, we will have our next late night shopping event from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. in conjunction with the Glass Blown Open Players Party. So far, the following businesses have agreed to stay open late:
The Emporia Arts Council
AKA The Sports Fan
The Rainy Rose
Total Technologies
Jimmy Johns
The Sweet Granada
The Granada Coffee Company
Stampin Up
Dyanmic Discs
Kynda Kreative
Furniture Loft
Plum Bazaar
Family Jewels
L & L Pets
Pampered Chef
KISS 103.1 FM
Joe the Furniture Doctor
Scentsy
Java Cat
Dan's Hands
Paula's Creations
Brown's Shoe Fit
Do you want to open late and take advantage of the opportunities that several hundred disc golfers and community member shoppers provide? Contact Emporia Main Street! |
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The Taste is April 21 at the Civic Auditorium in Downtown Emporia. Last year, we sold out of Tickets... We want to make sure that YOU have the first chance to purchase Taste Tickets, so you can either contact the Emporia Main Street office, or click HERE for the on-line purchase option! |
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Great Emporia Mainstreet Race
April 14, 2012
*Over $10,000 in Cash and Prizes
KISS 103.1 FM and KSNP 97.7 the Dawg are teaming up with Emporia Mainstreet and Emporia Mainstreet businesses this spring to host the first Great Emporia Mainstreet Race. Semi-finalist teams of two, chosen from our entry location sponsors on March 16th will participate in various events for a race for the cash on Saturday, April 14th, 2012. This is the same day as the Glass Blown Open and Midnight Madness.
Beginning on Monday, March 19thand thru April 6th, listeners will be directed to visit Mainstreet Emporia participating businesses to vote for the top 10 semi finalists. Top 10 semi finalists will be named on Monday, April 9th. These top 10 semi finalists, along with a partner of their choice will compete in the April 14th race for the grand prize of $10,000. These 40 semi-finalists will be encouraging all of their friends, family, and contacts to visit Emporia Mainstreet businesses to vote for them, so they can participate in the Race.
*based on 50 Emporia Mainstreet Participating Businesses at $200.
In addition to the voting process, each day KISS 103.1 and 97.7 The Dawg will provide clues to the business/businesses of the day for that day on both our website and morning shows. The first person to arrive at the featured business/businesses that day and "check in" receives a prize/gift certificate from that business, ($25 value). At the end of the promotion, the person with the most "checked in's" wins $1,000 cash.
Great Mainstreet Emporia Race April 14
The race will be held the same day as the Glass Blown Open and Moonlight Madness, and will be modeled after the television program - Amazing Race.
Participants will be required to collect their first event challenge at the starting location, (Base) and proceed to the event location where they will be required to perform a challenge. Once completed teams will receive a completion certificate and return to Base for their next event challenge clue.
We will have approximately 6 to 10 challenges/events set up. The team across the finish line first will win $10,000 cash, ($5,000 per person). (This is based on 50 Mainstreet Emporia member businesses participating at $200 each)
A complete set of rules will be posted at www.kiss1031.net and www.977thedawg.com.
All participating Mainstreet Emporia businesses will also be included on a rotating banner on both KEKS and KSNP websites throughout the promotion and 50 radio spots to be used to promote their business.
We are hoping to make this an annual event. This promotion should drive an enormous amount of incremental traffic to entry location sponsors as well as Emporia Mainstreet member businesses. Everyone in Emporia will be wanting to register at entry location businesses to become a participant in the race as well as visiting Mainstreet member businesses to vote for the top 10 semi finalists and win "Business of the Day" prizes or gift certificates.
If you are interested in participating in this fantastic promotion please contact Don at KISS 103.1 FM by emailing him at don@mytown-media.com or by phone at 620-875-9442.
If we have more than 50 Emporia Mainstreet Businesses we will increase the amount of the cash prizes. If we have less than 50, the cash prize will reflect 100% of the businesses $200 promotion registration.
Any business interested in also becoming an entry location to secure the semi-finalists may call or email Don at the radio station. We have room for approximately 20 additional entry locations. Entry location boxes will be distributed Monday, February 20th and be collected on March 14th. Entry location sponsors also receive 80 spots to use to promote their own business.
Call or email now to be included in this huge Emporia promotion.
Don Schlesselman
Station Manager
KISS 103.1 FM
Emporia's #1 Hit Music Station
541A Sherman
Emporia KS 66801
(620) 343-6144 office
(620) 875-9442 cell
www.kiss1031.net
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"3rd Annual Kansas Hunting & Fishing Expo"....March 3rd & 4th . Activities for all ages. |
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Is it Time to Join the MOB?
 | | No, not THESE GUYS... A CASH MOB! |
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We love the input we get from members. As an organization that moves quickly, we often get suggestions from the community, letters with ideas and e-mail links with the caption "I think this would be great for Emporia." It's rare though, that we receive links from four different people on the same exact topic within a few days of each other. Thus is the popularity of the CASH MOB.
What is a CASH MOB?- There are several variations of the Mob, but they all revolve around the same principles. People agree to show up at a set time at a set store (or group of stores) and spend money. In some instances, cash mobs are built around a very finite time frame and ask individuals to spend a minimum of $20. Others resemble what we've done locally with the Midnight Madness concept- a shopping intensive atmosphere outside of normal shopping hours.
How do people get the word out?- Through a combination of media. Most people think that a Cash Mob is strictly advertised through social media like Facebook or Twitter. While those social media pieces are certainly important to generating a Mob Mentality, don't sell traditional media short. Newspapers, radio, TV ads and even direct mail can be used to drive a mob to your door. Generally, a combination effect that focuses on your existing customers works best.
Do these things actually make money, or are we just giving everything away??? That's the beautiful thing about a CASH MOB, they are designed to reinforce supporting a local business (or local businesses). While it's great to offer food, drawings or other incentives, the goal of the Mob is to show support for locally owned stores or restaurants. Many people have started to figure out that virtually all new net jobs created in the United States since 1980 have come from entrepreneurial businesses. So, although the big guys get all the attention, your neighbor small businesses are what's actually making the economy run.
OK, can we have our own CASH MOB already???- Patience young grasshopper.... Actually, you can click HERE for a new Facebook page called "Emporia Cash Mob". "Like" the page and "share" it with your friends. We can promote larger "MOB" events like the Moonlight Madness on April 14th, but once sufficient people "like" the Facebook page, we encourage you to start planning your own CASH MOB event. Just remember to utilize local media, have a well planned event, focus on your existing customers first and highlight the importance of supporting small businesses through THE MOB...
Any other questions? Click the links below for more MOB info.
http://now.msn.com/money/0224-cash-mob-money.aspx
http://riverhead.patch.com/articles/close-to-40-cash-mobbers-hit-main-street-businesses
http://ireader.olivesoftware.com/Olive/iReader/KCS/SharedArticle.ashx?document=KCS%5C2012%5C01%5C20&article=Ar01001
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/15/tagblogsfindlawcom2012-freeenterprise-idUS93294869820120215
A big thanks to Julie Johnson (Main Street Board Member), Jan Jeffries (ESB Financial), Michelle Belli (of Black Heart House of Art) and Erin Woods (of Four Seasons) for recommending the links above!
Emporia Main Street is working hard to give you and your business  more assets to achieve success. Whether we are working to provide access to new development opportunities, making you aware of new incentives or simply creating events that help your cash registers ring, we know that you value tangible results. We hope that our efforts help you achieve your business goals. Over the next few months, Emporia Main Street will roll out a series of new products and programs to encourage economic diversity and business success in Emporia. Any help, guidance and support you can provide as we continue to push towards a better Emporia is greatly appreciated.
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Did you know? Answers to YOUR questions...
Last week, we met early Monday morning with a potential developer that may use historic tax credits (that didn't take long...), we received a "yes"
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Dr. Jim Stephens from the Small Business Development Center at ESU teaches a section of the Start Your Own Business class, because you can't tell if a business concept will work if you don't understand the market... |
from the Convention and Visitors Bureau in regards to participating in a community Mobile App creation plan, we met with the Emporia Recreation Commission to discuss upcoming athletic based events, we met with the new representative to discuss high-speed Internet access in Emporia, we hosted a Business Enhancement Meeting, we held a Home Based Business Meeting, we met with an investment group looking at downtown projects, we had a conference call with venture capitol representatives, we held a site visit with an expanding local business, we met with a local media representative that wanted to tell us how great he thought things were in downtown Emporia (he was from Topeka), we met with a developer working on a project outside of the downtown about leveraged financing and we met with a couple of individuals in alcohol distribution about The Taste. Last week was busy, but this week is crazy! That's ok... Through our interactions, we always get good questions from you!
1. "Does the Historic District completion mean we can now use tax credits/grants?" From several people. Contributing buildings can start the process of applying for tax credits or certain grants on qualifying projects. From a state perspective, historic tax credits can be used on projects over $5,000 in contributing buildings on qualifying expenses. To initiate the tax credit process, building owners must complete three separate forms. Part one states the historic or contributing nature of a building. Part two indicates what your building projects are. Part three indicates that you completed the projects. An amendment form exists to facilitate any project changes. Your project will be subject to review by the state, but if you work within guidelines, this could provide you with additional assets for your building. Grants have their own time schedules, so please contact Emporia Main Street with questions. I'm not saying we know everything, but we will certainly try to connect you with people that can help.
2. "Where did you get all the old pictures from?" From a few Facebook fans. Roger Heineken and John Kretsinger provided a number of "new" old photographs of Emporia's history. Although looking at the historical photos was interesting, it was even more interesting to view the reactions of people commenting on the photos and the album. Community youth were experiencing some of our past wonders for the first time and confirming rumors (there were REALLY monkey's on a monkey island). People that moved away years ago expressed home sickness and stated their intention for a visit. Others were shocked that some of the pictured buildings were torn down in the name of "progress" and imagined what Emporia would be like if we maintained some of our architecture. It was neat to witness citizens educating other citizens. Do you want to view some of Emporia's past? Click HERE and make sure you "like", "share" and "comment" on the album.
3. "What programs are out there for my (our) development?" From two separate groups last week. It depends... What are you doing? Where are you located? What is your time frame? One of the reasons we are here is to help maximize your investment in the Emporia community. We attempt to achieve this by making you aware of different programs, research and other information that can be beneficial to the long term success of a project. You can choose what you take advantage of and what you don't, but most developers choose to reinvest in projects when programs are available. More reinvestment (or decreased net costs) lead to better quality and more viable investments.
4. "Can I come to The Taste if I'm not 21?" From a younger community member. Nope. Sorry... It's just easier to ensure that everyone is safe and we don't run into any alcohol related issues if everyone is of age.
5. "Has anyone ever done a project like this?" From a few people we are working with on potential projects. Sometimes yes, but a lot of the time lately we find ourselves out in new territory. That's not necessarily a bad thing. The way project decisions are made now reflects a networked or "crowd sourcing" mentality. This quick and multifaceted decision making process isn't always popular (as I'm finding out). But, that's the way it goes... Main Street is here, first and foremost, to create a positive measurable impact. Sometimes that means moving fast. Sometimes that means doing things in a way that hasn't been done before (at least locally). In a community that wants to improve, we need to work towards modern decision making based on measurable impacts. That's how we get better. Singles may not be as flashy as a home run, but they sure move people around the bases... |
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The volunteers, members and staff of Emporia Main Street are working extremely hard to improve our business climate and build a successful community. In short, we are working hard FOR YOU! We appreciate your support, and we will continue to aggressively pursue opportunities to benefit our membership in the future. Because, as we all know: small steps lead to BIG impacts!
Have a question? Submit it to the Emporia Main Street office and we'll do our best to help you! |
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