8/25/08
Red Bank RiverCenter Newsletter | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to Red Bank RiverCenter
We hope that everyone is enjoying their last week of summer! Soon the kids will be back at school and the crisp autumn air will return. Nancy is on vacation this week and I have been given the task of putting together the newsletter which I hope you will find informative.
Thank you to all who sent us feedback on this year's Sidewalk Sale. Suggestions and comments included: free parking is key to the success of this weekend, have StreetLife performers for the entire weekend, hold event more than once a year, businesses should be open for Sidewalk Sale hours rather than their own business hours, have store employees park in the lots and leave street parking for customers, businesses need to come out earlier, stores must do their own marketing in addition to RiverCenter, and signage is needed on street corners letting customers know that other streets are participating.
Congratulations to Ten Thousand Villages who almost doubled their foot traffic from the 2007 Sidewalk Sale to this year (703 visitors in 2008 vs. 380 visitors in 2007).
Remember, if you have news for RiverCenter to publish in the newsletter, please send an email to exdirector@rbrivercenter.com and we would be glad to promote your special sales or events.
Happy Labor Day!
Best regards,
Valerie Ryan, Program Manager |
|
| Programs & Services
 Co-op Ad Opportunity for the Holidays!! RiverCenter is reserving space in the 2008 Holiday Issue Gift Guide, in New Jersey Life Magazine for a cooperative ad. The ad consists of 24 spots for businesses to showcase their must-have gifts for the season. We are hopeful that this advertising spread in the Gift Guide, especially with the accompanying editorial on Red Bank in the "NJ Life Weekending" section, will entice shoppers to come to town for Holiday shopping. We have negotiated a price with NJ Life Magazine that you wouldn't be able to take advantage of without RiverCenter's non-profit status. The following businesses will be participating: Agostino Antiques, Bark Avenue, Better Housekeeping Shop, Carolyn Roche Designs, Carter & Cavero, Chetkin Gallery, CoCo Pari, Fameabilia, femme d'affaires, Hamilton Jewelers, Hobbymasters, Little Willow, McKay Imaging, Sassy Chic Boutique, The Bees Knees Boutique and Vera Donna. If you're interested in participating, the deadline is September 4th. Contact Heili Sillard at 732-367-0347 (office); 732-267-2872 (cell) or Heili@newjerseylife.com.
 Dine Downtown: On Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the month of October, seventeen participating restaurants will offer a price fixe menu that includes an appetizer, entree and dessert (excludes beverages, tax and gratuities.) There will be two price fixe levels and the following restaurants will be participating.
$25.00
- 2 Senza, Basil T's Brewery & Italian Grill, Bienvenue Restaurant, Dish, La Pastaria, Molly Pitcher Inn*, New Corner Restaurant, Osteria Dante, Red, Restaurant & Lounge**, The Downtown
$30.00
- Buona Sera, Danny's Steakhouse, Dublin House, Gaetano's,
The Bistro, The Melting Pot, Thyme Square
*Jackets Required after 5PM
**Wednesdays Only
The Asbury Park Press High School Football Tab is back for September. Show your school spirit and support the local high schools, the Red Bank Regional "Bucaneers" and the Red Bank Catholic's "Caseys" by placing an ad. Three levels are available at pricing of $80, $112.50 and $212.50. The deadline to participate is August 28th and the section will come out in the paper on September 11th. Please contact Eileen Colelli at the Asbury Park Press at (732) 643-3766. |
| Business to Business
 Labor Day Sale! Big sale at Little Willow, 64 White Street, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the holiday weekend. Stop by and pick up some natural baby products and accessories. Look for Little Willow in their new location soon; they're moving east on White Street to number 32! To see their natural baby products go to www.littlewillowbaby.com.
Grand Re-Opening! Internationally renowned hair artist and hair educator, Mark Schwartz, has announced Schwartz Salon, 17 Monmouth Street, as the permanent home of his unique salon and services. To celebrate, a grand re-opening event on Friday, September 19th is planned. Festivities include a ribbon cutting ceremony with Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna at 4:00PM and a Cocktail Party from 4:30PM to 6:30PM. Both are open to the public. Special 10% off any service for Red Bank employees and business owners. For more information and other client appreciation specials, please call the salon at (732) 741-7337.
Grand Opening! S. Rutkay, an Italian designer, is launching his first high couture store in Red Bank in early September. Balizza Boutique, 48 Broad Street, will include a unique line of ladies apparel, bags and accessories that are produced in Istanbul, Turkey. Welcome!
New Business! Welcome to new Red Bank business  owners Laura and Caryn Ciccone, sisters who are opening Bark Avenue, 4 West Front Street, at the end of August. The store specializes in toy and teacup puppies and the latest designer breeds. The sisters also have another location in Malibu, CA. They will carry only about 12 puppies at a time, which are hand-selected from the quality breeders they've been working with for years. Bark Avenue will have an on-site veterinarian, with veterinarian technicians working around the clock to supervise the puppies' care. The store also offers a full line of clothing and accessories for all sized dogs, even large dogs; but does not offer dog grooming. (Bark Avenue suggests people contact Paw Palace on West Front St. for dog grooming.) For more information call 732-741-4175 or go to www.barkavenuepuppies.com.
Meet & Taste! Come out to Carter & Cavero to meet their expert olive oil taster: Cesar Colliga. Cesar will be visiting Red Bank and is looking forward to giving complimentary olive oil tasting lessons and making recommendations for you! Visit the store on Tuesday (08/26), Wednesday (08/27) and Thursday (08/28) from 11:00am until 6:00pm or call for more information at (732) 219-0506. |
| Membership News
Holiday Extravaganza! RiverCenter is looking for committee members to help out with our Holiday Events to include the Town Lighting, Holiday Express concert on November 28th and other holiday activities. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 16th, 9:00AM, here at RiverCenter. If interested, please contact Valerie.
The Red Bank Business Owners Networking Message Board has been kind of quiet lately! This is a great forum to privately discuss any issues, trade products, network with fellow business owners or just be social. This message board is closed to the press and public. To join, you must register at www.redbankowners.darkbb.com and contact the staff of RiverCenter to confirm you are a Red Bank business owner and approve your registration. We firmly believe that networking and communication among the businesses of Red Bank is one of the keys to success!
Calling All Volunteers! RiverCenter is looking for  volunteers to help with a variety of duties at our office. Duties may include envelope stuffing, business visits, phone calls, data entry and more. Computer experience is extremely helpful but not necessary for the wide variety of volunteer work needed. Office hours are 9-5, Monday through Friday and occasional nights/weekends for events. Please call Harriet Cook or send an email to rivercenter@rbrivercenter.com for more information and to volunteer!
Interested in being part of a fun, exciting committee? RiverCenter is looking for people with fresh and new ideas for our annual Holiday Decorations Fundraiser as each year we try to make it bigger and better. The planning will begin in September, so please contact Valerie at RiverCenter if you are interested in being part of the holiday fun. |
| Community Partners
The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office and Greater Media, Inc. are proud to announce the Child/Adult Safety Fair. The safety fair will be held on Sunday, September 21st from 11AM to 2PM at Ocean Township High School on West Park Avenue. The goal is to provide as much training and safety information to as many families in Monmouth County as possible. Programs being offered that day include: Ident Adult, Special Person I.D., Aces 911, Reach for Your Dreams, Project Lifesaver, Seek 9-1-1, Safe C.A.R.G.O., Child ID Program, Fire Safety, Bike Rodeo, Dive Team, K9 Unit, Cyber Bullying, Together We Prepare and Blood Pressure Screening. | |
|
|
Events
Last Weekend! Saturday, August 30th, 7PM-10PM. Sponsored by Bank of America. Performers are at five locations throughout the district providing live music
Farmers Market,
The Galleria Sundays, 9AM-2PM through October. Parking lot at Bridge Ave./West Front Street. For more information call (732) 530-7300
Red Bank Street Fair
Sunday, September 7th, 11:00AM-5:00PM. Broad and Monmouth Streets. For more information call (908) 654-1400 or visit www.streetfairs.org.
Red Bank Town Wide
Yard Sale
Saturday, September 20th For more information call Audrey at (732) 747-4642.
Dine Downtown
Price Fixe menus at participating restaurants on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the month of October, beginning on Wednesday, October 1st.
Click here for more information |
| Tips for Businesses
Reinventing Your Business*
No Joe's Cafe owner Mike Tierney was interviewed this past week in the TriCity News and was asked what was the most common mistake made by business owners. His response was, "What is the common mistake? I don't know. I don't watch others. I'm just always changing. I rethink and I rethink and I rethink what I'm doing."
The need to reinvent one's business is a natural, reoccurring event that must happen if you are going to stay ahead of your competition, and keep amazing your customers. Reinvention is NOT an optional activity. Especially in today's economy!
Reinventing your single business is easier than reinventing an entire chain. It's not easy to go through this economic turmoil, but foundational changes are necessary to keep strong in economic downturns. Just tweaking a little part of your business here and cutting back on expenses, without making foundational changes to your business model WILL NOT help your business accelerate in sales!
Many of you are taking steps in your businesses during these tougher economic times. Tools, technologies, promotions, and marketing tactics that you've never had to use before are now essential in order to bring people to your businesses.
Of course, many of you are realizing that it takes more than just one thing to cause your business to grow in sales. Reinvention is not a one-time thing, especially with consumers who are holding on more tightly to their pocketbooks.
Consumers today must be convinced that your business is THE ONE PLACE where they should go and part with their cash.
That's part of becoming a Destination to consumers. Standing still, riding this out, or declaring your business as underperforming is NOT an option. But creating a new vision for your business, where it can go, and where it becomes more important to consumers, is your task at hand. *(excerpted from an article by Jon Schallert) |
Lost & Found
Set of keys lost in the area between Buona Sera and the Red Bank Train Station on Thursday, 08/21. If found, please call RiverCenter or the Red Bank Police Station. |
Stormin' Norman Reunites with The Creators of S.O.A.P.
(Sound Of Asbury Park)
Norman Seldin, husband of Jamey Seldin, who owns Seldin's Trinkets, 2 West Front St., will play August 29th at the Stone Pony, Asbury Park.
For more information and to read his article in the Asbury Park Press, click here. | |
| Nancy Adams, Executive Director, exdirector@rbrivercenter.com
Red Bank RiverCenter, 20 Broad Street, Red Bank 07701 732-842-4244
|
|
|
