Local Businesses Look Forward to New Successes in 2010

As 2009 winds down, local businesses are welcoming the holiday break but looking forward to the promises of 2010.

Bikas Building of North Carolina LLC in Durham will announce two new healthcare construction projects in January, and Vacuum Cleaner Hospital in Chapel Hill has just reduced prices on Riccar and Lindhaus floor models to make room for new models. (These reduced-price floor models will make great holiday gifts.) The store will be open through Christmas Eve, and closes Dec. 25-27.

Crossroads European Automotive in Durham is taking time off for the holidays Dec. 22-Jan. 4, but will return all incoming calls during the break. The staff recommends Dave’s Towing at (919)for anyone who needs such services. 544-7152

Carolina Closets Plus is expanding to Winston-Salem. Co-founder and president Mike hoffer says the company will partner with Granicrete to accomplish the expansion. “We offer Granicrete countertops to all of our clients who want the look of granite that can be customized to any color,” Hoffer says. “We’ve already done business in Winston-Salem and have just been able to secure a showroom to showcase our closet and organization offering. We’re really excited to be able to add another location to our existing areas of business,” which also includes Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Southern Pines, Fayetteville and Greensboro in addition Winston-Salem. The new showroom will open early next spring.

University Mall in Chapel Hill is donning a new interior look this holiday season. Families are also enjoying visiting with Santa and listening to local musicians play holiday favorites while they finish up their shopping. While you’re at the mall, stop by Turning Point Gallery. Nearly everything is on sale.

Triangle TRACKS has a loaded holiday calendar, plus more children’s events to look forward to in January. The ArtsCenter in Carrboro also has plenty of educational fun in store for local youth – art classes, concerts, theater productions, family programs and gallery exhibits, for example. We’ll offer additional details on that next month. You can also find upcoming ArtsCenter events for children on the Triangle TRACKS calendar.

Author Anne Pierce’s “Ships Without a Shore” makes an insightful holiday gift for new parents on your list, and has generated buzz on various parenting blogs. Purchase a copy online here, and check out a few comments about the book here.

We’ll post more information in January on how local businesses serve new residents of Chapel Hill and beyond. Happy holidays!

Fall Celebrations, New Additions and Holiday Preparations Breeze Through Chapel Hill

Celebrations and new construction projects are coursing through Chapel Hill this month. The 2ndFriday ArtWalk’s network of galleries celebrated their 100th event Oct. 9, surpassing 1 million visitors since the late Karen Shelton, owner of Sizl Gallery in Carrboro, and Garry Meldrum, co-owner of Turning Point Gallery in University Mall and founder of Business Value Creation LLC, held the very first 2ndFriday ArtWalk nine years ago. Just in time for the 101st ArtWalk next month, The ArtsCenter in Carrboro will take over 2ndFriday ArtWalk operations with a mission to invest the brand in the further development of the local arts community.

“Given The ArtsCenter’s mission to nurture the arts through performance, exhibition and education, we certainly embrace the goals of the 2ndFriday ArtWalk to encourage and support the visual arts in all its many forms. We are excited to take the helm of one of the most successful exhibitions in the country,” says Executive Director Ed Camp. “Our vision is to make certain that anyone who thinks of the artistic community in our area thinks of The ArtsCenter as an important part of that community.”

The ArtsCenter is a non-profit organization with a mission of nurturing the arts and creativity through performance, education and exhibition. “We do this in a number of ways across all sorts of artistic expression—from theater to concerts to children's programs to over 170 art classes,” Camp says. For details on how the ArtsCenter achieves this mission, visit www.artscenterlive.org .
During the 100th 2ndFriday ArtWalk celebration, Turning Point Gallery featured 100 pieces of Raku work created by returning Turning featured artist, Joyce Furney of Kansas, who makes spectacular metallic luster raku pottery. Raku is now generally accepted to mean a method of rapid firing and cooling of ceramic ware.

New Additions
Turning Point Gallery patrons and other University Mall shoppers will soon experience the completion of a multi-million-dollar interior renovation project that is expected to wind down in November. It incorporates new lighting, furniture, paint and some flooring; new signs, and the installation of new sculptural art elements. On the western side of the mall, a new modular stage will be added near Dillard’s featuring theatrical lighting, a new sound system and seating areas. Just in time for the holidays!

Bikas Building of North Carolina LLC continues to build business offices, health care facilities, and medical, dental and retail spaces. Recently, the company constructed a different kind of addition by hiring Keith Hill as Project Manager/Estimator and Lisa Herrington to serve as its Director of Business Development. Owner Pete Bikas believes Lisa will bring a passion for problem-solving and exceptional service to the building industry. “Adding Lisa Herrington to our team is creating new insights and opportunities in the health care industry,” Bikas says. “We appreciate Lisa’s contributions.”

Reality Break
Transition from the actual construction and real estate industry to a theatrical one with Deep Dish Theatre’s presentation of “Glengarry Glen Ross,” a play written by David Mamet and directed by Paul Frellick that runs Oct. 23-Nov. 14. This Pulitzer prize-winning comedy focuses on the current tough economic times and a cutthroat sales contest that brings out the worst in a group of unscrupulous real estate salesmen.

Triangle TRACKS has compiled a list of performing arts options for children this fall that extends into the holiday season. From Disney on Ice “Worlds of Fantasy” to Carolina Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” families have plenty of theatrical performances to choose from across the region. View a list and description of the shows at this link.

A number of events posted on the Triangle TRACKS calendar benefit children who attend year-round public schools in Wake County, since many of those families often have time during the week to do fun things together. Students attending year-round school still log the same number of days and hours as traditional-schedule students. However, North Carolina educators haven't ruled out extending the school year. Recent discussion among the North Carolina State Board of Education members to consider extending the school year in terms of days and hours actually subsided due to state budget shortfalls. Anne R. Pierce, author of “Ships Without a Shore” comments throughout her book and in additional writings that the cons of a longer school year out weigh the pros. In a recent blog post she wrote: “Although longer school years and school days might provide a service to some parents and provide more time for ‘information absorption,’ they will come at the expense of childhood development. For, they will come at the expense of family time, downtime and nurturing, all of which are essential to a child’s emotional growth. And, they will come at the expense of opportunities to play, daydream, think and explore, all of which are essential for a child’s intellectual growth.”

Gear Up for the Holidays
Equally important to enjoying holiday shows and other sources of entertainment is holiday shopping. We all have a “clean freak” on our list. Central Vacuum Experts, a division of Vacuum Cleaner Hospital in Chapel Hill, has the perfect gift for that person. The extremely quite and high-tech Cyclovac central vacuum system features an electric hose that reveals when the bag needs to be changed or the unit needs to be serviced, and the user can reduce or increase suction depending on the type of vacuuming being done. Central Vacuum Expert’s wool dusters, which extend up to 25 inches, also make great gifts. As the holidays approach and we prepare for family and other houseguests, it’s also a good time to service your current vacuum.

Why not service your car as the holidays and colder weather approach as well? RTP-based Crossroads European employs master technicians who specialize in BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon and Audi vehicles.
As a new resident of Chapel Hill, count on the New Resident Solutions Community Connections blog to keep you informed of businesses looking out for you, as well holiday happenings in the coming months. As always, thank you for reading and we hope you’ll continue to check back here for our updates.

Recession Investments: Quality Time, Better Homes and Good Health

An interesting—and not terribly surprising—phenomenon is sweeping across our nation as the economic recession continues. People are spending more time at home—and together. They’re also working harder to improve their personal health.

Improving How We Spend Time Together

A Jan. 31 New York Times article stated that studies show “when a job is harder to find or less lucrative, people spend more time on self-improvement and relatively inexpensive amusements. During the Depression of the 1930s, that meant listening to the radio and playing parlor and board games, sometimes in lieu of a glamorous night on the town. These stay-at-home tendencies persisted through at least the 1950s.”

Clearly, stay-at-home tendencies have returned. One upside of American families not having a lot of spending money right now—or not spending the money they do have—is they are spending more time together. Modern inexpensive amusements may include Internet exploring, playing the Wii, or watching a movie on cable or satellite. Free museum exhibits and activities are also popular and rank among the most widely visited calendar postings on family-oriented social networks, such as Triangle TRACKS. Nearly 50 percent of the site’s unique page views can be tracked to the calendar, indicating the popularity of family friendly events right now.

The benefits of this quality time, especially to young children, are numerous. Anne R. Pierce, author of “Ships Without a Shore” (now in paperback), emphasizes the importance of a loving family environment to a child’s well being.

“Reason, common sense, instinct and the ‘evidence’ all point to the fact that children thrive upon love,” she writes. “And, since their parents are the ones who love them most, it makes sense that time spent with parents makes a huge difference in children’s’ lives.”

Improving Where We Spend Time Together

Another trend resulting from the recession is homeowners’ desire to make affordable value-adding home improvements. After all, it’s hard to compete with affordable, foreclosed and bank-owned properties in this buyers’ market. Making a home marketable makes sense—and cents.

Carolina Closets Plus’ booth at the Southern Ideal Homeshow in Raleigh Sept. 25-27 will display all sorts of ideas for little—and big—value-boosting home improvements. For starters, the company will display European soft-close drawer slides at the show—a standard feature of all home office and drawer installations. “We like to give our customers as many value added features as we can. We don’t add to the price for any of these,” says Co-founder and President Mike Hoffer. “It’s what I would want for my job and I see no reason not to give the same upgrades to everyone.” You can view a YouTube video of how the slides work here.

A space-saving and simplifying home improvement Carolina Closets Plus also offers is the Murphy Desk Bed. “The Murphy disappearing desk bed is one of the best uses of space that I’ve come across,” Hoffer says. “Some rooms are simply not big enough for a traditional Murphy wall bed and a separate desk. This really solves the entire problem.”

Central Vacuum Experts, a division of Vacuum Cleaner Hospital will also host a booth at the Southern Ideal Home Show. Since maintaining a simplified, cleaner and more organized home makes spending time there more enjoyable, sales have picked up on home appliances such as vacuum cleaners. Central Vacuum Experts’ booth will be featuring the Hide-A-Hose central vacuum system that sucks the hose right in the wall for storage purposes. The vacpan (dust pan connected to your central vac) and accessory products will be on display as well as the latest products from brand names such as Miele, Eureka, Dyson, Lindhaus and Sanitaire.

Another benefit of making home improvements right now comes directly from the federal government. President Obama's February 2009 economic stimulus package includes tax credits for homeowners who invest in energy-efficient home improvements. Qualifying garage doors, for example, can net up to $1,500, and you’ll save on your next power bill as well. Learn more about that here.

Improving How We Live Our Lives

Americans also look inward to improve their personal health during difficult economic times. The New York Times article cited above referenced a 2003 paper titled “Healthy Living in Hard Times” by UNC-Greensboro economist Christopher J. Ruhm, who found that the death rate actually falls as unemployment rises, to the tune of a 1-percent increase in the unemployment rate coordinating with a 0.5-percent decrease in the death rate. It seems people experiencing economic difficulties seek to manage what they actually can control, and personal health is one of those things.

Carolina Closets Plus offers a cleaner living program for children’s’ spaces in homes, day cares and other areas, which helps create a healthier environment. “There are a lot of HEPA filter systems on the market but none of them are the quality of the Beam system,” Hoffer says. “It’s made by Electrolux, the world leader in clean air living. It’s so easy to install and provides actual results that we can prove.”

Carolina Closets Plus will come to your home or business and uses a portable laser particulate counter to determine the exact level of pollutants in the air that your family is breathing. “Then, we’ll plug in our portable HEPA system to show you what the difference can be. The results are just amazing and Carolina Closets Plus is the only company in the triangle that can actually prove it to you,” Hoffer says.

Pete Bikas, owner of Bikas Building of North Carolina LLC, a wellness center and clinic contractor, just added a new employee who will assist him with client relations and business development. Lisa Herrington has 15 years of experience in medical and customer relations and she has also written blog posts about how real health care reform starts when people focus on taking better care of themselves. Check the out her posts here and here.

Walk your way to great health at University Mall in Chapel Hill as part of the Striders Walking Club. You may win some great prizes along the way. Join for free at the mall’s Customer Service near Roses. The club meets the third Tuesday of every month at 8 a.m., and walkers can use the mall Monday through Saturday beginning at 7:30 a.m., and Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. The program is being offered in conjunction with the local Seniors Center.

The Chinese maintain good health by eating with the seasons, and Chinese women use plants, herbs, minerals, clays, and flowers to relax and beautify themselves. Art is also an important part of Chinese personal health and mental well being. Turning Point Gallery is displaying the traditional art of Chinese paper cutting right now. The origin of this 3D Chinese paper sculpture is closely connected with the invention of paper during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 221 AD.) The art of paper cutting was on the verge of dying out during the past century as old China experienced successive years of war brought on by domestic turmoil and foreign invasion. Amidst a myriad of changes in their lives, most people had no leisure time to engage in the study of the art of paper cutting. Today Chinese artisans have revived traditional paper art and share it with the world.

American optimists are transforming the recession into a justification for improving the way they live—from time spent with loved ones, to how they care for themselves. Best of all, these life lessons and changes will last much longer than the recession itself.

Signs of a Good Business Communicate “Business is Good” in More Than One Way

By Elizabeth Shugg

Most business owners agree, “Best of” rewards can make the difference between good and great profits—especially in a declining economy. Crossroads European Auto on Highway 55 in Durham, for example, just won the United States Commerce Association’s 2009 Best of Durham Award in the Automotive Repair Shops Category. Displaying this prestigious award tells customers, “We’re the real deal.”

But a plaque or trophy merely symbolizes what businesses do to merit their awards. The true prize is when customers return for more business—or new ones walk through the door. Successful companies make this happen in a variety of ways.

Branding
Vacuum Cleaner Hospital offers trusted brands and exclusive products.
Miele vacuum cleaners, for example, continue to sell well, despite the economy. Vacuum Cleaner Hospital also uniquely offers Bona’s popular professional line of floor cleaners. The store will host a seminar Sat., Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. on “How to Maintain Your Hardwood Floors.” All of these efforts please Vacuum Cleaner Hospitals’ customers and nourish the company’s reputation.

Testimonials
When Author Anne R. Pierce released her book “Ships Without a Shore” in January 2008—which focuses on the effects of day care and the hyper-structuring of children’s lives with endless activities—parenting specialists praised its message. Pierce displays their reviews on her book’s website for potential readers to see. Transaction Press will release the paperback version of “Ships Without a Shore” Aug. 31, and these testimonials will continue to engage readers and promote Pierce’s book.
Bikas Building of North Carolina LLC provides effective, time tested construction management methods that ensure quality below the slab, in the walls and above the ceiling. What you do see—the finished walls, floor coverings, ceiling, casework, cabinets and counters are finished and/or installed to near perfection. Excellent architectural, engineering and interior design services make it happen and create a clean, crisp, level environment that resonates with other customers in need of this particular type of construction work. Testimonials on the company’s website express customer satisfaction with the company’s work and help bring in more business.

Social Media
Social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter and consumer blogs take word-of-mouth communication to all new levels and in new directions at the speed of DSL. It also increases a company’s need to maintain a polished business reputation and provides a method of direct communication with consumers. One bad review in a previous customer’s blog can go a long way online. On the other hand, one Twitter tweet linking to a positive customer review helps repair the damage.

Many businesses run their own blogs to connect with consumers and clarify their message. This summer, Turning Point Gallery’s foot traffic went up 20 percent and its web traffic doubled due to the gallery’s blog and effective use of other social media platforms. The gallery is currently promoting Pringle Teetor’s newest work on its home page by displaying photos of Teetor’s entrancing, metamorphosing glass-blown creations. Art galleries have the added benefit of offering potential consumers an online gallery of art, which often lures them into the actual gallery and translates into a purchase.

Vacuum Cleaner Hospital communicates with customers via e-newsletter and blogs (such as this one). In the company’s last e-newsletter, employees mentioned the new Eclipse line by Casabella. Will it sell? Time will tell.

Triangle TRACKS, a social network for Triangle parents linking to 2,000-plus “Tools, Resources and Activities for Carolina Kids” sends out a free monthly e-newsletter to subscribers as well as mid-month and end-of-month content updates to members. These updates typically contain links to interesting blogs and calendar events parents have posted during the previous two weeks and enable instantaneous access to this information.

Clearly, a modern business’ success depends on communicating with customers in more than one way—whether through the display of an award, an exclusive product line, a blog post or an e-newsletter. Pretending the Web 2.0 movement is just a fad and will go away ignores this powerful form of direct communication and ensures that the only thing going away … could be the customers.

Open Up Your Little Windows and Enjoy the View

Durham musicians Mark Weems and Julee Glaub named their traditional Irish and Appalachian band Little Windows after an Irish melody dating back to the 15th Century--a melody that still flows through the North Carolina Mountains to this day.

“The last verse is ‘and watch them Little Windows for the dawning of the day,’” Glaub says. “We wanted to play the role of icon, which is opening a little window into the mysteries and sacred world of traditional song. Little Window is a literal translation for an icon.”
Not surprisingly, little windows to Chapel Hill and the surrounding community are opening up locally and globally—physically and metaphorically. From businesses to blogs, local leaders and innovators are creating views to the good life here—and wiping them clean when smudges appear.

Carolina Closets Plus of Chapel Hill and Raleigh works to enhance customers’ views through physical windows. The company also takes pride in organizing little windows of space in customers’ homes. “Recently, we created a ‘solution for life,’ as our customer put it, when we designed shelving around a window in their small bonus room,” says Mike Hoffer, owner of Carolina Closets Plus in Chapel Hill and Raleigh. “Organizing a small unique space is like having a little window that shines light into a dark corner, making it appear much bigger. Our customers are elated when we come up with great storage solutions for their small windows of space.”

Carolina Closets Plus also fills little spaces with items like Murphy Wall Beds, which fold up into a closet when not in use. “Murphy Beds make them grin from ear to ear,” Hoffer says.

Little Windows That Move

Everywhere you go, people are peering into little windows on their mobile phones. Enterprising business leaders who don’t want their customers to miss a beat are creating mobile-friendly websites that pop up neatly within tiny mobile screens.

Kudos to Bikas Building of North Carolina LLC, which specializes in designing and constructing veterinary, medical and dental clinics, and is leading the way with its Mobile.bikasbuilding.com interface. This small-screen-friendly website offers instantaneous access to the company’s design and construction news, and owner Pete Bikas as well. You might read on your mobile screen, for example, that Bikas and his team just completed an office renovation for Maverick Partners and will soon finish two projects for Diversified Realty developers at Beaver Creek Commons in Apex.

Triangle TRACKS, a social network for local parents linking to nearly 2,000 resources for Triangle kids, offers an iPhone interface so members can keep up with the site’s latest activity when they’re on the go. This simplified iPhone version of Triangle TRACKS loads quickly and efficiently. To access it, members just add “/m” to the end of the URL, so instead of logging on to http://www.triangletracks.com, they simply type in http://www.triangletracks.com/m.
More than 40 million iPhones and iTouches are presently in use, so local businesses like Bikas Building of North Carolina LLC and Triangle TRACKS gain a competitive advantage by offering small-screen interfaces for mobile customers. Perhaps this is also why Twitter, which offers a little window of blog space with room for only 140 characters, has become so popular. The “tweeps” who use it are training themselves to “tweet” news and information using short, content-heavy microblogs—often via their mobile phone.

Little Windows of Art—and Opportunity

University Mall’s recent Scrapel Hill Art contest allowed local artists to forge little—and big—windows of art showcasing not only their creative abilities, but also the beauty of artistically arranging everyday, recycled items.

“One of our main goals was to provide our guests with an opportunity to experience the creativity of local artists,” says Ed Camp, a coordinator of the event. “We’ve been pleased to see how they have interacted with the art, and it’s always great to see them smile. We believe the experience has provided our community with an opportunity to see the amazing talent we have in the area.” You can view the winning entries, created by artists Paul and Ginger Bauer, in the photo accompanying this blog and at ScrapelHillArt.com. The Bauers’ clock creation is currently on display at Turning Point Gallery in Chapel Hill.

Speaking of Turning Point Gallery, the July artist shows there is a little window of opportunity when it comes to perfecting the glazing technique. Award-winning South Carolina potter/sculptor Bob Hasselle’s fine craftsmanship will be on display throughout July at Turning Point Gallery, beginning with an artist reception there Friday, July 10 from 6-9 p.m.

In the 1970s, Hasselle served as head of the sculpture department at the Cincinnati Art Academy, where he launched the ceramics program. His work has also been included in numerous private and public collections, such as the permanent collections of the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Huntington Museum in West Virginia.

Hasselle recently developed a unique process for pit firing. He traps vaporized chemicals and combustibles during the firing, and these settle on the pots to forge unusual patterns on the burnished surfaces, resulting in one-of-a-kind creations every time. This little window of opportunity has enabled Hasselle to create signature masterpieces no one can replicate.

Vacuum Cleaner Hospital of Chapel Hill recently saw a window of opportunity to help feed children in need who are enrolled at Ephesus Elementary’s summer school program, after receiving an email from the school’s PTA reporting that more than 70 percent of the summer school students there are on free or reduced (F&R) priced lunch. Due to changes in the F&R program, those 65 children will not be given breakfast. The school principal determined that for $500 to $600, the school could provide a small breakfast and morning snack of a cereal/granola bar, Go-gurt, a piece of fruit and a drink using already limited school funds. Vacuum Cleaner Hospital donated $100 to this cause, as well as $50 to purchase tickets for five of those children to attend the Shiner’s Circus in November.

Little windows will continue to open in Chapel Hill and around the world. Some offer incredible views; others lead to dark, empty alleys. Whether we choose to stick our heads through or close the shutters largely depends on how much we trust the view being offered. And that’s where good business practices and reliable information can make all the difference.

Communities Connect Through Good Business, Willing Volunteers and Loving Hearts

Businesses Connecting Hearts

The connection between Chapel Hill and Burma refugees continues to strengthen as local businesses and organizations help make life better for this oppressed group of people, known as the Karen. For more than 50 years, conflict between Burma’s repressive ruling military regime, political opponents and ethnic groups has displaced 3.5 million-plus Karen. In the absence of political progress, there is much we can do to help these and other ethnic groups in Burma.

For example, Vacuum Cleaner Hospital recently donated four vacuum cleaners to Burma refugee families who relocated to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area, offering further proof that Burma refugees can count on their surrounding community to help them adjust to their new home and life.

Ten middle-school aged children from Burma spent the past year studying together at Chapel Hill High School, learning not only about life in the United States, but also about how they can use art to express their emotions and experiences. The North Carolina Art Therapy Institute, a Durham-based non-profit, offered these children—who once suffered under the hands of Burmese oppressors—an opportunity to express themselves through art in ways they are unable to using words.

The students’ art will be displayed in a show titled “Journeys to a Different Landscape,” now on exhibit at University Mall through June 14 in the former Avenues’ space across from the Print Shop. The North Carolina Art Therapy Institute hosted an opening reception for this exhibit June 7. Learn more about this endearing cause here.

Volunteers Connecting Donations

Just as the Burma refugees need giving hearts and helping hands, so do scores of other charitable foundations. In addition to sponsoring New Resident Solutions “Equinomics” page, Turning Point Gallery’s co-owner Jerri Meldrum volunteers her time to clean stalls and groom rescued horses. She will also help coordinate an Equine Exchange Sept. 3-7. You can participate by checking your barns or your friends’ barns for equine items you no longer need and can donate to the cause. Clean, gently used tack of all types—bridles, blankets, saddles, shoes, boots, books, hats, helmets and more—are needed for this event. Contact Jerri at jerrie@harmonyfineart.com for more information.

Find additional sources of “equinomics” on Triangle TRACKS’ horseback riding page.

Citizens Connecting Art

Chapel Hill/Carrboro’s 2ndFriday ArtWalk, now in its 9th year, features numerous expressions of art displayed by more than 20 participating galleries. During this month’s celebration on June 12 from 6 to 9 p.m., Turning Point Gallery and Tyndall Galleries will display works of fine art and animation. Benjamin Vineyards and Winery will offer wine tastings in each gallery and wine by the glass at their center court kiosk. There will even be a strolling musician and complimentary flowers for the ladies on hand. Learn more about the 2ndFriday ArtWalk here.

Turning Point Gallery’s June show, “East Meets West,” will display 10 new original paintings from Amsterdam’s Chinese painter Wilfred, who blends realism with abstract art. Wilfred learned traditional Chinese painting from his father as a child growing up in China. Later, he traveled the world exploring new ideas for his acrylic paintings, and now he resides and works in Amsterdam. His paintings on display at Turning Point Gallery will feature peaceful landscapes, sophisticated florals, unique boat scenes and majestic cityscapes. Come enjoy the seamless blend of cultures and subjects Wilfred shares through his work. The show begins June 9 and runs through the end of the month. Learn more here.

Chapel Hill and the surrounding community warmly received University Mall’s Scrapel Hill Art competition this past spring, which features works by local artists created of recycled and non-recyclable materials. The art will remain on display through June 30 at University Mall. Learn more here.

Consumers Connecting Businesses

Business success stories are hard to come by during troubling economic times, but Chapel Hill’s Carolina Closets Plus found a way to increase sales by 50 percent.

“Our sales to the Raleigh market have increased over 50 percent due to our new showroom opening at 5215 Capital Boulevard,” says owner Mike Hoffer. “Our customers have commented on how convenient it is to have two showrooms to choose from. Some of our Raleigh customers will use the Chapel Hill showroom because they work over here, and some of our Chapel Hill customers will use the Raleigh showroom. It’s really been a great fit for our service area.”

Carolina Closets Plus features fully designed closets in both locations as well as a full showroom of home technology products from America In Home, which Hoffer owns with partner Bruce Bullings. “It’s a unique concept because we’ve combined a lot of the things that a new homeowner, or a homeowner that’s remodeling, needs. We can offer everything from the network wiring to the Beam central vacuum system to the complete home audio package to the security system—in addition to a complete storage solution.”

Carolina Closets Plus also connects the surrounding community through local swimming groups. Hoffer, head of all North Carolina swimming officials, says there has been a spike in the number of swimmers here due to last summer’s Olympic games. “We have over 7,500 swimmers, coaches and volunteers in North Carolina,” Hoffer says. “That’s a huge number of people that interested in one of the best forms of lifelong exercise there is.” Learn more here.

Social Networks Connecting Parents

Triangle TRACKS links to nearly 2,000 resources for local children, from art lessons to youth sports to birthday party venues. Beyond the site’s resourceful links, Triangle TRACKS also connects parents. Blog posts, Twitter Tweets and email messages keep visitors and members up to date on the latest local events for kids and news about trends, books, performing arts offerings, children’s movies, museum exhibits and more. Log on to www.triangletracks.com to make connections that will enrich and improve life for your kids.

Keep connecting with us each month to stay up to date on how our community is working to make life better for new residents of Chapel Hill—whether they hail from Burma, or the county next door.

Local Businesses Rise to Meet Web 2.0 Standards

In our information-crazed society, we turn the Internet for 99.9 percent of what we’re looking for. But read-only websites don’t cut it anymore. The Web 2.0 movement has elevated expectations for websites that are up-to-date, quick, interactive and attractive. Anything less is a click away from backtracking to whatever browser the visitor came from.

Beyond Blogs

Blogs are a no-brainer. Most companies run their own or contribute to a community blog (like this one) that helps promote their products and/or services. Social networking websites take blogging a leap forward, however, and make up a large part of the Web 2.0 movement. These online communities consist of Internet users who share common interests, such as hobbies, professions or politics. Many businesses are launching social networks in addition to — or in place of — their main websites to churn up dialogue about their products and/or services, and to facilitate broadcast messaging to those who have joined their site.

Other businesses are starting up as a result of starting out as a social network. Triangle TRACKS (an acronym for Tools, Resources and Activities for Carolina Kids) is a social network for Triangle parents that also links to 1,800-plus resources for local kids. Owner Elizabeth Shugg launched it in April 2008 as a way to share information with other parents about resources for kids, but it has turned into an attractive advertising venue for local businesses targeting parents of school-aged children. Shugg recently launched Charlotte TRACKS, and hopes to experience the same success with Charlotte parents.

Extras = Essential

Carolina Closets Plus, located in Chapel Hill and Raleigh, will soon introduce a live video feed from their website at www.carolinaclosetsplus.com that will show the company’s production shop in action. “This will allow our customers to actually watch as their job is being manufactured,” says Carolina Closets Plus Owner and Co-founder Mike Hoffer.

Business owners like Hoffer believe offering customers and Internet users cutting-edge technology like this will help brand, differentiate and verify the uniqueness of their company’s products and services. This, in turn, gives them an edge over their competition.

“I got this idea from a friend of mine in Atlanta, who owns one of the premiere closet companies in that market,” Hoffer says. “It’s a great way to show off more of the differences that an installation from Carolina Closets Plus makes. There are a lot of organization companies out there, but none of them can offer the detail perfection that anchors our business philosophy and mission statement.”

Durham-based Bikas Building of North Carolinas LLC just finished building Details in Chapel Hill, one of only two official Alessi dealers in North Carolina. Alessi makes exclusive and innovative Italian kitchen products, distributes a paperless catalog via its website.

Meanwhile, Crossroads European, an independent automobile repair shop that has served Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill for 18 years, simplifies its business practices by offering an “e-appointment” feature that allows customers to log on and make their appointment via the Internet — no phone call necessary. Crossroads European has a loyal and specific customer-base thanks to offering full service, tools and equipment specific to Volkswagon, Audi, BMW and Mercedes vehicles.

Only Online

Thousands of companies now run completely via the Internet. Flickering Creations, a niche retailer offering a complete line of candlelight centerpieces, decor, gifts, aromatherapy, holiday and special occasion items, and other candle products, uses Yahoo! Small Businesses services, such as the “e-commerce” feature to facilitate online shopping. Businesses who operate totally online make product photography a top priority, since customers rely on the validity of a product’s photo and description to determine their purchase.

Photography is extremely important for art galleries as well, which use the Internet to create online galleries of the art and artists they feature. Turning Point Gallery in Chapel Hill displays a list of 35 artists in alphabetical order and categorizes their art by medium to simplify navigation for visitors. Galleries can also link to online artist reviews right on their website to instantaneously verify an artist’s experience and reputation. Artist Eduardo Lapetina of Chapel Hill recently received a glowing review by the Durham Herald Sun’s Blue Greenberg for his April show at Turning Point Gallery. Lapetina will introduce more new work May 9 at the FedEx Global Education Center at UNC Chapel Hill.

Turning Point Gallery uses various blogs to promote shows and artist, and the gallery is currently showing works collectively titled “A touch of Santé Fe,” featuring art by Reita Newkirk and Alice Griffin. Friends and lifelong artists, Newkirk and Griffen have combined their unique talents and backgrounds to produce collaborative paintings that exalt the natural world and one of its most glorious creatures: the horse.

Conventional Wisdom

Large conventions, such as the April 3-5, 2009 Southern Ideal Home Show in Raleigh, still serve as a highly effective way for businesses to reach out to potential customers. Carolina Closets Plus and Vacuum Cleaner Hospital of Chapel Hill were both at the Southern Ideal Home Show. Vacuum Cleaner Hospital Owner Tom Proctor displayed the Hide-a-Hose vacuum central vacuum product that he says created quite a buzz—literally. “Business from the show has been steady,” he says. “Customers were amazed at how quickly the hose disappears.”

Smart business leaders realize it takes a combination of online and in-person interaction with the surrounding community, and Chapel Hill’s business environment is no exception. New residents of Chapel Hill can use blogs, like this one, to make Internet connections they can also drive to. In this way, the Internet is bringing communities like ours even closer.