Downtown Lincolnton Merchants Host Holiday Open House

With only 38 days left until Christmas, this year's holiday 'shop clock' has started and the time is ticking away for shoppers to scoop up that perfect gift for their loved ones this holiday season. A number of our charming shops in downtown Lincolnton will be hosting their own Holiday Open House this coming weekend. You'll be sure to find wonderful holiday specials at Lizzie Lu's, Treasures on Main, Color Me Pretty, GiGi's Consignment, King's Office Supply and more!

Lizzie Lu's will help you check off your gift list in style! They will feature gorgeous Christmas Pillows by Beth Wiseman, a Towne & Reese Jewelry Trunk show {with a Towne & Reese representative in the store on Thursday} and a special on Trollbeads {with a Trollbeads representative in the store on Friday}. Holiday gift wrapping will be provided, as well as refreshments in a fun & festive atmosphere.

Treasure's on Main will charm you with their vintage, one of a kind, handmade Holiday Snowman, Terra Nova Bowls and Geneva Quartz Watches.

Lizzie Lu's and Treasures on Main will share extended hours:
Thursday, November 18th 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday, November 19th 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 20th 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 21st 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Color Me Pretty will be coloring you the best gift giver of them! Be sure to pick up fragrance gift set by Ed Hardy, True Religion & Vera Wang Princess. Don't forget to check out the season's newest shipment of clothes and jewelry!

GiGi's Consignment will rock buyers into the holiday spirit by extending their shopping hours! Stop by for refreshments, drawings and door prizes, live music and photos by April Kinley. Oh, and bring in your old gold jewelry for the chance to earn some extra holiday cash from the Gold Purchaser!

Thursday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. ~ Holiday Open House
Friday 6 - 8 p.m. ~ Live Music by Sarah Spoon
Saturday 3 - 8 p.m. ~ Photos by April Kinley
Thurs & Fri 4 - 7 p.m. and Sat 1 - 5 p.m. ~ Gold Purchaser ~ Bring in Your Old Gold and Get Paid in CASH!!


King's Office Supply will warm your shopping experience with Cider and Cookies and help you find that perfect gift! You can find wonderful Boss & Teachers gifts, as well as stocking stuffers for all. And what about a gift for yourself? Executive Chair Specials and Desk/Credenza Specials will be in-store only promotions, so be sure to stop in and treat yourself.

Thursday & Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.


Please remember to Support Downtown Lincolnton this holiday season!

My Good News for Fausto Coffee!

The DDA is happy to welcome Miriah Truluck and Jacob Rhodes, the new owners of Fausto Coffee, to Lincolnton's downtown business community! With excitement in the air, they have extended their hours and will now be open on Mondays! Fausto Coffee's new hours will be:
Monday-Friday 7:00am-6:00pm
Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm

Fausto Coffee is proud to be the exclusive retailer of Allison's Startown Bakery and has fresh deliveries from Nova's Bakery most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. With amazing coffee, seasonal specials, local baked goods and free wi-fi, where else would you rather be?

Good things are brewing up in our downtown and we are thrilled Fausto Coffee continues to be a part of it!

My Good News for Ride A Bike

The DDA is excited to bring you the Good News of Ride A Bike! With a recent painting of the store's exterior, Ride A Bike is now sporting a new look as they get ready to celebrate their 30th Year Anniversary of being in business, in 2011! Ride A Bike not only has updated their look, but they have updated their customer's shopping experience as well. Customer's now have the luxury of shopping from home on their new on-line store www.rideabike.com, with the option of shipping their purchases directly to them or picking orders up in the store.

Congratulations to Ride A Bike and all their success!

DDA continues the First Friday Coffee & Conversation Series

The Downtown Development Association is looking forward to the next segment of the First Friday Coffee & Conversation {FFCC} series, with special guest Jeff Emory, City Manager! The meeting will take place next Friday, November 5th at 8am, at the 36th Street Bakery & Cafe.

The FFCC's intention is to 'brew up' intelligent dialogue between interested citizens about issues facing our downtown and community. The event is free to the public and the topics up for discussion will be focused on whatever interests of those that attend. Bring your questions and suggestions...We're Listening!

And don't forget- It's BYOC- that's Buy Your Own Coffee!

We look forward to seeing you all there!

DDA Kicks-off First Friday Coffee & Conversation Series

The Downtown Development Association Kicks-off it First Friday Coffee and Conversation Series October 1st at 8am at 36th Street Bakery & Cafe. Designed to be a small informal discussion group to give downtown business and property owners and interested citizens the chance to express their opinions, make suggestions and ask questions about downtown and the community in general. The series will encourage social interaction among citizens and build community.

The idea for the Coffee and Conversation series is rooted in the community planning concept of “Third Places” popularized by Ray Oldenburg in his Book--The Great Good Place. The “first place’ is the home and the people one lives with. The ‘second place’ is the work place where everyone spends most of their time. Third places are meeting places such as cafes or coffee houses the ‘anchors’ of community life that facilitate and foster creative interaction and are welcoming and comfortable.

A community's well-being is dependent on the quality of relationships among the citizens of that community. Infrastructure, roads, water, sewer, electricity and housing provides the shell within which people live. It is within this shell that people do the things together that allow them to sustain livelihoods. These include but are not limited to education, health care, business, recreation, and spiritual celebration. People working together with shared understandings and expectations are what provide a place of strong community.

Come take part in this new local experience. Each month a business or community leader will be invited to participate in the conversation. DDA's guest Friday is Mayor John Gilleland. There are no formal presentations or programs. The topics for discussion will be focused on whatever interests those that attend. The event is BYOC--That's Buy Your Own Coffee.

4th of July Downtown Window Decorating Contest

It's that time of year again for downtown businesses to show off their artistic skills in the 4th of July Downtown Window Decorating Contest.

Decorate your storefront window with whatever you want as long as it pops with a patriotic theme! Prizes are awarded as follows: 1st place $100; 2nd Place $75; 3rd Place $50 and 4th Place $25

If you wish to participate in the contest, call the Business and Community Development Office at 704-736-8915 by Friday, June 25th .

Please put your decorations up as soon as you are able for everyone to enjoy but they must be up by Monday, June 28th to be considered in the judging.

Let celebrate Independents Day by painting downtown Lincolnton Red, White and Blue!

Enjoy Local Wine

June is a month full of fine wine in downtown Lincolnton! This month there are two opportunities to enjoy wine from local wineries right here in Lincolnton.

On Monday June 14th, Sweet Vine Winery will hold a wine tasting beginning at 6:30 p.m. As if that weren't enough, another wine tasting will take place on Monday June 21st, also beginning at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $30 a couple. Hors d'oeuvrves will also be served.

Please come out and join us on both the 14th and the 21st. We are sure you will have a fine wine time.

Alive After Five Summer Concert Series Kicks-off

The twelfth annual First Federal Savings Bank Alive After Five Summer Concert Series starts this Thursday, May 27, as the Fantastic Shakers take the stage. The concert will take place on East Main Street and Court Square in Downtown Lincolnton, beginning at 6 p.m., and ending at 9 p.m. The event is organized by the Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton, and sponsored by the First Federal Savings Bank and Apple Realty.

The Fantastic Shakers, known as the "South's Finest Show Band," is comprised of Jeff Swafford, Freddy Tripp, Chris Jennings, Jim Stoudemire, Bo Schronce and Don Tetreault, who are all Carolina natives. This band is sure to be a treat, so mark your calendars and be sure not to miss this event.

The Summer Concert Series is free to the public, and is held once a month.

City of Lincolnton Public Works and Utilities Recognized as "Main Street Champions"

On Thursday, January 28, 2010 the City of Lincolnton’s Public Works and Utilities Department was honored as 2009 Main Street Champions at the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Dinner in New Bern, NC. The department was selected for this special recognition by the Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton (DDA) in appreciation of its commitment to keeping downtown Lincolnton clean, attractive, and desirable.

In its nomination of the department, the DDA cited Public Works and Utilities employees’ exemplary efforts in preparing the city for special events and festivals: ensuring power, water, and disposal are available where needed; handling road closings and logistical details; and collecting trash and debris. Though an event may bring thousands of visitors to downtown Lincolnton, the Public Works and Utilities employees ensure that, often within just a few hours of the event’s conclusion, no signs of the festival remain.

The nomination further praised the department’s proficiency in maintaining downtown amenities, such as lampposts, benches, and trash receptacles; as well as its efforts in decorating downtown for the Holidays – the electric division of the department installs the Community Christmas Tree and downtown Christmas decorations.

Each of the state’s active Main Street programs is given the opportunity annually to recognize a local Main Street Champion – a designation that acknowledges the extraordinary efforts of those persons who have played pivotal roles in the revitalization of their downtowns. The DDA selected the Public Works and Utilities Department for the honor because of the often the unacknowledged daily and special efforts that are made to make downtown Lincolnton such a great place to live, work, play and visit.

Construction at First Federal Savings Bank

First Federal Savings Bank to Break Ground for New Headquarters

First Federal Savings Bank will be holding a ground breaking ceremony for the expansion of its headquarters, located at 320 East Main Street in downtown Lincolnton, Friday, March 5, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.

After 70 years in downtown, First Federal has made a commitment to continue its tenure as a staple of downtown Lincolnton. We look forward having First Federal as a neighbor for many, many years to come.

After the ceremony, First Federal will be celebrating its 70 Anniversary throughout the day at all of its Lincoln County locations.

Art Crawl Downtown Lincolnton Scheduled for March 19th

The Arts Council of Lincoln County, Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton, Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce, and the Lincoln County Historical Association are partnering on an exciting collaborative effort that will culminate in the Art Crawl Downtown Lincolnton on March 19, 2010 from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Sponsored by First Federal Savings Bank, the event will feature artists from Lincoln County paired with merchants in downtown Lincoln to transform their buildings into mini art galleries. The event will include fun, food, music, and art, and is open to the public. Look for Art Crawl posters at participating merchants’ buildings in downtown.

For more information, visit http://www.lincolntonncartcrawl.com/ACrawl.html.

Black Building Receives Polished Apple Award

Jason Harpe (left), Polished Apple Award Chairman, presents Wesley and Beverly Black with the Polished Apple Award

Beverly and Wesley Black recently received the City of Lincolnton Polished Apple Award for the renovation of their building at 203 South Academy Street.

The Polished Apple Award is a city-wide recognition program established to recognize and encourage positive physical improvements in the City of Lincolnton. A program of the City of Lincolnton award recipients are selected by a volunteer citizens group and are awarded based on the established program criteria.

Beverly and Wesley Black completed a major project that included a total interior and exterior rehabilitation of their building.

The Polished Apple Award review committee meets on a regular basis to review applications and nominations. A property owner may apply or a noteworthy improvement project may be nominated to receive the award. For more information, Contact the Business & Community Development Department at 704-736-8915.

Hartsoe Wins Downtown Dream Date

As Crystal Hartsoe visited Stroup’s Jewelers in downtown Lincolnton last week she saw a flyer for the Downtown Dream Date and figured entering the drawing was at least worth a shot.

It turns out that she was right. Hartsoe’s entry was selected in the random drawing on February 12, 2010, that is sponsored each year by the Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton. Along with Valentine’s Day dinner for two at Court Street Grille and a bouquet of flowers from Drum’s Florist & Gifts, Hartsoe also received gifts from 36th Street Bakery, Café & Catering; Clark Tire; Color Me Pretty; Dancer’s Edge Dance Studio; Fausto Coffee/Ride-A-Bike; GiGi’s Consignment; Heavenly Paws Grooming; Hi-Lites; House of Trophies & Engraving/Classic Art & Framing; Kate McCall; Katie Wood, Inc.; King’s Office Supply; Lighthouse Christian Book Store; Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce; Lizzie Lu’s; Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio/Studio 220 Salon & Spa; Personal Artist Studio; Rising Sun Pottery; Southern Charm Winery; Stroup’s Jewelers; Touch of Class; and Treasures on Main.

The Downtown Dream Date is held each year during the first two weeks of February. Anyone 18 years old or older may enter at any participating downtown business, no purchase necessary.

Free Webinar: Key Growth Strategies to Implement Now for 2010

Jon Schallert will be conducting a free webinar entitled Moving Your Business Forward, Even When the Economy's Not: Key Growth Strategies to Implement Now for 2010. The webinar will be held Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 17, at 1:00 p.m., and Thursday, February 18, at 8:00 p.m.

Schallert is conducting the webinar because "many business owners are in a critical situation right now. Consumer spending is down, customer traffic is still down, and they are struggling to reach the sales levels they need. This webinar will cover the strategic steps that should be done first, in order to improve your business in 2010."

According to Schallert, webinar attendees will learn:

1. The four (4) top business resources that small business owners must have at their fingertips

to survive in this economy

2. The least expensive way to get the best customers with the most money through your doors

to buy

3. Key pricing strategies that the top businesses are using to get the most profit from every

customer

4. Four low-cost methods that take time, but little cash, that can increase customer traffic and

sales

5. Three techniques that every small business owner should be using to keep their sanity, their

focus, and get their business out of its rut

6. Three social networking steps that every business owner should already have in place, but

probably doesn't, that is critical to making social media work for you

We had the pleasure of meeting Shallert at the NC Main Street Conference last month and we were impressed as much by his enthusiam as his incredible insight in positioning small businesses. We encourage all of our local business owners to register for this webinar.

Space is limited. To register for the webinar, visit http://www.destinationuniversity.com/registration/free.aspx

Register Now for the Downtown Dream Date

The Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton is once again sponsoring the annual Valentine's Day Downtown Dream Date. The Dream Date is quite possibly our most anticipated retail promotion each year -- and the simplest to enter too! Just stop by any participating downtown business and enter the drawing for the Downtown Dream Date prize package. No purchase is necessary and while you can only enter once per business, you can enter at as many businesses as you would like.

Entries will be collected February 11, 2010 and one lucky winner will be selected on February 12th to receive a prize package including gifts from each of the following businesses:

36th Street Bakery, Cafe & Catering
Clark Tire
Color Me Pretty
Dancer's Edge Dance Studio
Fausto Coffee/Ride-A-Bike
GiGi's Consignment
Heavenly Paws Grooming
Hi-Lites
House of Trophies & Engraving/Classic Art & Framing
Kate McCall
Katie Wood, Inc.
King's Office Supply
Lighthouse Christian Book Store
Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce
Lizzie Lu's
Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio/Studio 220 Salon & Spa
Personal Artist Studio
Rising Sun Pottery
Southern Charm Winery
Stroup's Jewelers
A Touch of Class
Treasures On Main

AND...Valentine's Day dinner for two from Court Street Grille...
AND...a bouquet of flowers from Drum's Florist & Gifts

...now that's what I call a Dream Date!

Treat Your Valentine to Something Special From Downtown Lincolnton

Trying to find something unique for your Valentine? Downtown Lincolnton has everything you need to make this Valentine's Day extra special for your loved ones. Looking for a few ideas? Try these on for size:

• Pamper her with a gift certificate to one of downtown's many salon/spas: Merle Norman/Studio 220, The Healing Touch, A Touch of Class, Shear Options, Techniques, Color Me Pretty, and that's just a few.....
  
• Who could resist jewels from Stroup's Jewelers or Estate Jewelers?




• How about a good book from Lighthouse Christian Book Store or North State Books and some gourmet coffee from Fausto Coffee?




• Is he or she more of the athletic type? A new bicycle from Ride-A-Bike may be just the ticket!




• Classic Art & Framing has tons of art prints, or they can frame that photo or college diploma that he or she has been "meaning" to get framed.




• Personal Artist Studio and Rising Sun Pottery offer art classes that will bring out the inner artist in anyone




• Catawba River Traders has a massive inventory of Catawba Valley Pottery that is one-of-a-kind...just like her!




• Surprise her with ballroom dancing or shag lessons from The Dancer's Edge Dance Studio or a photography session at Tindall's Professional Photography.




• Gigi's Consignment and the Good Neighbor Shop offer all sorts of unique items at a considerable discount - many in new condition.




• Downtown Lincolnton's gift shops will make it easy to find something personal, such as a monogrammed bag from Lizzie Lu's, or personalized stationary from Kate McCall -- and you never know what kind of gem you may walk out of Treasures on Main with.




• Maybe she has been eyeing a jacket in the Hi-Lites window for a few weeks...or maybe he has been eyeing that Cross pen at King's Office Supply for just as long...




• And don't forget about your four-legged loved ones! Heavenly Paws Grooming will make sure they look and feel as special as they are to you!




• Treating him to a romantic night in? Don't forget to pick up dessert from 36th Street Bakery, Cafe & Catering and a bottle of wine from Southern Charm Winery.

There are so many opportunities to make this Valentine's Day memorable for that special someone - without even having to leave town...and we haven't even scratched the surface! And the best thing about shopping downtown Lincolnton for Valentine's Day? You're supporting the local economy because more of your dollars stay right here in Lincolnton and Lincoln County when compared to shopping with national chains.

Also, both Court Street Grille and 36th Street Bakery, Cafe & Catering will be offering special Valentine's Day dinner menus:

National Guard Troops to Return to Lincolnton Sunday

A group of troops from the National Guard post in Lincolnton will be returning home from deployment in Iraq this weekend. The soldiers are expected to arrive in Lincolnton sometime between 12:00 Noon and 2:00 p.m., Sunday, January 24, 2010.

As you may have noticed, yellow ribbons have already been tied around many of the lamp posts in downtown. We encourage all downtown businesses - and homes as well - to help welcome the troops home with patriotic decorations and signs of welcome ad thanks.

The soldiers will begin their march through downtown at the US Post Office, located at 326 East Main Street. Come out to help welcome these brave men and women home, and to show them your appreciation for their service to our country.

Lincolnton Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activities Planned

The Lincoln County Coalition of Churches and the local branch of the NAACP have announced the plans for Lincolnton’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities. The festivities will kick off on Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 4:00 p.m. at Providence Baptist Church with a message from Rev. Dr. Sheldon Shipman of Charlotte and music from the Lincolnton Community Choir, under the direction of Ms. Michelle Derr.

The celebration will continue on Monday, January 18, 2010, at the church with breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and a message from Rev. Robert Coleman of Shelby. A youth program will follow at 11:30 a.m., in which all community and church youth groups are invited to participate. The group will then gather downtown at the corner of East Main Street and Cedar Street and march, via East Main Street, to the Court Square with the accompaniment of the North Lincoln High School Band, under the direction of Neil Underwood. At the Court Square, individuals will be able to attest to the impact that Dr. King’s legacy has had on their lives.

GOOD NEWS from Kate McCall

Kate McCall is celebrating its 8th Anniversary today! Stop by today for 8% off of your total in celebration of this milestone. Congratulations! We look forward to many more years of shopping at Kate McCall in downtown Lincolnton!

If you have any GOOD NEWS that you would like to share with the downtown community, just email it to downtown@ci.lincolnton.nc.us.