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: