Monday, November 16, 2009

Thanks to Diane Maehl for the great new photo for the How’s Business newsletter! Her photography studio just opened at 168 S. Division Street in the historic Pine Creek Dairy Creamery, next door to the north, from Starbucks on Second and Division. They are on the second floor, sharing the building with Urbanna Spa. Diane Maehl Portrait Creations provides a wide variety of photography services; portraits for business, families, children, high school seniors, maternity and babies as well as photo journalism, weddings, sports and other events. The website is www.dianemaehl.com and the phone number is 509-459-0766.

Tinkerbell, Cars, Little Mermaid and Lion King skate into town this week as "Disney on Ice" performs 8 shows of "World’s of Fantasy" at the Spokane Arena. Opening night is Wednesday, with shows continuing through Sunday. Ticketswest has tickets.

Other Disney on Ice News: Mickey and Minnie Mouse will be visiting the children of Sacred Heart Childrens Hospital this Wednesday from 10-11am. And the Disney on Ice skaters will share the ice with the Special Olympic Skaters, the Spokane Blades at Riverfront Ice Palace this Thursday from 10-11am.

Monique's Salon has moved into a newly expanded 6,000 square foot building at north 10 Evergreen in Spokane Valley. The new location has 8 styling stations, along with 2 manicure and pedicure chairs, massage and aesthetics. It also has 4 exclusive rooms that provide confidentiality for clients who prefer privacy and personal one-on-one care. Monique’s also offers a hair replacement department with a wide variety of wigs. The salon also has a partnership with Treasured Locks for Children, a non-profit organization based in Spokane. Together they provide hair replacement for children with hair loss due to Alopecia, chemotherapy, and other various medical conditions, regardless of the financial standing of their families. Monique’s Salon also has a location in Bellevue, Washington. The website is www.moniquessalon.com and the Spokane phone number is 509-926-6429.

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If you are looking for a place to have a business meeting on the south hill, Forza Coffee Company at 2829 East 29th in Lincoln Heights just might be the spot. The coffee house offers a comfortable venue for meetings not only in their main seating area, but they also have a conference room that accommodates up to 12 people and another smaller conference room for up to 6. Forza has free wi-fi and they also have a whiteboard and dry erase markers. There’s no fee for the rooms, just purchase some coffee and pastries and have a meeting. The phone number is 509-535-7179.

Latah Creek Winery, 13030 E Indiana, was one the Spokane area’s first wineries, and is one of the leading producers in the state; but their wine is just the beginning. They also have one of the best winery gift shops, not only in Spokane - but anywhere. They offer a wide selection of wine accessories, gourmet foods and other eclectic gifts. Latah Creek Winery, their tasting room and their gift shop is open daily from 9-5. You can get more information at latahcreek.com.

The enormously talented Reed McColm, recently named "Best Actor" by Spokane Coeur d’Alene Living Magazine, stars in a one man show, "Underneath the Lintel," opening at Interplayers November 25 and running through December 12. Call 509-455-PLAY, contact Ticketswest or go to www.interplayers.com for tickets.

This time next year construction should be underway at Kendall Yards as Greenstone Corporation takes over from Marshall Chesrown on a scaled back plan for the development. Read the article by Bert Caldwell in yesterday’s Spokesman Review business section.

According to a report out of Greater Spokane Incorporated. "The Worst is Likely Over." But experts caution that road to economic recovery could be bumpy. "Things still aren't great but they're not as bad as they were." While that may not be the enthusiastic vote of confidence that businesses and consumers have been hoping for, it is the general consensus of the local economic experts who contributed to the latest issue of the Business Barometer. Signs indicate that the worst is over, but that doesn't mean we should expect an across-the-board spike in economic activity any time soon. Employment, in particular, will be slow to rebound, which means that consumers will continue their reluctance to spend at pre-recession levels. Declines in many of the areas we track slowed during the third quarter, but there were declines nonetheless. "Things have clearly improved from the worst of times, but individuals need to be realistic that getting the recovery fully in gear will be a slow process," said Steve Scranton, chief investment officer for Washington Trust Bank. "We shouldn't be frustrated or disappointed if it doesn't happen instantly. It's going to be a long process to get back to where people feel really good again."

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Americans are watching more TV than ever, says Nielsen. Maybe it’s because the choices have gotten so much better, or the programming is more attractive, or HD makes it more fun to watch, or maybe it’s just because it’s cheaper than most other entertainment these days, but, for whatever reason, television watching is at an all time high in this country. According to Nielsen numbers released last week, Americans now watch an average of 4 hours and 49 minutes of TV a day, including live plus seven day playback viewing. That’s up 4 minutes, or 1.4%, from last year, and up 20% from just a decade ago. The increase is not coming from primetime viewing. Average time spent watching primetime stayed the same, year-over-year, at 1 hour and 12 minutes. And it was the same in 1991. It was the non-primetime dayparts that increased. That makes sense when you consider that DVR playback is likely to take place outside of primetime hours. Average household viewing has also increased this year to 8 hours and 21 minutes per day. Back in 1949-50, when Nielsen first started measuring audiences, the average HH viewing was 4 hours and 35 minutes.

Patrick McLaughlin has joined Wells Fargo Insurance Services NW as a sales producer in the commercial department. He has an MBA from George Fox University and degrees in marketing and international business from WSU.

As a reader of the How’s Business newsletter, here is something else you may enjoy. For informative daily business news, inspirational quotes, marketing and sales tips, business videos and more, go on Facebook, become a fan of The Clark Company. We’re posting great ideas and useful information for your business every day so go check it out.

Elizabeth Farriss, the program director for Eastern Washington University’s Jazz 89.5 KEWU-FM has been named "Best Small Market Jazz Programmer" for 2009 by JazzWeek Magazine, the definitive jazz radio source. This is the second time Farriss has won this award. She previously was named best small market jazz programmer in 2005, when the station was named "Best Small Market Jazz Station." With an extensive and illustrious broadcasting history in the Inland Northwest, KEWU is a non-commercial, educational radio station serving EWU and the surrounding Cheney and Spokane metropolitan area. It is also streamed live via the Internet.

A roaring economic event is going on in Spokane! We are getting an extra 10,000 hotel room nights filled as the four week performance of "Disney's The Lion King" runs through December 6 at the INB Performing Arts Center. This "landmark event in entertainment," as it is called by Newsweek, translated to 15,000 extra room nights when it was in Spokane on a six week run in 2005. To make the package even sweeter, "The Lion King" shows at the height of the holiday shopping season with thousands of visitors in town to take advantage of both. The Broadway League based in New York City calculates that three dollars are spent in the local economy for every dollar spent on a Broadway ticket, making this a multimillion economic dollar boost. Hakuna Matata! No worries!

Meals on Wheels Spokane has been awarded a $1,000 grant from Subaru of America, Inc. and Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) as part of Subaru’s "Share the Love" campaign. The grant funding will help Meals on Wheels Spokane serve nutritious meals to seniors in need during the month of December 2009. Since 1963 Mid-City Senior Center has provided a nutritional and social lifeline for seniors through our downtown meal site and Meals on Wheels home delivery.

Sample more than 100 wines and 30 handcrafted beers from the Northwest and beyond; and enjoy hors d'oeuvres to complement the mood of the evening prepared by Chef Curtis Smith and the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy at Spokane Community College. The Washington Restaurant Association-Spokane Chapter is presenting the Spokane Cork & Keg Festival, Saturday, November 21, 7-10 pm at the Mirabeau Park Hotel, 1100 North Sullivan Road. The event also features a silent auction and wine store. The cost is $45 per person. For more information go to www.spokanecorkandkeg.com, or call 509-467-7744.

The Gaia House Holistic Center is celebrating their grand opening Thursday, November 19th between 4 and 7 pm at 1414 W. Broadway. Phase I of The Gaia House includes legal representation in family law matters. Their philosophy is "Do No Harm," as they represent individuals restructuring their families. Legal fees are based on the income of the individual seeking representation. Since June, The Gaia House has entered into 33 relationships with family law clients. They will soon begin the first phase of their Community Education Program by offering a class based on Non-Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg. The Community Education will expand in the future to include: Yoga, Art Therapy, Finances/Budgeting, Organic Gardening and Cooking to name a few. For more information call 509-327-2560.

The "Holiday Wine Festival", presented by the Wineries of Spokane is this weekend, November 20-22. Fourteen wineries in the area will be open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday with new releases, barrel tastings and festive food, drink and entertainment. Many wineries will also have special gift items and wine discounts. A complete list of members and their contact information can be found at www.spokanewineries.net.

Lou Lou announces the opening of Lou Lou’s Ski Museum and Human Performance Center in his original ski chalet at 428 East Pacific (at Sherman). Lou Lou has been part of the Spokane area ski scene for over 43 years as a ski educator, racing coach, shop owner and resort advisor. Now he is showcasing the ski life of the inland northwest with a display of the amazing evolution of ski equipment and ski lifestyle memories at his ski museum. You’ll see ski equipment predating the 1950’s, including one ski from the 1870’s, items showing the influence of the rail road on skiing in the west, as well as hundreds of photos and other memorabilia of Spokane area skiing over the years (you’ll see photos of people you know, and maybe even yourself!). The Human Performance Center provides information about the body’s amazing long term potential for physical self recovery. Lou Lou’s Ski Museum is open Monday through Friday, 2 to 6 pm and by appointment. For more information call 509-599-0625.

The business thought of the week is from the late ad executive and former congressman. Bruce Barton who was one of the founders of Batten, Barton, Durstin and Osborne (BBDO): "The big rewards are to those who travel the second un-demanded mile."

For more information about advertising on this newsletter, which is read by over 5,000 business people each week, please call 509-838-4080 or e-mail us at info@clarkadspr.com.

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