Volume 5 Quarter 2
April-June 2007
Archive Posted: 10/01/2007
I-74 growth challenges local retailers
by Donna Roach 6/21/2007ARCHDALE-As the northwestern section of Randolph County continues to grow, local businesses are challenged to compete with large, national firms. In response, the Archdale-Trinity Chamber of Commerce and the Randolph Community College (RCC) Small Business Center are working together to assist area businesses during the transition.
"We know that the retail/commercial landscape is going to change radically with the completion of I-74. The intersecting of two major interstates will bring thousands of travelers through our community, and we know that commercial development will track that corridor. In order to assist our local merchants in competing, we felt that seminars/workshops that would provide them with marketing strategies made sense. So our Economic Development committee decided to try and offer these. RCC stepped up and agreed to bring in the speakers," states Beverly Nelson, president of the Archdale-Trinity Chamber of Commerce.
The first of two workshops dealing with this issue will be held on Monday, June 25 at the Archdale Campus of Randolph Community College from 6-9p.m. Russ Seagle, of Seagle Management Consulting, will present a seminar entitled "Compete With the Retail Giants."
"Things are always changing in retail," states Seagle. He says he started in retail in 1985, selling shoes, and then worked in management in big box stores. He now owns a consulting business and is the Director of the Small Business Center at Southwestern Community College.
According to Seagle, small retailers (mom-and-pop, independent and single franchisees) are all influenced by what the big retailers do. For example, many have turned to using barcodes and scanners through the years as a result of larger companies implementing the technology.
Although technology use in retail will be introduced, Seagle says the focus of the seminar is on helping retailers understand how the larger organizations view their customers and suppliers. "Small stores still rely on forecasting and guts," says Seagle.
The seminar is open to all area businesses, not just chamber members. It is designed for current retailers, whether brick-and-mortar or online, as well as individuals thinking about opening a retail business. Seagle plans to bring "examples, tools, and own stories" and wants participants to "understand what's going on in the chains."
A three-hour, follow-up workshop will be take place on Wednesday, June 27. This event will be "questions and answers with local help from UNC-Greensboro," says Lonnie Hamm, business development specialist for the Small Business Center. That workshop will also be held at the Archdale Campus from 6-9p.m.
Dr. Lew Brown and Joe Erba, from the Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, have been asked to participate in the Wednesday discussion. Brown, associate professor in the Department of Business Administration, hopes that participants will discover "some new ways to think about marketing strategy and competitive advantage."
Anyone wishing to attend should contact the Small Business Center at 336-862-7980 to reserve a seat.
6/21/2007Memorial Pool Turns 60!
courtesy of Asheboro Parks & Recreation
ASHEBORO-Memorial Swimming Pool opened in June of 1947. In honor of the facilities 60th Anniversary, Asheboro Parks & Recreation will offer special activities on Saturday, June 23. Hours of operation will be from 12pm to 6pm. City Residents with a Rec Card will be admitted for 50 cents per person. Non-Residents will be admitted for $1.00 per person. Games and other activities will be held through out the day.
When Memorial Pool was built in 1947, the T-shaped pool, which holds 235,000 gallons of water was state of the art. It's big draw was the 3 Meter Diving Board. The 3 meter board was taken down in the late 1980's. At the time it was built, Memorial Pool was the only public swimming pool in Randolph County. Memorial Pool is now one of the oldest active Swimming Pools in the State of North Carolina.
Memorial Swimming Pool was built by the Asheboro Memorial Foundation. Officers of the foundation were W.C. Lucas, President, A.I. Ferree, Vice President, C. Thayer, Secretary and H.A. Millis, Jr., Treasurer. Directors of the foundation were C.C. Cranford, D.W. Holt, J.F. McCrary, S.B. Stedman and W. L Ward. The cost of the brand new facility was $58,000. The purpose of the facility was to "Serve Asheboro and Randolph County with a Facility for Healthful Recreation, which Facility is not now available anywhere in the County."
The facility has received one major renovation, which took place in 1979.
Updated 5/10/20072007 Triad Highland Games have May date
Courtesy of Mark Triolo, Public Information Officer
Greensboro, N.C. - Greensboro will once again take on a Scottish flair as Scots and non-Scots alike from across the east coast converge on Bryan Park to join in the 9th Annual Triad Highland Games on May 4 and 5, 2007.
The “Call of the Scottish Clans,” a ceremonial torchlight introduction to each of the Scottish family clans participating in the Games, will be held on Friday evening at 9 p.m. on the Bryan Park field. This event is free to the public!
On Saturday, May 5, the gates to the Triad Highland Games are open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children, ages 5-12. Children under 5 years old are admitted free of charge with paying adult. A discount is available for military service personnel and their spouses with military ID.
The most notable change for Triad Highland Games in 2007 is a date change. Previously held the third weekend in August, Triad Highland Games has changed the date for its annual Scottish gathering to the first weekend in May starting in 2007. Organizers of the Games feel that this date change will add to the enjoyment of both participants and visitors through favorable temperatures and weather conditions.
This wonderful cultural event brings to the City of Greensboro a celebration of traditional Scottish heritage. This year’s Games will feature traditional amateur heavy-athletic events, Highland wrestling, bagpipe and drum bands, Scottish country dancing, Irish step dancing, musical entertainment, border collie demonstrations, Scottish heritage and genealogy tents, fly casting competitions, a Scottish Music Jam tent, a Photo Competition, Scottish Shortbread competitions, battle-axe exhibition, a Revolutionary War encampment, Scottish food and merchandise vendors, the Parade of Tartans and much more!
Full-competition heavy-athletic events for both men and women will include the caber toss, sheath toss, Clachneart (Stone of Strength), hammer throw, 28 and 56 lb. weight throw for distance and 56 lb. weight for height. There will also be children’s athletic events, ladies’ haggis hurl and broom toss, and a bonniest knees contest.
Sword fighting demonstrations using traditional Scottish weaponry will be performed throughout the day by the European Martial Arts of America. Musicians are encouraged to bring out their instruments and join in The Scottish Music Jam Tent hosted by the Triad Scottish Fiddlers and Friends. All visitors are also encouraged to bake up a batch of shortbread using their favorite recipe and submit an entry into the Scottish Shortbread Competition, which will be conducted at the Triad Tartan Tea Tent.
Visit www.triadhighlandgames.org for more information and details about evening activites.