Retail Angles A Monthly Newsletter for Retail Alliance Members

EducationAdvocacy Bene�ts

April 2013

The General Assembly Outcomes: How They Impact You

see p.6

Finally the Republicans and Democrats joined together to pass the first transportation bill in Virginia since 1986.

Governor McDonnell’s 2013 Transportation Funding and Reform Package is intended to solve the short and long-term transportation funding needs in the state of Virginia. It took a necessary compromise between both parties to earmark roughly $3.5 billion in new transportation funding over the next five years.

With declining funds for infrastructure investment and stagnant motor fuels tax revenues, the current revenue numbers do not add up, and transportation funding has simply become a math problem.

As a result of this plan, thousands of construction and maintenance projects around the state will be funded. The widening of I-64 between Williamsburg and Newport News, reconstructive paving on I-264 and I-64, and the replacement of deficient bridges will become a reality. In addition, there is a provision that will allow Hampton Roads to capture sales taxes specifically earmarked for Hampton Roads transportation needs.

The plan is not perfect; the increase in the collection of sales taxes through credit card processing will unfortunately be absorbed by our members. We will remain vigilant and hope that some type of compensation can be negotiated. That being said, our membership understands the necessity of a starting point when it comes to transportation and how vital it is to a small business’ survival.

We applaud Governor McDonnell, as well as our entire Hampton Roads General Assembly delegation, who worked to develop a bi-partisan initiative that will finally address our transportation woes throughout the state.

Congress could glean something here in the state of Virginia; as we face our next crisis: Sequestration and the potential devastation to our local economy.

Warm regards,

Ray MattesPresident/CEO, Retail Alliance

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CONTENTS

Managing Editor:Kylie Ross Sibert, Marketing & Communications Director, Retail Alliance

Writer:Kylie Ross Sibert

Contributing Writers:Kate Baker, Sarah Kingsley, Ray Mattes

Graphic Design:Kylie Ross Sibert

Printer:Professional Printing Center

2 The Corner Post2 New Retail Alliance Members3 Upcoming Events4 Member Spotlight: Poquoson

Pharmacy

5 Margaret Ballard Retiring from Retail Alliance

6 Cover Story: General Assembly Outcomes - How it Affects You

8 Member Spotlight: Artisans Bakery & Café

9 Retail Happenings Photo Montage10 Changes to the Retail Alliance

Board of Directors

11 Take a Night Off, Let Your Hair Down, We’re Puttin’ on the Ritz at the ROTY Awards!

11 Featured Member Benefit: UPS - Win a trip for four to the 2014 NCAA Final Four

12 The Daily Press launches TidewaterBiz e-newsletter

12 Premier Partners

The Corner Post

Ray Mattes, President/CEO

• Amare Chiropractic• Bö Essentials • Clothes Mentor• Creative Finds

• Landmarks Marketing• RENOVA• Smart Business Solutions• Speedpro Imaging Norfolk

Welcome New Members!

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Upcoming Events

When: April 16, 2013Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMWhere: D.B. Bowles Jewelers 1411 N. Main Street,

Suffolk, VA 23434-4352Cost: FreeRSVP: http://bit.ly/R2R_VCB

Retail 2 Retail Networking April EventJoin us for an evening complete with fun, networking and food! Please RSVP so we can plan refreshments. Feel free to bring guests; all are welcome! If you would like to donate a door prize, please contact your membership director.

For more info or to host a future networking event, contact Sarah Kingsley, Marketing & Event Coordinator at Retail Alliance at (757) 455-9324 or email skingsley@retail-alliance.com.

Other Upcoming Events

Negotiating Your Lease

Who: Alyssa Embree What: Norfolk RoundtableWhen: April 16, 8:30 AM - 9:30 AMWhere: Retail Alliance 838 Granby Street, Norfolk VA 23510Cost: FreeRSVP: http://bit.ly/Lease_Roundtable

The Valor Awards (Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce)

What: The Chamber will offer the Hampton Roads business community an opportunity to thank and recognize public safety heroes for extraordinary acts of courage and resourcefulness in the line of duty

When: April 19, 8:00 AM - 9:30 AMWhere: Virginia Beach Convention Center 1000 19th St, Va Beach VA 23451Cost: $40RSVP: http://bit.ly/RA_Valor

Loss Prevention Task Force Luncheon

What: Includes discussion on embezzlement, violence in the workplace, disaster planning, felony larceny threshold and much more

When: April 23, 11:45 AM - 1:00 PMWhere: Retail Alliance 838 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23510Cost: FreeRSVP: Beth Parsons (eparsons@retail-alliance.com)

Preparing your Business to Survive Without YouComprehensive business planning: “You can’t predict; you can prepare”

Who: Jeff CorriveauWhat: Peninsula Educational Forum During the forum, attendees will have

opportunities to discuss the issues and possible solutions for each topic in greater detail with a skilled facilitator

When: April 25, 7:30 - 9:00 AM (7:30 AM networking, 8:00-9:00 AM

education)Where: Center for Weightloss Success 645 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News VA

23601Cost: $10 members; $15 non-members (includes

hot breakfast)RSVP: http://bit.ly/ForumBizPlan

Customer Relationship Management Systems and Customer Retention

What: Virginia Beach Roundtable “Meeting of the minds” Come ready to share ideas that work and

ask questions of fellow retailers. What works? What doesn’t?

When: May 2, 8:30 AM - 9:30 AMWhere: Tines Restaurant in the Crowne Plaza, 4453

Bonney Rd, Va Beach, VA 23462Cost: FreeRSVP: http://bit.ly/Rndtbl_CMS

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“Hey, I can do that!” Many Retail Alliance members can relate to David Creecy’s story. While working in Richmond in the pharmacy field he thought to himself that he could do what his boss did. He wanted the authority to run a pharmacy the way he saw fit. “I wanted to take care of people the way that I wanted to be taken care of.”

Poquoson Pharmacy was established in 1962 by Bill Poland. David Creecy took over the business on October 30, 1990 from Richard Chaney. “My biggest challenge when I first started the business was the unknown. I didn’t know how much money it would really take. I never realized the amount of government regulations that were involved. Honestly if I had known then what I know now, I might not have started. But the best part of owning my own business is the people; the people I employ and the people I help in the community.”

The community certainly reciprocates! A customer online wrote, “I can’t imagine going anywhere else for my pharmacy needs. The staff is always helpful and friendly. It’s almost like a family. Even though I’ve moved further away from Poquoson, I always go back to have my prescriptions filled because I trust the Pharmacists there to alert me if there is any kind of problem. They also have great gift ware and I can always find something special for someone special.”

Poquoson is a unique area and the citizens are just as matchless. This special local business has stood the test

of time, just like the city it is named after. While small pharmacies close their doors because of chain store competition, this community supports its homegrown gem.

David’s biggest success was to begin pharmaceutical compounding. Compounding involves making medicine from scratch; from turning a solid form of a medicine into liquid (perhaps for a baby) to removing non active ingredients that a patient might be allergic to. This was commonplace before mass production of medicine was the norm. Community pharmacists with this skill are now less common. Compounding is also very useful for adjusting a medicine for an animal’s special needs. Poquoson Pharmacy has made many medicines for animals, ranging from parrots to ferrets.

While a customer is waiting on their prescription to be filled, they can do some shopping in the gift shop. Items in the gift area range from jewelry and Virginia Diner Peanuts to collegiate and NFL items. There is also a section of the store that specializes in medical equipment with compression hosiery, wheelchairs, lift chairs, diabetic footwear and much more.

A customer cannot receive amazing customer service and personalized compounded prescriptions when ordering through the mail. “What if you have a question about your medicine? You can’t ask your mailman.” Poquoson Pharmacy’s specialized attention to each client exemplifies the idea of shop local. David hopes to keep helping the community and when it is time for him to retire, that he can pass the business onto another young optimist who wants to own a pharmacy.

Poquoson Pharmacy is located at 498 Wythe Creek Rd, Poquoson, Virginia 23662. Call (757) 868-7114 for hours.

Visit their facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pages/Poquoson-Pharmacy/198549866380

See a fun video online at: http://youtu.be/uLXX5pfoZAs. v

M E M B E R S P O T L I G H TPOQUOSON PHARMACY

Kim Gibbs and Brooke Davis

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After announcing Amazon would open two new distribution centers in Virginia at a legislative reception in 2011, Gov. Bob McDonnell was concerned about Margaret Ballard.

At the time, Ballard, who has been the Retail Alliance Vice President of Advocacy since 2002, had been lobbying for more than a year for passage of a bill that would require Amazon to collect sales and use tax. The online retail giant was exempt under claims it lacked brick-and-mortar stores.

“He said, ‘Margaret, dear, are you unhappy about this?’” Ballard said, recalling her conversation with the governor during an interview. “That gave us added incentive to get the governor on board.”

And come September, Ballard’s hard work will pay off. Senate Bill 597, informally known as the “Amazon tax loophole” will take effect, forcing Amazon to start charging the state’s five percent sales and use tax on purchases in Virginia.

Colleagues said persistence is what has made Ballard, who retired from Retail Alliance last month, such a talented lobbyist.

“She’s one of the best lobbyists in the state of Virginia,” said Raymond Mattes, Retail Alliance president. “She was very good at forging partnerships.”

Though Ballard officially stepped down from her position on Feb. 1, she is still working for the noprofit trade association.

“I’ve stayed on as a consultant,” she said.

She started Margaret Ballard Consulting, an advocacy, strategic planning and public relations business and already has a couple of clients including Retail Alliance and The Chas Foundation, a new mental health nonprofit organization.

“I’m at an age where I feel like it’s time to move on and let the organization and someone within it grow into my job,” said Ballard, 62.

Kate Baker, a native of North Carolina, has been hired as Ballard’s successor. Baker holds a law degree from the University of Mississippi and recently passed the Virginia Bar exam. She worked closely with Ballard through the most recent session of the General Assembly.

“We have youth and we have experience,” Mattes said. “It’s a good place for Kate to be in.”

After 35 years in the workforce, half in public relations and the other as a lobbyist, Ballard has a growing list of accomplishments.

With a coalition, she lobbied for and gained new Virginia Beach businesses a two-year exemption from paying the Business Professional and Occupational License, BPOL, tax. The city of Chesapeake, in addition to Virginia Beach, adopted what became a statewide bill.

Virginia retailers now offer a sales tax holiday in August, thanks to Ballard. She was able to push a bill that allows for a three-day stretch in the beginning of August when consumers can make tax-free purchases on school supplies and clothing.

During her time with Retail Alliance, Ballard also worked on retail crime initiatives, which included preventing the threshold for felony larcenies from rising above $200 and passing organized retail theft legislation.

“I am very proud to have started, with the support of the Retail Alliance, a loss prevention task force and annual conference,” Ballard said.

Once a month retailers come together with local law enforcement to share information about criminals in their stores.

Margaret Ballard Retiring from Retail Alliance but Leaving Advocacy in Good Hands(Originally published in Inside Business Issue March 4-10, 2013. Written by Lydia Wheeler and reproduced with permission from Inside Business)

cont’d on p.9

Transportation

An agreement on a transportation plan was reached by the Transportation Conferees and was then passed by both the House and Senate. The Governor now has the bill and is expected to approve it with only a few technical amendments.

The portion of the legislation that will affect all retailers is the statewide increase in the sales tax from 5% to 5.3%. Another statewide component of the transportation legislation is the elimination of the current 17.5¢ per gallon gas tax, and replacing this with a 3.5% motor fuel tax at the rack and a 6% tax at the rack on diesel fuel. There is also a portion of the legislation which addresses the Marketplace Equity Act. It states that a substantial amount of future sales tax revenue generated from the passage of the Marketplace Equity Act will be used for transportation. However, if the act fails to pass in congress, an additional 1.6% tax will be applied to motor fuel at the wholesale level.

The plan includes regional components for both Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. One aspect of the regional component is that, in addition to the statewide sales tax increase, there is a .7% increase in sales tax for both the Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. This brings the sales tax in those regions to 6%. An additional 2.1% motor fuel tax at the wholesale level will be implemented in the Hampton Roads area. The revenues generated by the regional taxes will be used for transportation funding in those regions.

School Calendar/Post Labor Day Start Date

This remains a perennial issue that the VRF continues to work on. For the past several years, legislation has been introduced that attempt to repeal the post Labor Day statute. The VRF continues to maintain their position that the current school calendar laws should remain in place. There is a new study that was conducted by the University of Minnesota that was a valuable tool this year in our efforts to fight this legislation. The study shows the negative economic impact, to the tourism and retail industries, of opening schools prior to Labor Day.

Plastic Bag Ban/Fee

Every year there are several bills introduced that attempt to either impose a fee/tax on using plastic bags or to ban plastic bags altogether, and every year the Virginia Retail Federation opposes this type of legislation. Rather than a ban/fee on plastic bags, the VRF advocates for recycling programs to be established throughout the Commonwealth. This year, there were three bills introduced seeking to impose a fee or a ban on plastic bags. The VRF maintained their position on the issue and lobbied to make sure that these bills were not passed by the General Assembly.

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The 2013 Session was my first experience at the Virginia General Assembly. It started on Wednesday, January 9 and ran until Saturday February, 23. During this time, I lived in Richmond so that I could be at the General Assembly Building (GAB) every day. Living in Richmond and working with our state legislators was a wonderful experience and I learned so much during that time.

My daily routine during Session consisted of me waking up every morning around 4am. I started my day that early so that I could get any “office work” finished before I went to work at the GAB; I never knew what time I would get back to the condo at night, so the early morning was my best opportunity to do this. I would usually walk from the condo to the GAB between 6:30am and 7:30am. Once I arrived, I went straight to work with George Peyton, Vice President of Government Relations for the Richmond Merchants Association and the Virginia Retail Federation. It is our job to make sure that our members’ needs were being met and protected by the Virginia General Assembly.

George and I would work on many different issues while we were there. We usually attended several committee meetings a day and would also go meet with legislators individually to discuss specific issues and legislation that affected our members. The pace was extremely fast and the work was non-stop, but it was such a great feeling to work so hard and to actually see the results of your hard work.

Below is a list of some of the important legislation and issues that George and I worked on throughout the 2013 Session. Information on additional issues is available on the VRF website at www.virginiaretailfederation.com.

General Assembly Outcomes: How it Affects Youby Kate Baker, Director of Government Affairs, Retail Alliance

Retail Angles 7

What is the VRF?The Virginia Retail Federation (VRF) was created to become the combined lobbying arm for both the Retail Alliance (RA) of Greater Hampton Roads and the Retail Merchants Association (RMA) of Richmond.

Our mission is to advocate on behalf of local and regional independent retailers, as well as franchise and national retailers, through a network of locally focused representatives and chapters that access grass-roots retail communities throughout Virginia. We established the VRF so that we could collectively advocate for retail interests throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Historically, the RMA has served Greater Richmond, and RA has served Greater Hampton Roads. The VRF geographically expands the coverage areas to serve all of Virginia’s retailers. Staff lobbyists and outside paid lobbyists are working collectively with political contributions and grass-roots advocacy through the statewide VRF.

Find out more at www.virginiaretailfederation.com

Elimination of BPOL/Tax Restructuring

The elimination of BPOL has been an initiative that the VRF has worked towards for many years. Over the past year, we have supported a study by the Thomas Jefferson Institute on how to eliminate the BPOL, Machinery and Tool, and Merchants’ Capital Taxes while making sure localities remain whole. Based on this study, House Joint Resolution 755 was created in order to determine how the commonwealth might accomplish our goal.

HJ755 directed the Small Business Commission and the Manufacturing Development Commission to assess the study and develop a plan that accomplishes the goal of our study. Although the resolution did not pass, the Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee wrote a letter to these Commissions requesting that they do what the Joint Resolution stated. This will allow the stakeholders in this issue to meet with the two Commissions to work on developing a plan for the Commonwealth to accomplish the goals of the study.

Pawn Broker Legislation

Both the House and the Senate passed legislation that was a result of our work over the past year on a compromise between pawn brokers and law enforcement officials. The bill requires a pawn broker to scan the photo ID of an individual who pawns or sells items to pawn brokers. In addition, at the end of each business day, the pawn broker must electronically submit the scanned IDs to law enforcement in their jurisdiction. A second provision of the bill prohibits a pawn broker from taking in an item for pawn or purchasing an item when the serial number has been altered, defaced or removed.

Alcoholic Beverage Sales, Self-Checkout Ban

Legislation was introduced that wanted to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages by means of a self-scanning cash register or other point-of-sale system. The bill defined “point-of-sale system” and provides that any person convicted of a violation is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The stated purpose of the legislation was to prevent the sale to alcohol to underage customers; however there is no evidence current problem with this.

Grocers and retailers have spent millions of dollars in the installation of these systems across Virginia to improve customer convenience; this legislation placed those substantial investments in jeopardy. In addition, self-scanning checkout is extremely popular, and limiting its use without any evidence of a problem is anti-consumer. The VRF opposed this bill based on the above reasons, and eventually the bill died on the senate floor by a 19-21 vote.

Employment Discrimination Based on Current Employment Status

Legislation was introduced that attempted to make it an unfair discriminatory practice for an employer to require a potential new employee to have a specific employment status when applying for a job.

If this legislation passed, it had the potential to open up our members to countless discrimination claims from unemployed individuals who apply for a job and are not hired. The individual could claim that they were discriminated against based on the fact that they were currently unemployed. We addressed these issues when the bill came before sub-committee, and the bill was easily killed.

Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Hurricane Preparedness Equipment

Legislation passed that will add gas-powered chainsaws with a selling price of $350 or less and chainsaw accessories to the list of equipment eligible for the sales and use tax exemption for hurricane preparedness equipment.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me at kbaker@retail-alliance.com or (757) 455-9305. v

PAC FactPAC stands for Political Action Committee. The VRF has established a PAC, and this is the source of our political contributions.

Fellow Retail Alliance members will relate to Georg and Karen Seyrlehner’s favorite part of running their own business: “Controlling your own destiny!” They both worked for corporate America for many years. Georg had a desire to turn his hobby into a business. Georg’s Austrian and German decent influenced his longing to fill a niche for European made-from-scratch artisanal bread and pastries in the Hampton Roads area. Their dream became a reality in October 2011 when they retrofitted a Queen Anne Victorian home (circa 1900) into a café and bakery, complete with a wood-fired oven.

According to wisegeek.com, “special attention to ingredients, process, and a return to the fundamentals of the age-old bread-making tradition set artisan bread apart from soft, preservative-laden commercial breads. Whereas a store-bought loaf of mass-produced wheat bread might have nearly twenty ingredients, artisan bread will have closer to five.”

Besides pastries and breads, they also serve casual lunch. A quick online search for this authentic bakery brings up excellent ratings on Yelp, Urban Spoon, Google Reviews, and Trip Advisor. Karen says that their greatest success is their loyal customers. They are

8 Retail Angles

flattered by the compliments and feedback from not only their regulars but also from first time customers.

“From the bakery, it’s just a short walk to the Olde Towne Farmer’s Market, at the corner of High Street and Court Street, and that is definitely worth checking out if you’re in Portsmouth on a Saturday morning. But no matter when you’re there, make sure you visit Artisan’s Bakery. It is, in a word, delicious,” quotes Dana Staves’ blog Whisks & Words.

They are thankful for their regulars because, without them, the Seyrlehners might not have endured their biggest challenge. When they opened their business they were not aware that the city of Portsmouth had two major public works projects slated right in front of their location. Occasionally you will find a photo of construction posted on their facebook page or helpful detour and parking tips. The second and largest phase of the construction project is occurring currently and Karen says that business was down over 50% for two weeks.

Despite these hindrances, this husband and wife team has thought outside the box. In order to not keep all their eggs in one basket, Artisans is adding more wholesale accounts. Freemason residents in Norfolk can enjoy their tasty treats without going through the tunnel because Artisans’ pastries are stocked at Shady Grove Market. Fans of German pretzels can enjoy Georg’s recipe every day at the Biergarden in Portsmouth. In order to keep up with this new endeavor, they are expanding their bread production family into a separate building on the premises. This will allow for a larger oven. They also plan on offering courses starting later this year.

Karen and Georg advise entrepreneurs to have plenty of money saved, a solid business plan and love what you do!

Visit their store at: 711 Washington St, Portsmouth, VA 23704. (757) 396-6313, www.artisansbakerycafe.com. v

M E M B E R S P O T L I G H T

Retail Angles 9

cont’d from p.5 Ballard Retiring...“It’s proactive and reactive,” Ballard said. “They get information from each other, build relationships with law enforcement and gain better tools to prevent shoplifters in their stores.”

From the task force came the state’s first organized retail crime bill, which doles out separate felonies for each conspirator if the total value stolen by all conspirators exceeds $200.

“I was really impressed with the respect she garnered from delegates,” said Sarah Pishko, owner of Prince Books, an independent book store on Main Street in Norfolk.

Pishko worked closely with Ballard on the Amazon tax loophole bill, even traveled to Richmond with her to speak on behalf of retailers.

“She had a rapport no matter who the politician was,” she said. “Her manners are impeccable and I think that has really helped her.”

As vice president, advocacy, Ballard had to travel to Richmond three to four times a month and stay for the duration of the General Assembly sessions.

She credits her husband Bill Ballard, a property manager with S.L. Nusbaum, for her success as a lobbyist.

“We were practically newlyweds when I took the job. If he hadn’t been behind me 100 percent, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the lobbying job with Retail Alliance,” she said. “With my children, his children, the household and all the traveling, nothing fell through the cracks because of him when I was on the road.”

Her quaint Larchmont home in Norfolk could be featured in Better Homes and Gardens, but Ballard’s true passion, she said, has been lobbying for legislation on behalf of retailers.

“Everybody has a voice whether you believe you do or not,” she said. “If you take the steps to create a voice, you will.” v

Retail Happenings

We appointed six new members to the Retail Alliance Board at our Annual Meeting in February. After serving his two year term, Robert (Bob) Gurnee of Suburban Asset Management has handed over the reigns as Chairperson to James (Jim) M. Wofford, General Manager of MacArthur Center.

“We are pleased to have Jim appointed as our Chairman of the Board,” said Ray Mattes, President and CEO of Retail Alliance. “He brings with him an array of experience working in the retail and hospitality industries, especially with regard to his current role as General Manager of MacArthur Center.”

“Overall, our Board has a diverse representation of large and small retailers and business leaders in various categories which makes for great discussions, and even better, great suggestions to promote the interests of retailers in our region. They are all committed to the healthy growth of retail businesses and trade throughout Hampton Roads and helping budding and existing retailers be successful.”

Changes to the Retail Alliance Board of Directors In addition to Jim’s appointment as Chairman, Retail Alliance recently elected the following local representatives to the Board of Directors for a two-year term.

• Randall Benjamin – Farm Fresh/SUPERVALU• Nathan Benson – Tidewater Finance Company• Neal Crawford – Monarch Bank• Timothy Hillegass – Hillegass Lighting Corporation• Debbie Ross – Lynnhaven Mall• Timothy Wright – Simply Unique Jewelers

The appointments add to the existing Board of Directors:

• James (Jim) M. Wofford – MacArthur Center (Chairman)• Ben J. Willis, III – Willis Furniture Company (Vice

Chairman)• Robert (Bob) Gurnee – Suburban Asset Management

(Immediate Past Chairman)• Margie Johnson – Shop Talk• Alison Dodson-Anderson – A. Dodson’s• Norma Dorey – Changes Hairstyling and City Spa• Heather Duncan – Dollar Tree• Scott Freeman – Auctioneer• Allison Hund – Rooms, Blooms & More• Pamela Katrancha – Garden Gazebo/Hickory Farms• Cary E. Patrick – WT Patrick & Sons, Inc.• Philip M. Scotti – Philip Michael Fashion for Men• John (Chris) Sink – Hi-Ho Silver• Joseph Taylor – Taylor’s Do It Center• Verrandall S. Tucker – Details on Granby/Elite Clothiers• Brenda Tusing – The Royal Chocolate• Ray Mattes – Retail Alliance (Officer)• Beth Parsons – Retail Alliance (Officer)

We would also like to thank outgoing Board members Daniel N. Ryan, Sr. from Dan Ryan’s For Men, Kathie Strauss from Lynnhaven Mall and Kenneth R. Woolard from Way Back Yonder Antiques for their commitment and contribution to Retail Alliance. v

Above: Robert (Bob) Gurnee and James (Jim) Wofford

Randall Benjamin Nathan Benson Neal Crawford Timothy Hillegass Debbie Ross Timothy Wright

10 Retail Angles

Take a Night Off, Let Your Hair Down, We’re Puttin’ on the Ritz at the ROTY Awards!

We are still looking for more sponsors so we can cover the cost of the event. If you are interested, please contact Sarah Kingsley at skingsley@retail-alliance.com or call (757) 455 9324. Sponsorship levels begin at only $100!

We hope you will join us at this event. This year the theme will be “On the Silver Screen” and we encourage all attendees to dress up in 1920’s style evening wear. The historic Granby Theatre in downtown Norfolk is the perfect location for this event. Attendees can enjoy dressing to the nines in a theater that has been painstakingly restored to its original splendor in the tradition of the great vaudeville and movie houses of the day.

WVEC anchorwoman, Vanessa Coria, has also confirmed to be our MC once again and we will also be holding the hugely popular Iron Chef competition again to support the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.

All our finalists receive a complimentary ticket to attend the event and the winners will be announced on the night! All other tickets are $45 which includes heavy hors d’ouevres, entertainment, music, networking and a cash bar.

So put on your best 1920s flapper dress, bowler hats and heels (or spats) and come join us to help celebrate and recognize the success of fellow retailers.

To RSVP, please visit http://bit.ly/ROTY2013. v

Nomination forms are coming in and soon our finalists will be chosen for our Retailer of the Year awards!

This is our sixth year we’ve conducted this event as a way to recognize and honor deserving retailers in the Hampton Roads region. These winners exemplify the best of all of us and who we strive to learn from with regards to superior customer service, community involvement, longevity, marketing, and visual merchandising.

The judges are members of Retail Alliance’s Board of Directors, all retailers themselves who know what it takes to be successful and know the effort and sacrifices you all make to start, build and succeed in the retail industry.

It all culminates at our awards ceremony, ROTY, the “ultimate networking event” we hold each year to recognize these outstanding individuals and also to celebrate the achievements of all finalists (and let our hair down a little!).

As a non-profit we hold this event annually with no cost to retailers, therefore we rely on our wonderful retail and business community to help support the holding of the event. The prize package was donated by generous media sponsors and is now valued at around $11,000!

So far this year we have the following sponsors on board: Southern Bank, Way Back Yonder Antiques, Nunez Fine Jewelers, Willis Furniture, Suburban Asset Management and Changes City Spa.

Retail Angles 11

Save Up to 30% on UPS Shipping!Don’t forget, as a Retail Alliance member, you can save big every day with UPS. Through our partnership with UPS, you have exclusive access to the UPS Savings Program, which provides Retail Alliance members up to a 30% discount on UPS shipping.

And from now through May 15th you could be in for a chance to win a trip for four to the 2014 NCAA® Final Four®, $5,000 cash and more! Watching the game is a blast, but it’s better when it helps your business. If you win UPS’ trip for four to the 2014 NCAA® Final Four®, you could take your colleagues on a much-needed break, or treat your favorite customers instead.

Sign up now - the more you ship, the more chances you’ll have to win.

SIgn up by visiting http://savewithups.com/ra/

Featur

ed

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er Be

nefit

PRESORTED STANDARD

US POSTAGEPAID

Norfolk, VAPermit No. 01603

Our MissionWe promise to provide dependable, responsive and uncompromising products and services to retailers in Greater Hampton Roads that will enhance their opportunities for success and contribute to the economic health of the region.

838 Granby StreetNorfolk, Virginia 23510Tel: (757) 466-1600Fax: (757) 455-9332www.retail-alliance.com

© 2013 Retail Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any forms or means without written permission from Retail Alliance.

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TidewaterBiz, the Hampton Roads’ local business newsletter, launching April 8th, will offer readers free information relevant to local professionals. The email newsletter is produced by experienced reporters who are dedicated to delivering community news and content, Monday through Friday. TidewaterBiz, along with its newest channel at dailypress.com/business, will host regular networking events. Sign up for TidewaterBiz today and guarantee delivery of the inaugural edition! We’ll be working with them to make sure we share our industry, member news, and events.