Business News

Lakewood, OH –Cornucopia, Inc., a northeast Ohio nonprofit that provides vocational training for people with disabilities and the owner/operator of Nature’s Bin, a full service natural foods market in Lakewood, announces that they have entered into the final stages of negotiations for the purchase and redevelopment of the McDonald’s building on Sloane Avenue in Lakewood.

“This is an exciting time as we add additional space to expand our training program capacity, food services and catering,” stated Scott Duennes, Executive Director of Cornucopia/Nature’s Bin. “It has always been part of our long-term vision to stay and grow in our local community.”

In Part One, I identified that bacteria can build up inside a brass or woodwind instrument and that over time, breathing in the bacteria can lead to health issues. Let’s look at preventative maintenance that will keep the instrument in good playing condition and help players to avoid health problems.

The 9th Annual Taste of Lakewood will be held on Sunday, June 3rd, 2012 at The Lake Erie Building, Templar Industrial Park (aka The Screw Factory). With the new venue comes the opportunity to partner with the Screw Factory Artists, who will have their studios open during the event. With two floors of music, two floors of artists, and the Templar Motor Cars Display, this year’s Taste of Lakewood is sure to be yet another sold-out event.

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce has officially announced the launch of the new and improved www.lakewoodchamber.org- with help and guidance from Mark Dubis of Lakewood (Hourglass Management Corporation).

Thursday, May 17th

Annual Scholarship Breakfast

The Clifton Club

17884 Lake Road

Registration & Networking: 7:30 a.m., Breakfast & Program: 8am

$15 members, $20 non-members

Sponsored by Virginia Marti College of Art and Design

Pension Lump Sum or Income Payments:  Which to take?      Every day many retirees are making a life-changing choice between taking their retirement pension in a lump sum or monthly payments over their lifetimes.   The decision appears as if it would be as simple as comparing the lump sum dollar amount and the monthly payment that your employer is offering you.  Generally, when you only look at the numbers, the monthly payments can stand out.  Unfortunately, those numbers are not written in stone.  According to the Associated press article, “AMR’s American Will Freeze Pensions, Not Kill Them,” American Airlines will be freezing pensions to their retirees, citing an under-funded pension fund (http://news.yahoo.com/amrs-american-freeze-pensions-not-kill-them-165352729.html, March 2012).  Now they are declaring bankruptcy to perhaps threaten retirees into negotiations to reduce the amount the company would pay retirees during retirement.   This practice is happening more frequently.  Just find a retiree from US Steel who is being paid their pension from the US Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.  Their actual payments are much less than was expected.   The slightest possibility of your pension being underfunded,  whether you work for a private enterprise or a collective group such as STRS, PERS, or other pension organizations, should be an important factor when choosing between  lump sum, partial lump sum, and the highest monthly benefit.  Here are a few more items that should be considered as you make your decision:

Peter Schindler, senior program officer at Community West Foundation has been elected to the board of trustees at Cornucopia, Inc.

Cornucopia, Inc. operates Nature’s Bin, a full-service natural and organic foods market located in Lakewood, Ohio. This natural foods market serves as a training site for a unique and successful program that provides vocational training leading to employment for people with disabilities.

Schindler will serve a three-year term and assist in community outreach for Cornucopia. In addition, he will communicate with members of the business community and civic organizations regarding Cornucopia’s mission to help people with disabilities develop their skills, confidence and workplace potential.

Robin Sweeney just loves old stuff. She enjoys hunting for treasures at flea markets in need of some refreshing or re-purposing, then she breathes new life into them. Her store, Cosmic Collectibles, seems like the artfully arranged attic of your hip great-aunt. Ranging in size from large furniture pieces to a tiny squirrel curio, Sweeney ’s frenetic assortment of styles and cool stuff reflects her views that you can’t have just one style and that using old items in new ways is the “ultimate recycle.”

Heidi Finniff is the Branch Manager for First Federal of Lakewood’s main branch. She grew up in Pittsburgh, attended college at St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame (South Bend, IN) and majored in Philosophy. Heidi has been in banking since 2005, helping to make banking easy and effective for consumer and business clients. Representing FFL, Heidi is very active in the community as a  member of the Chamber, Lakewood/RR Sunrise Rotary, LakewoodAlive, and the Downtown Lakewood Business Alliance. Heidi is married to Vincent Tripodi. Together they enjoy spending time renovating their Lakewood home and raising 3 pups. Most people who know Heidi know that she is a runner, and serves as President of the Cleveland West Road Runners. Most do not know that her bucket list dream is to run the length of the Appalachian Trail.

Have you seen the aftermath of the kid’s lunches, snacks, candy, and gum as it travels through a kid’s instrument?  Probably not and don’t want to. Kids won’t be brushing their teeth between classes or rinsing at the water fountain. Add to it the fact they swap and play each other’s instruments. Wow! What a great breeding ground for bacteria and mold. When it occurs it can affect health and the workability of the instrument.

The creator of the Cash Mob phenomenon, 32-year-old Andrew Samtoy of Cleveland, organized over 300 shoppers to gather and spend money at Nature’s Bin on Saturday, March 24th. Samtoy reported that Nature’s Bin was selected as the target for a cash mob because of its contributions to the community. As both a “buy local” and “build community” effort, he told the mob gathered outside the store that he only has three rules: "1) You have to spend at least $20, 2) meet three people you’ve never met before, and 3) you must have fun."

…that nineteen Lakewood Chamber of Commerce member businesses were among the “Best of the West” finalists in more than 55 categories in the Spring 2012 issue of West Shore Live Well magazine?

Friday, April 20th

Near the rear entrance to Cerny Shoes hangs a sign that reads “then and now, service and integrity.” Once upon a time, downtown Lakewood boasted four major shoe stores. Among Lakewood Juvenile Shoes, Walker Shoes, Endicott Johnson Shoes and Cerny Shoes, only the latter is alive and well on Detroit Avenue.

Absolute Chem-Dry® is a new carpet and upholstery cleaning company that has come into the Lakewood area. As new Chamber members, they are building a strong presence and would like to get more involved in the community. Their process is unique-with no soaps or detergents, there's no dirt-attracting residue left behind in the carpet. Their Green Certified Clean will dry in 2 hours- a perfect solution for the hardwood floors under the carpet in many of Lakewood's older homes. Absolute Chem-Dry® is fast, efficient, and economical. Visit their website at www.chem-dry.net/absolute.oh for more information.

In part one you saw that sometimes new, unknown brand name instruments may not be the best investment when it comes to giving your child the best musical experience and a chance at success. An alternative is buying a used instrument that has a brand name recommended by teachers and/or music stores. This will give your child an excellent start in a beginning instrumental program. A general list of brand names includes – Selmer, Conn, King, Gemeinhardt, Jupiter, Getzen, Olds, and Yamaha among others. Band Directors and private teacher have their favorites based on their experience and the reliability of the instrument.

Michael Daso, a Lakewood-based financial planner with AXA Advisors, recently purchased and rehabilitated the former West Shore Assembly of God church building at 16300 Delaware Avenue (across from Hayes Elementary School). Daso looked for commercial properties for his growing business for over two years, and was excited to find this unique building with an open floor plan. Daso and his staff celebrated the move with a public open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony last week. Daso is happy to be keeping his business in Lakewood, where it has been located since 2006.

A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

The City of Lakewood's Bicycle Master Plan was approved on January 17th and is set for 2012 implementation. What does this mean for your business?

If your answer is: “The Bike Master Plan will not have any impact on my business – all of my employees and customers drive to this location,” or perhaps, “It means that we’ll just need to install a bike rack out front,” then the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Education Task Force forum titled “What Bikeability Means for Your Business” is a must-attend event. The forum will take place on Thursday, March 29th at 7:30 p.m. in the Skylight Room on the second floor of the Beck Center for the Arts (17801 Detroit Avenue).

Thursday, March 29th
The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Education Task Force presents
“What Bikeability Means for Your Business”
Beck Center for the Arts (Skylight Room)
17801 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood
7:30pm
Free, Open to all

Lakewood residents Jenni Baker, Jane Diemer, Timi Kormos and Holly Lauch have launched Cardigan Event Productions LLC, an event planning and production firm focused on nonprofit and corporate clients. The four principals bring years of event experience to their new venture, including some of Lakewood's most successful events such as Light Up Lakewood, the Lakewood Arts Festival, the Mayor's Ball and the Lakewood Catholic Academy (and St. Luke's School) Auction.

As you enter GreenSmartGifts (14534 Detroit Avenue, near Aladdin’s,) look on the wall above the front counter and read the quote, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” This is the store’s motto, which owners Donna and Shawn Witmer continued to use after taking over the business in 2010. The quote comes from iconic children’s author Dr. Seuss and appears in The Lorax, which, in case you haven’t heard, has just hit the big screen as a movie this past weekend.

History has taught us that events such as the Tech Bubble, the 9/11 attacks, 2008’s Market Crash, and the most recent Flash Crash can have devastating effects on investors. Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a noted finance professor coined these events, “Black Swans.” These “Black Swan” events have caused retirees’ 401(k) accounts to be tragically referred to as '201(k) accounts'! Traditional asset allocation strategies using stocks, bonds, and mutual funds to limit risk through diversification have mostly failed to protect the investor during “Black Swan” events. Preparing for the next event could mean the difference between a comfortable retirement and not being able to sleep at night! There are a variety of strategies you and your advisor can use to try to minimize the potential for losses in a “Black Swan” occurrence. 

Part 1  - New  

We want to give our kids the best possible instruments along with the best chance at success without breaking the bank-- at the same time hoping they don’t lose interest in a month. EBay begins to look very appealing with the bottom dollar pricing for a beginner band instrument with an unknown brand name as compared to the high-priced new, reputable brand name band instrument. What should you be aware of on EBay when you see pages of instruments? And then all the different brand names that aren’t the ones the music teacher suggested! It’s mind boggling!

Businesses and individuals join the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce for many different reasons: networking opportunities, increased exposure, business alliances, educational seminars, business-to-business marketing, a stronger voice in the community, cost-effective advertising and sponsorship opportunities, and more. One benefit of chamber membership that directly and positively impacts a business’s bottom line comes from the Lakewood Chamber’s affiliation with the Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce (NOACC). NOACC is a regional partnership of over 120 community-based chambers of commerce in northern Ohio dedicated to helping chambers deliver competitive and cost-saving benefits and services for almost 35,000 member businesses. NOACC’s mission is to harness the group buying-power of the NOACC chamber partnership to provide benefits and resources that the individual business or local chamber would be unable to obtain on their own. Members of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce (a member of NOACC) are able to realize significant cost savings by taking advantage of these NOACC benefits:

Non-profits receive greater support when residents support local businesses. Non-profit organizations receive an average 350% greater support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses.

The Rotary Club of Lakewood/Rocky River Sunrise (the “morning group” of The Rotary Club of Lakewood/Rocky River) is a volunteer organization of business and professional leaders who emulate the goal of Rotary: Service Above Self. Rotary members participate in many activities and service projects in the Lakewood and Rocky River communities. The club also founded the Interact Club at Lakewood High School, which involves high school students in local and international projects and helps to teach them the values of Rotary. To learn more about the Sunrise Rotary Club, attend one of their weekly meetings (Wednesdays at 7:15 a.m.) at the Don Umerley Civic Center in Rocky River, go to www.lrrsunriserotary.org, or call Kathy Berkshire (President) at 216-970-8887.

Friday, February 24

Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting

6th Annual Outstanding Work Ethic Awards Luncheon

Presented to exceptional students of West Shore Career-Technical District programs

This meeting is sponsored by the Lakewood/Rocky River Sunrise Rotary Club

Lakewood Park Women’s Pavilion

14532 Lake Avenue, Lakewood

11:30am networking, 12:00pm lunch

$15 members, $20 non-members

Nature’s Bin, a full service natural and organic foods market located in Lakewood, Ohio recently donated six boxes of school supplies to H20 “Help to Others.” H2O is supported by the City of Lakewood's Department of Human Services, Division of Youth, and a strong partnership with the Lakewood City Schools.   

Nature’s Bin donated remaining stock of “green” school supplies from its back-to-school inventory including notebooks, notebook paper, graph paper, folders, index cards and journals made from recycled paper and sugar cane plants.  

“We are pleased to give back to the local community,” stated Mary Johnson, assistant executive director at Nature’s Bin. “School supplies are a necessity for education and can sometimes be a financial burden to families. We hope this donation provides assistance to those students in need.” 

As a partner in the local community, Nature’s Bin felt students at Lakewood High School could benefit from the school supplies as they begin the second semester of the school year.

Melana Carbary, a resident of Lakewood, OH, was recently awarded one of the life insurance industry’s premier professional credentials, the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation from the American College.

The CLU program gives insurance representatives in-depth knowledge and skills to assist clients with their insurance and financial needs. To earn the CLU designation, Carbary passed the required courses for the program, met the specified experience level and ethical standards, and agreed to comply with the American College Code of Ethics and procedures.

Twenty-six years ago my father Steven R. Clark packed up our family from West Park and began to establish roots in Lakewood. As my sister and I passed through Taft, Emerson, and Lakewood High School my father was growing Clark Financial Services with his trusted friend Randon Dobson. I would go on to join them at Clark Financial Services after completing college. After fifteen years at the INA building we were at a crossroad; do we stay in Lakewood or think about other suburbs?

Laskey CPA, a public accounting firm with nine employees, has purchased the property at 15514 Detroit Avenue that formerly housed Revelations Salon & Spa. Timothy P. Laskey paid $250,000 for the property and plans to invest about $50,000 renovating the duplex before moving into the building in May 2012.

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce began its one-hundred and first year of serving the greater Lakewood business community by hosting marketing & motivational speaker Katherine Miracle of Miracle Resources at their January monthly meeting and luncheon at Brennan’s Catering & Banquet Center, sponsored by DMS Management Solutions. In keeping with the Chamber’s January theme of “Planning”, Ms. Miracle captivated and engaged the audience in a discussion of Planning for a Strong 2012. From branding to marketing to public relations to revenue development, Ms. Miracle is an accomplished businessperson who has done it, who teaches it, and who gave audience members specific take-aways so that they could be on a successful path for 2012.

Lakewood Chamber member DMS Management Solutions offers a comprehensive range of services and solutions to meet the needs of growing businesses. This Lakewood firm assists small- to mid-sized businesses in the areas of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Banking/Cash Management, Billing, Budgeting & Strategic Planning, Financial Reporting, Payroll, HR/Benefits Administration, and more. It’s that time of year – time to close the books on 2011 and plan for a strong 2012, and Mike DeStefano can help. Call Mike at 440-799-4615.

When you purchase at locally-owned businesses, more money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local businesses and service providers!

Saturday, January 28
2012 Lakewood Criterium Neighborhood Meeting
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
18001 Detroit Avenue
7:00 p.m.

Do these names sound familiar? Barry, Biles, DeLorean, Fairchild, Ganley, Guthery Schreiber, Hale Zupan, Koepke, LaRiche, Lossman, Marc Lance, and Spitzer. They may not be if you were born after 1980. These new and/or used car dealerships dotted the Lakewood landscape for many years. Now only one full service dealership remains in Lakewood, Steve Barry Buick, located at 16000 Detroit Avenue.

Years ago, it was commonplace to go to the corner store to buy your groceries. The neighborhood hardware store was the go-to place for everything you might need to complete a home improvement project. Your wardrobe was bought from the local department store you had been shopping at since you were a child. But then the "big box stores" moved in and people stopped shopping local. So convenient to go to one place and get everything you needed, right? Wrong! Product quality and customer service were two of the most important factors that fell by the wayside. Small businesses began to flounder. That is why in 2009 the 3/50 project was born. Their tagline is, "Saving the brick and mortars our nation is built on."

LakewoodAlive is a non-partisan economic development corporation whose mission is to improve the quality of life of residents by creating alliances with community leaders, leveraging community assets and expanding the pool of available resources in order to facilitate economic stability and growth in the City of Lakewood.

At this time of year, it is not uncommon for New Year's resolutions to be made -- ranging from weight-loss goals to finally getting around to making that home improvement that's been discussed for years. One common resolution is easier said than done: starting a business.  

Nature’s Bin, a full service natural foods market in Lakewood, was recently featured in the December issue of Natural Foods Merchandiser.

Nature’s Bin, a full service natural foods market in Lakewood, reports that doctors from the University of Madison, Wisconsin said the medical community increasingly believes that three in four Americans are low in vitamin D and need to take 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day to reach the proper level.

Ronald W. Dees, Chairman of the Board of Directors for St. John Medical Center, which is co-owned by the Sisters of Charity Health System and University Hospitals, has announced the appointment of William A. Young Jr. as President and CEO of St. John Medical Center.  Mr. Young will begin his new role by December 31, 2011. 

As President and CEO, Young will oversee the daily operations and lead the medical center’s growth and service expansion plans as it continues to meet the needs of the west side community.  Specifically, he will manage the medical center’s five-year, $100-million strategic plan, which includes hospital renovations and adding specialty services and programs. Over the past year, several strategic initiatives were implemented such as opening the University Hospitals Neurological Institute at SJMC; expanding and relocating the Pain Management Center; installing digital mammography as well as adding a state-of-the-art special procedures room. In a few weeks, SJMC will open a Breast Health Center. Early next year, the campus will welcome a satellite location of the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, as well as the completion of a renovated entrance and front lobby.  

Imagine if you will, Little Johnny in marching band sitting in the bleachers with his tuba or baritone and all of a sudden the horn is at the bottom of the of the bleachers…of course nobody knows how it ended up there, or how all those giant dents suddenly appeared. Oh yea, Little Johnny says they were already there. Anyways, how in the world could that horn ever look like new again? The solution – take it to your local band instrument repair tech. But wait, what is it that these technicians in the back of your local music store, do to get a mangled horn to look like new again? How do technicians know the newest techniques and tricks of the trade? About 1300 band instrument repair techs are members of an organization called the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT). NAPBIRT is the largest non-profit international educational association dedicated to the advancement of the craft of band instrument repair.

We are reaching a time in history when our children will likely not outlive their parents. Statistics indicate that the obesity epidemic is claiming more than 300,000 lives each year. Type II diabetes, once only seen in adults is now diagnosed in children at alarming rates.

Do you remember...When you got dressed up to go downtown shopping? (it didn't matter which downtown!) When your purchases were carefully wrapped in tissue or gift boxes and placed in paper shopping bags? When stores had beautifully decorated display windows? When the "clerks" engaged in conversation and even smiled? When your parcels were carried to your car?

New Business News on Madison!  METRO! HOME. DESIGN. FOOD. WINE -- it all comes together at the new Kelley's Island Wine Company in Lakewood at Metropolitan Home Design's new space.  A wine bar, shopping for home décor and more, plus a great ambiance for relaxation and to get  those creative juices flowing! Located at 15218 Madison Avenue, stay tuned up for news about owner, Robby Zettler’s up-coming public opening on Thanksgiving weekend!

There is a chill in the wind and flip flops are put away for boots. The heat is on in the home and hands are getting drier- sometimes even cracking. Carabel Beauty Salon & Store has the warm foot soak, oils, and creams to moisturize the hands and feet. Right now a contest has been started at Carabel and with one entry winning a p.j. mani and pedi party for four gals. The winner can select friends or family to join her. The party will be held at the salon with tea, coffee, or hot cocoa, conversation, good magizines, and P.J.'s to make it cozy. There are many polishes to choose from including glitters, shatters, the Miss Piggy collection of colors, and more.

Have you ever wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with the Mayor of Lakewood? Do you wish you could transport yourself and 9 friends to a special event in a limousine? Would you like to give the gift of Deagan’s, Pier W, Pacers, Angelo’s, Melt, Ranger Café, Cozumel, Around The Corner, 56West, Aladdin’s, or Players to people on your holiday shopping list? Have you ever wanted to be Principal for a Day at Lakewood High School? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then the Third Annual Holiday Bid & Buy online auction is for you!

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce’s Seventh Annual West End Halloween Window Walk was a spook-tacular success! Pumpkins, spooky girl scouts, goblins, BFFs (Beast Friends Forever), ghosts, skeletons, and even Steve Jobs’ tombstone were painted on 112 windows along the west end of Detroit Avenue. Thanks to the business community who hosted the works of our local artists, and to the artists themselves who treated us all to a wickedly good show! Check out the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce facebook page for lots of photos, and for a list of the winners, go to www.lakewoodchamber.org.

that the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the 5th Annual Fourth Grade "Why I Love Lakewood" essay contest? The winning essay-writer will get to: ride in the Light Up Lakewood holiday parade, help "flip the switch" at the holiday lighting ceremony, and win $100 cash! Essays are due November 18.

Thursday, November 17
Joint Monthly Meeting with Rocky River Chamber of Commerce
Cox Business presents Author and Small Business Expert Jane Applegate
11:15 a.m., Westwood Country Club

Levey & Company, an Akron-based commercial real estate developer, will spend millions to completely renovate Lakewood Plaza. Levey and Company purchased the real estate with the goal of revitalizing and rebranding the center, located at Detroit and Mars Avenue in Lakewood.

The plans for the complete revitalization and ground breaking will begin this spring and will conclude at the end of summer.

Lakewood, OH – Join Nature’s Bin, a full service natural foods market in Lakewood Friday, November 11 – Sunday, November 13 for a special “Tribute to Veterans.” All veterans, as well as active duty service men and women will receive a 10% discount at the store. (18120 Sloane Avenue).

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce will end its 100th anniversary year much as it began – with a busy calendar of business-related programming and public events.

that payments for monthly meetings, membership dues, event tickets and raffle tickets can be made via our Chamber store website at www.lakewoodchamberstore.com? Thanks to the Lakewood Observer for hosting the site!

Friday, October 21
Monthly Meeting: Candidates Forum
Sponsored by Hospice of the Western Reserve
11:30 a.m., Sweetwater Landing

Friday, November 11  - Monday, December 5
3rd Annual Holiday Bid & Buy Online Auction
Grand Prize Sponsored by Costco Wholesale in Avon 

Thursday, November 17
Joint Monthly Meeting with Rocky River Chamber of Commerce
Cox Business presents Author and Small Business Expert Jane Applegate
11:15 a.m., Westwood Country Club

So, here’s a riddle: What has over 1,000 local residents and business decision-makers exchanging ideas with over 100 exhibitors, while enjoying great food, wine and beer from 15 local establishments?

Cox Communications awarded $1,000 in Cox Charities grants to two local non-profit organizations as part of its Cox Charities Employee Grant Program, an extension of the company’s philanthropic work in those communities where its employees live and work.

Nature’s Bin, a full-service natural foods market in Lakewood, reports a new study where people with chronic type 2 diabetes and nerve pain who took a vitamin and mineral supplement for four months had less severe pain compared to those who took a placebo.