Unleash the Power of The Press

Franchise News

Lapels Dry Cleaning stores hold clothing drive to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation and Big Sisters of Rhode Island – over TWO TONS collected!

DATELINE: HANOVER, MA…Bag upon bag of donated clothing has been collected and counted and now it’s official… Lapels Dry Cleaning Dry Cleaning stores collected over TWO TONS of clothing during the annual Lapels Clothing Drive to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation and Big Sisters of Rhode Island.

For two weeks in May, patrons of all of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Lapels Dry Cleaning stores heeded the effort to clean out their closets, including the Lapels Dry Cleaning stores in: Abington, Bedford, Beverly, Boston-Charles River Park, Brighton, Concord, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Halifax, Hanover, Marshfield, Newtonville, Norton, Randolph, Salem, Sudbury, Walpole, Westford, and Westwood, and Lincoln, RI. Overall, Lapels Dry Cleaning stores in Massachusetts and Rhode Island collected over 200 bags, totaling approximately 4,000 pounds of clothing.

Lapels Dry Cleaning franchisee Fred Siegel, who owns and operates the Hanover, MA Lapels Dry Cleaning store, was enthusiastic about participating in the clothing drive that is now in its fifth year. Notes Siegel, “Our bi-annual Lapels Dry Cleaning clothing drive offers our customers a win-win situation — they can conveniently drop off their unwanted clothing items and give a boost to a worthy organization, the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation.”

Ken Higgins of the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation of Boston, remarked on the success of the Lapels Dry Cleaning clothing drive, “In five short years, the Lapels Dry Cleaning clothing drive has grown from a fledging effort to become a solid source of support. We offer our congratulations and thank you to Lapels Dry Cleaning and salute their ongoing efforts on behalf of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation.”

The Lincoln Rhode Island Lapels Dry Cleaning store also collected clothing donations that benefitted the Big Sisters of Rhode Island. Spokesperson for the Big Sisters of Rhode Island in Cranston, Kaurie McDermott, also thanked Lapels Dry Cleaning, saying, “On behalf of the Big Sisters of Rhode Island I would like to thank Lapels Dry Cleaning for continuing to sponsor this drive, which provides their customers with the opportunity to “go green” and help the environment, while also helping young at-risk girls. The continued support of Lapels Dry Cleaning is greatly appreciated, particularly in these uncertain economic times.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters picks up the gently used clothing collected by Lapels Dry Cleaning stores and distributes it to consignment shops. The net profits from the sales of these items are distributed back to Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies, supporting their mission to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships. The Big Sisters of Rhode Island picks up the gently used clothing collected by the Lincoln, RI Lapels Dry Cleaning store and those items are sold directly to our partner, Savers.  The proceeds from these items support our mentoring programs for girls at-risk, between the ages of 4 and 18.

As a former big brother, Lapels Dry Cleaning CEO Lawrence Friedman knows firsthand the impact the Big Brother Big Sister program can have, “It’s an absolutely amazing experience to watch the progress of children involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. We would like to thank all of the Lapels Dry Cleaning customers and franchisees who so generously support our clothing drives – they really do make a difference.”

About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters serves over 200,000 children, ages 6 through 18, in 5,000 communities across all 50 states, establishing successful mentoring relationships for all children who need and want them, contributing to better schools, brighter futures, and stronger communities for all. Big Brothers Big Sisters one-to-one mentoring makes a huge difference for the youth it serves by helping at-risk youth overcome the many challenges they face.

Lapels Dry Cleaning Community Commitment
Being a good neighbor isn’t just a slogan at Lapels Dry Cleaning, where community involvement is a tradition. Lapels Dry Cleaning proudly partners with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation of Boston, Big Sisters of Rhode Island, and the American Red Cross.

A Rising Star
The New England Franchise Association ranks Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of the Top 10 fastest growing franchises in New England. In addition, the Lapels Dry Cleaning Franchise Program has made the ranking for the Top 30 Franchise Organizations  <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=dmuvpgcab.0.0.lotaka67.0&ts=S0293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nefranchise.org%2Ftop30.htm&id=preview> based in New England.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has also been ranked in Entrepreneur’s 26th Annual “Franchise 500” as well as Entrepreneur’s “Top 50 New Franchises,” identifying Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of today’s top franchise opportunities. Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.

Store Locations
Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Massachusetts (Abington, Bedford, Beverly, Boston, Brighton, Concord, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Halifax, Hanover, Marshfield, Newtonville, Norton, Randolph, Salem, Sudbury, Walpole, Westford, and Westwood); Rhode Island (Lincoln); California (Pomona and Poway); Florida (Orlando); Georgia (Duluth); Idaho (Boise); New Hampshire (Hooksett); South Carolina (Carolina Forest and Myrtle Beach); Texas (Arlington, Garland, Granbury, Murphy, and Plano); Washington (Kirkland and Seattle).  Coming soon to Destin, FL; Wilmington, MA; Edmond, OK and Bloomsburg, PA.

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
A full slate of services are offered at each Lapels Dry Cleaning store, including: same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; shoe repair; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339.  To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email admin@lapelsdrycleaning.com <mailto:admin@lapelsdrycleaning.com> . Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com <http://www.lapelsdrycleaning.com> .

Lapels Dry Cleaning stores hold clothing drive to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation and Big Sisters of Rhode Island – over TWO TONS collected!Read More

Stoneham/DirectBuy blood drive to be held on July 22, 2pm to 8pm

STONEHAM, MASSACHUSETTS…

Supporting the blood supply is a community-wide responsibility. That’s why DirectBuy is teaming up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive on Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

The American Red Cross blood bus will be at DirectBuy of Boston North’s 100A Fallon Road location in Stoneham between the hours of 2pm and 8 pm. Walk-ins are welcome. However, due to limited space in the Donor Center, the Red Cross encourages donors to make an appointment by calling 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or logging on to www.givelife.org.

As an added incentive for donors to make an appointment in advance, all presenting donors will receive a coupon for a free carton of Friendly’s Ice Cream. A scheduled appointment is required to receive the coupon.

“A safe and sufficient blood supply must be on the shelves when patients need it most, and the only source of blood is a generous blood donor,” says Donna M. Morrissey, Director of Public Relations and Corporate Affairs, American Red Cross – Northeast Division. “The American Red Cross is appreciative of DirectBuy for its support of our life-saving mission.”

The need for blood is constant. Every day, the Northeast Division must collect 2,000 units of blood just to meet the basic needs of patients across New England. The difference a donor can make in the life of a patient is something that cannot be overstated.

Blood can be used for patients undergoing many surgical procedures, organ transplants, trauma and chemotherapy. For some patients, such as the victim of an automobile accident, the need for blood is sudden. For others, ongoing transfusions are needed to sustain lifesaving medical treatment.

“As a member of the Stoneham business community, we’re happy to host this blood drive,” said Carl Krawczyk, managing partner of DirectBuy of Boston North.  “We urge our members and residents of the greater Stoneham area to come out and donate. Your donation could save up to three lives.”

Charitable endeavors are nothing new for DirectBuy. DirectBuy locations across Canada and the United States are active contributors to many local non-profits and charities, including the Boys & Girls Clubs, Salvation Army, YMCAs, Homes for Our Troops and Children’s Hospitals.

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from the manufacturer. Conveniently located at 100A Fallon Road in Stoneham, Massachusetts, just north of the City of Boston, DirectBuy offers members a comfortable setting, where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

For more information on a DirectBuy membership, you can call 781-279-4433 or visit http://www.directbuycares.com. 

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross has been a primary supplier of lifesaving blood products in the United States for more than 50 years. The American Red Cross Blood Services — Northeast Division supplies a wide range of blood components, plasma derivatives, and transfusion services to over 200 hospitals and other medical facilities throughout Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. It serves the blood needs of more than 9 million residents and many thousand more who travel to New England for care at many of the nation’s top medical centers.

*In the state of Maine and Massachusetts, persons who are 16 years of age are eligible to donate blood with parental consent.

About DirectBuy

For more than 38 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furniture, carpet and flooring, and custom window treatments, to kitchen and bath cabinets and fixtures, appliances and much, much more.  DirectBuy enables members to purchase products from several hundred manufacturers at more than 160 showrooms across North America.  To learn more about DirectBuy, visit www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

Stoneham/DirectBuy blood drive to be held on July 22, 2pm to 8pmRead More

Finding The Right One in Chicago – Largest Bricks and Mortar Dating Service Opens Office

The Right One, one of the world’s largest traditional dating services in the industry with 60 offices nationwide, has recently opened their doors in downtown Chicago to provide matchmaking services to more than 9 million people living in the Chicago metropolitan area. The new office is located at 875 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3100.

The Chicago office is The Right One’s fifth office operating in Illinois, with other locations in Downers Grove, Rockford, Normal and Schaumburg.

Chris Nolan, a 25-year veteran of the dating service industry who runs seven of The Right One’s offices, will oversee the newest Chicago location.

“By taking a one-to-one personal approach, we’ve been able to help thousands of clients find that special someone over past 25 years. Now, Chicago area singles will have the opportunity to find romance with our expert help,” noted Paul A. Falzone, CEO of The Right One and Together Dating.

To arrange a consultation with a professional matchmaker or for membership, contact

800-818-DATE (3283).

Adding Talent and New Offices

In the fourth quarter of 2008, The Right One and Together Dating showed an 18 percent increase in new memberships over 2007. Concurrently, the company has opened five new locations and according to Falzone, has plans to open four more locations in the near future and the hiring will continue.

Help is on the way
Catering to more than 300,000 members at more than 60 locations throughout North America, The Right One and Together Dating are the largest brick and mortar dating services in the industry, offering a more consistent product, a greater number of potentially compatible mates and added value of flexibility in transferring memberships to another geographic region.

Romantic Locations

North American locations and affiliates of Together are located in: Indiana (Ft. Wayne, Carmel); Kentucky (Louisville); Louisiana (Metairie); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Minnesota (Edina); Nevada (Reno); New Hampshire (Hooksett, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem); Ohio (Cincinnati); South Carolina (Greenville); Texas (San Antonio and Austin) and Virginia (Falls Church); Pennsylvania (Harrisburg).

The Right One’s offices and affiliates located throughout the United States include: California (San Diego); Colorado (Glendale); Georgia (Atlanta); Illinois (Downers Grove, Rockford, Normal, Schaumburg and Chicago); Massachusetts (Norwell, Newton Center, Shrewsbury and Woburn); Michigan (Bingham Farms); Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln); New Jersey (Cherry Hill); New York (NYC); Nevada (Las Vegas); Pennsylvania (Harrisburg, King of Prussia); Rhode Island (Warwick); Texas (Dallas); Utah (Salt Lake City); and Wisconsin (Madison, Appleton, Elm Grove).

Singles Station Dating Company, an affiliate of The Right One and Together Dating, is the largest independently owned personal introduction service in the Southwest. In the last 25 years, Singles Station has introduced more than 100,000 couples and is responsible for thousands of successful relationships and marriages. Singles Station Dating Co. has offices in Oklahoma (Oklahoma City and Tulsa), Arkansas (Bentonville, Fort Smith and Little Rock), Tennessee (Memphis and Nashville), Missouri (Springfield and St. Louis) and will be opening soon in Kansas (Wichita and Kansas City). For more information about Singles Station, please visit www.singlesstation.com or call 866-807-LOVE(5683).

For more information about Together Dating and The Right One, please visit their websites at www.togetherdating.com and www.therightone.com, or call (800) 818-DATE (3283).

Finding The Right One in Chicago – Largest Bricks and Mortar Dating Service Opens OfficeRead More

How do you like your pizza cooked– rare, medium or well done?….Outdoor pizza oven adds pizzazz to outdoor kitchen.

CHICAGO, HOFFMAN ESTATES, NAPERVILLE, TINLEY PARK, IL …

Over the last few years, ‘outdoor kitchens’ have taken cooking on the grill from a summer activity to a year-round thing. Now, outdoor cooking has evolved from burgers, dogs, steaks and other carnivorous delights to pizza. That’s right, according to the DirectBuys of Greater Chicago, the leading home improvement and furnishings clubs with direct insider prices, adding a pizza oven has become the latest trend in outdoor kitchens.

“Pizza is a pretty big deal here in the Chicago area. After all, it’s the home of the deep dish pizza. So it’s not surprising that some people have decided to take their love of cooking in the great outdoors step further by adding a pizza oven to their outdoor kitchens,” said Jeremy Vest, owner of DirectBuy of DuPage County. 

For those who may not have the budget for a pizza oven, you can create your own by purchasing a simple pizza stone. Place that over your grill/fire pit area and you’re ready to serve up your family’s favorite pizza with the extra fun of an outdoor pizza cookout. Or, you can host your own “make your own pizza” night outdoors.

DirectBuy sells many of the items and accessories you’ll need to create your outdoor pizza kitchen at manufacturer’s low prices. In addition, DirectBuy also employs product specialists who can provide helpful pointers on selecting the right equipment and setup for your home.

For starters, when it comes to selecting a grill, DirectBuy recommends considering:

●       Stainless steel gas or charcoal grills – outdoor kitchen means just that: outside sun, rain, wind and in some markets, snow. Even covered, your grill will be exposed to the elements to a certain degree and you want a grill made of material that will withstand bad weather and corrosion.

●       Free-standing or under-the-counter refrigeration units – help minimize trips to the “other” kitchen and give you a place to store leftovers for the next cookout.

●       Infra-red burners – make sure the grill you do select uses infra-red burners, which heat up faster.

●       Storage – choose a grill with plenty of shelving and cabinets

“Whether you’re cooking pizzas or the standard barbecue fare, the beauty of the outdoor kitchen is that it reduces trips to the real kitchen to get supplies. This means you can actually spend time with your guests while preparing your meal,” continued Vest. “By adding something novel like a pizza oven or quasi pizza oven, you’re adding to the ways you can get more use and enjoyment out of your outdoor kitchen.”

Since 1971, DirectBuy clubs have offered members the opportunity to enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products and accessories by buying wholesale, directly from the manufacturer. With several convenient locations in the greater Chicago area (Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, and Tinley Park), consumers can enjoy a comfortable, country-club setting, where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

For more information on a DirectBuy membership, you can visit http://www.directbuychicago.com/.

About DirectBuy

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Buying direct makes members’ hard-earned money to go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers, and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality.  It’s a comfortable, country-club setting, where you finally have the financial control of buying direct. The DirectBuy clubs serving the greater Chicago area are part of more than 160 locations throughout North America.

Consumers interested in becoming members may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting http://www.directbuychicago.com/. 

Locations of the DirectBuy clubs serving the greater Chicago area are: DirectBuy of Hoffman Estates, 2200 N. Stonington Ave Ste. 150 Hoffman Estates, IL; DirectBuy of Chicago North, 6325 Avondale, Chicago, IL; DirectBuy of DuPage County, 1864 Highgrove Ste. 136 Naperville, IL; and DirectBuy of Tinley Park, 18400 S. 76th Avenue Ste. B, Tinley Park, IL.

To learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.directbuycares.com.

How do you like your pizza cooked– rare, medium or well done?….Outdoor pizza oven adds pizzazz to outdoor kitchen.Read More

High Five! DirectBuy of Greater Victoria celebrates five-year milestone.

VICTORIA, BC…

For five years, DirectBuy of Greater Victoria has been offering consumers in the greater Victoria area a brand new way to save on home improvement projects, home furnishings and accessories.

As the leading members-only home improvement and home furnishing club, DirectBuy of Greater Victoria offers direct insider pricing on products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, all from more than 500 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy also offers design, delivery and installation services.

“The growth we’ve experienced since we opened our doors five years ago is a little hard to fathom. Not only have we grown in terms of the number of our members, but also in the number of manufacturers who want to sell their products through DirectBuy. And that’s got us even more excited about the next five years,” said Jason Grigolato, owner of DirectBuy of Greater Victoria.

In addition to the tremendous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products and accessories, DirectBuy also offers design services to its members, as well as a listing of local contractors who offer installation services to DirectBuy members, many times at a discounted rate.

“Our five years in business have not only given us the opportunity to help families create the home of their dreams, but to also establish ourselves as part of the local business community and as a contributor to local charities,” said Grigolato. “We look forward to further cultivating those relationships with our customers and the community as we build toward even bigger and better things in the years to come.”

Since 2004, DirectBuy of Greater Victoria has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from the manufacturer. Conveniently located at 350B Bay Street in Victoria, DirectBuy offers consumers a comfortable, country-club setting where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy

For more than 37 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 160 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to approximately 500 brand-name manufacturers and authorized suppliers in Canada and more than 700 brand-name manufacturers and their authorized suppliers in the United States.

To request a “Free Insider’s Guide to Buying Direct” and a Visitor’s Pass to learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.DirectBuy.com or www.DirectBuyCares.com.

High Five! DirectBuy of Greater Victoria celebrates five-year milestone.Read More

High Five! DirectBuy of Orlando North celebrates five-year milestone.

SANFORD, FLORIDA…

For five years, DirectBuy of Orlando North has been offering consumers in the greater Orlando area a brand new way to save on home improvement projects, home furnishings and accessories.

As the leading members-only home improvement and home furnishings club, DirectBuy of Orlando North offers direct insider pricing on products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, all from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy also offers design, delivery and installation services.

“The growth we’ve experienced since we opened our doors five years ago is a little hard to fathom. Not only have we grown in terms of the number of our members, but also in the number of manufacturers who want to sell their products through DirectBuy. And that’s got us even more excited about the next five years,” said Randy Cover, co-owner of DirectBuy of Orlando North.

In addition to the tremendous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products and accessories, DirectBuy also offers design services to its members, as well as a listing of local contractors who offer installation services to DirectBuy members, many times at a discounted rate.

“Our five years in business have not only given us the opportunity to help families create the home of their dreams, but to also establish ourselves as part of the local business community and as a contributor to local charities,” said Cover. “We look forward to further cultivating those relationships with our customers and the community as we build toward even bigger and better things in the years to come.”

Since 2004, DirectBuy of Orlando North has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from the manufacturer. Conveniently located at 4150 Church Street, Suite 1024 in Sanford, DirectBuy offers consumers a comfortable, country-club setting, where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy

Since 1971, the DirectBuy network has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Buying direct enables members’ hard-earned money to go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality. It’s a comfortable, country-club setting, where you finally have the financial control of buying direct.

To request a “Free Insider’s Guide to Buying Direct” and a Visitor’s Pass to learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.DirectBuy.com or www.DirectBuyCares.com.

 

High Five! DirectBuy of Orlando North celebrates five-year milestone.Read More

High Five! DirectBuy of Houston North celebrates five-year milestone.

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS…

For five years, DirectBuy of Houston North has been offering consumers in the greater Houston area a brand new way to save on home improvement projects, home furnishings and accessories.

As the leading members-only home improvement and home furnishings club, DirectBuy of Houston North offers manufacturer-direct pricing on products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, all from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy also offers design, delivery and installation services.

“The growth we’ve experienced since we opened our doors five years ago is a little hard to fathom. Not only have we grown in terms of the number of our members, but also in the number of manufacturers who want to sell their products through DirectBuy. And that’s got us even more excited about the next five years,” said Patrick Sullivan, owner of DirectBuy of Houston North.

In addition to the tremendous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products and accessories, DirectBuy also offers design services to its members, as well as a listing of local contractors who offer installation services to DirectBuy members, many times at a discounted rate.

“Our five years in business have not only given us the opportunity to help families create the home of their dreams, but to also establish ourselves as part of the local business community and as a contributor to local charities,” said Sullivan. “We look forward to further cultivating those relationships with our customers and the community as we build toward even bigger and better things in the years to come.”

Since 2004, DirectBuy of Houston North has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from the manufacturer. Conveniently located at 19241 David Memorial Drive in The Woodlands. DirectBuy offers consumers a comfortable, country-club setting, where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

Consumers interested in becoming members may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com.

About DirectBuy

For more than 37 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 160 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to approximately 700 brand-name manufacturers and their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers and authorized suppliers in Canada.

To request a “Free Insider’s Guide to Buying Direct” and a Visitor’s Pass to learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.DirectBuy.com or www.DirectBuyCares.com.

High Five! DirectBuy of Houston North celebrates five-year milestone.Read More

High Five! DirectBuy of Bucks County celebrates five-year milestone.

NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA…

For five years, DirectBuy of Bucks County has been offering consumers in the greater Philadelphia and Delaware Valley area a brand new way to save on home improvement projects, home furnishings and accessories.

As the leading members-only home improvement and home furnishings club, DirectBuy of Bucks County offers direct insider pricing on products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, all from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy also offers design, delivery and installation services.

“The growth we’ve experienced since we opened our doors five years ago is a little hard to fathom. Not only have we grown in terms of the number of our members, but also in the number of manufacturers who want to sell their products through DirectBuy. And that’s got us even more excited about the next five years,” said Neil Morris, owner of DirectBuy of Bucks County.

In addition to the tremendous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products and accessories, DirectBuy also offers design services to its members, as well as a listing of local contractors who offer installation services to DirectBuy members, many times at a discounted rate.

“Our five years in business have not only given us the opportunity to help families create the home of their dreams, but to also establish ourselves as part of the local business community and as a contributor to local charities,” said Morris. “We look forward to further cultivating those relationships with our customers and the community as we build toward even bigger and better things in the years to come.”

Since 2004, DirectBuy of Bucks County has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from the manufacturer. Conveniently located at 46 Blacksmith Road in Newtown, DirectBuy offers consumers a comfortable, country-club setting, where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy

Since 1971, the DirectBuy network has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Buying direct enables members’ hard-earned money to go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. DirectBuy has been serving the greater Philadelphia area since 1990. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality. It’s a comfortable, country-club setting, where you finally have the financial control of buying direct.

To request a “Free Insider’s Guide to Buying Direct” and a Visitor’s Pass to learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.DirectBuy.com or www.DirectBuyCares.com.

High Five! DirectBuy of Bucks County celebrates five-year milestone.Read More

Are we there yet? Travel tips for a smoother family vacation.

WAITSFIELD, VERMONT…

Long before the Griswolds and the “Vacation” trilogy of movies, the family trip had a certain painful nostalgia for people that could only be appreciated many years later—usually when they had their own families and attempted trips of their own. Resort Maps, creator of customized travel maps in more than 90 cities and towns across the U.S. and U.K. has some family travel tips that can help you optimize the pleasure of family trips and minimize the inconvenience.

“In a perfect world, every family trip goes smoothly and years later your memories center on where you went—Disneyworld or the Grand Canyon—rather than little Joey getting sick on the plane or on his sister in the car. But we all know the world is not perfect,” said Peter Hans, president of Resort Maps. “There are some things you can do to prepare for the mini ‘disasters’ that happen on your journey so they don’t impact the rest of your trip.”

Some of the areas to focus your pre-travel preparations include:

·         Attitude – expect a few snags and glitches both in packing and getting to and from your destination. By adopting a roll-with-the-punches approach, you really can keep the molehills from becoming mountains.

·         Drugs – there is never a drug store around when you need one. Keep this reality in mind when packing. Make sure to pack some travel size containers of cough syrup, cold or allergy medicines. Benadryl, in particular, is very helpful in getting sick children to rest comfortably on a flight or long car ride.

·         Baby wipes – even if the kids are out of diapers, wipes come in handy for a variety of quick clean ups.

·         Zip lock bags – make sure to carry a variety of sizes, which can have numerous uses. Oversized bags come in very handy for packing wet clothes.

·         Night lights – do not forget them, particularly if you’re sharing a hotel room. A bad night for one of your kids means no sleep for the entire family and that certainly can impact fun activities.

·         Scheduling – if you’re kids are younger, leave around the time they usually nap. This might buy you some extra quiet time for the drive. If flying, you may want to weigh the pros and cons of flying overnight. Sure, it will impact your zzz’s, but it may beat entertaining a pre-schooler for six hours on a daytime flight.

·         Flying – utilize resources like SeatGuru.com to strategize where you want to sit (e.g. windows, aisles, front of the plane or back). Maybe you want to split the kids up to minimize the possibility of bickering and fights.

·         Games, toys and other entertainment – ultimately, the key to traveling with children means keeping them occupied. Whether it’s playing their favorite DVD in the car, a deck of cards for the car or plane or finding some fun travel games (www.momsminivan.com has a list of 101 Car Travel Games and Road Trip Ideas for Kids), keeping your children entertained for as long as possible is the real difference maker in a good or bad trip.

“For many people, the memories of trips they took with their families last a lifetime. You’d be amazed at how a little bit of pre-planning, including having the right map of the town or city where you’ll be staying, can go a long way towards ensuring that the memories of your family trips center on the fun you had and the places and things you saw,” said Hans.

Resort Maps are colorful, hand-drawn maps of resort towns and cities. Free to area visitors, each map advertises restaurants, accommodations, retail stores, factory outlets, recreation and attractions, real estate and other local services. Each advertiser is represented with a display ad surrounding the map, including a color-coded grid locator and a building drawn, highlighted and labeled making it easy to locate. With landmarks prominently displayed, Resort Maps are an easy and fun way to find your way around town whether you are visiting, new to the area or you just want to know what’s happening around your town.  And kids love them so you can add Resort Maps to the list of things that will keep them entertained.

For more information on Resort Maps or to inquire about ownership of a Resort Maps franchise, please visit www.resortmaps.com or call 802-496-6277.

 

About Resort Maps

Headquartered in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Resort Maps has been creating and publishing advertising maps in the northeastern U.S. since 1986. In 1993, Resort Maps expanded its reach by creating a franchise model for distribution of its colorful, hand-drawn maps of resort towns and cities. Today, that network of franchises grown to nearly 90 Resort Maps in publication in the US and the UK, with several more in the process of being published. Nearly 20 million Resort Maps will be printed and distributed in 2009.

For more information on Resort Maps the company and/or the franchise opportunity, visit www.resortmaps.com or call 802-496-6277.

Are we there yet? Travel tips for a smoother family vacation.Read More