For the last 27 years, Joan Curto has inhabited an antique shop in the Old Orland Historic District, a modest spot on a modest street in a once-modest town. Despite it being 2007, there are no street lights or nightlife—just a two-block strip blanketed by antique shops and one 40-plus year old general store inviting all to step back in time.
Sometimes, admits Curto, she catches a glimpse of a passing Metra train, the modern-day horse and carriage riding on the lumber and iron of yesteryear, and envisions the town’s earliest residents stepping off the train, dropping their bags, inhaling the air, and welcoming themselves to their new home—Orland Park.
“Maybe that’s a little too dramatic,” acknowledges Curto, the owner of Cracker Barrel Antiques, “but it’s the picture I have in my mind.’
Marty Sherlock was but a teenager when his father, Joseph Sherlock, stumbled upon an abandoned boat store on 157th Street and figured the vacant spot would serve the ideal location for his carpet business showroom.
“It was nothing but cornfields and open land,” says Marty Sherlock of his first impressions of 1980’s Orland Park. “But my dad saw something when he moved here—a potential for growth.”
And grow Orland Park did.
Incorporated in 1892, Orland Park maintained its small town reality well into the 1960s when population remained under 3,000. In the second half of the century, however, Orland Park boomed, characterizing the late 20th century’s influx of automobile-based suburbs. Awaking from a decades-long slumber, the village stood, spread its arms, and began welcoming residential subdivisions, retail strips, and playgrounds for the young and old.
By 2000, the village’s population had topped 50,000 and Orland Park was well on its way to becoming one of the Chicago most robust communities. Today, Orland Park claims nearly 60,000 residents and survives as the Southland’s primary retail center and one of its most popular destinations for dining, shopping, and recreation.
As Marty Sherlock can attest, this is not your father’s Orland Park.
“This town,” he says, “wasn’t anything that it is now. The area’s just boomed.”
Taking pause, Sherlock, who today runs the Sherlock Carpet and Tile business his father started in 1974, adds: “You know, there are places here that we never would’ve thought could’ve made it out here. The town’s evolved and we’ve evolved right alongside it.”
Dan McLaughlin, now in his 15th year as Orland Park Mayor, says a longstanding joke among residents arrived in discussion of local dining spots.
“The joke used to be that this town only had fast food, but one of the most noticeable things in Orland Park these days is the amount of nice restaurants in town,” he says, highlighting the fact that Orland Park now includes such notable establishments as 94 West, Harrison’s, Fox’s Pizza, and, the community’s latest gem, Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant, which opened in late 2005.
McLaughlin admits the evolution of Orland Park took time, but has nevertheless arrived.
“In the 1980s and ‘90s, this community was so fast growing with residential that it took some time for the commercial to catch up,” says McLaughlin, who moved to Orland Park in 1979 and immediately became involved in village matters. “Any town that grows up with the older style grid system and strip centers slowly transforms itself with better layout and planning.”
The village’s attention to detail and growth, meanwhile, catapulted it into recognition as one of the nation’s top flight communities. In 2006, Money Magazine placed Orland Park among America’s top 50 places to live, praising the Southland community specifically for its arts, leisure, and education. The honor, says McLaughlin, demonstrates the village’s longstanding plan to elevate Orland Park into an elite destination.
When you get a national honor you’re happy for the entire village. It’s a recognition that takes into consideration a lot of individual and collective effort. I just hope the community feels as proud about it as I do because it’s a wonderful honor,” he says.
With over 20 area golf courses and a hoist of recreation opportunities, Orland Park established itself as one of the area’s most attractive spots for play. In 2002, the Village of Orland Park Sportsplex opened on 159th Street near Wolf Road. The 90,000 square foot facility, which now claims over 3600 members in addition to a plethora of walk-in clients, holds a 10,000 square feet fitness center, three gymnasiums, an indoor soccer field, an aerobics studio for yoga and Pilates, a 35-foot climbing wall, indoor running track, and child care facilities.
“The village officials saw a need for a facility like this, particularly as the community continued to expand,” says Ray Piattoni, facility administrator at the Sportsplex. “The first mission is toward the needs of residents here and improving their quality of life.”
As a retail destination, meanwhile, Orland Park is among the Southland’s most active areas, anchored in large part by a flurry of activity on LaGrange Road. The 30-year-old Orland Square mall at 151st Street stands as the village’s most noteworthy shopping hotspot. Renovated and expanded in 1996, Orland Square boasts 1.2 million square feet of retail space and resides as the Southland’s largest, most upscale retail location.
Indeed, Orland Park’s status as a host to elegant specialty retailers has emerged alongside its increasing rank as a vibrant dining destination.
Most retailers were attracted to Orland Park by one word—potential.
“It was obvious that Orland Park was going to be a huge growth center. It already had a major mall and a number of people migrating to the area,” recalls Jim Morrison, owner of Morrison’s Ethan Allen, an interior design center breaking from its reputation as a furniture store alone.
Morrison opened his Ethan Allen store at 155th Street and Harlem Ave 19 years ago at the urging of the company’s Danbury, Connecticut-based corporate headquarters.
“The corporate office saw value and potential in this area, the same thing so many of us saw. Everything was in place for it to be a vibrant, active community, which it has certainly turned out to be” says Morrison.
Corrine Casto-Coventry shares a similar story. Her father, Frank Casto, opened an outpost for his six-decades old Roseland Draperies in the mid-1990s and the custom drapery shop’s showroom has called 147th Street home since.
“My father saw so much development in the area and a spot that could be accessed by so many other neighboring communities,” says Casto-Coventry. “And we’ve certainly benefited from all that potential being recognized.”
Little by little, says McLaughlin, the community showed its demographics could support high-end retailers. So much had Orland Park’s reputation as a retail destination sprouted, in fact, that Evanston-based Davis Street Land Company, a respected national developer of upscale properties and Main Street-styled communities approached the village with plans for such a development.
In late 2005, Davis Street Land launched Orland Park Crossings at 143rd Street and LaGrange Road. Buoyed by the presence of national names, such as Coldwater Creek, Talbots, Chico’s, and Ann Taylor, as well as boutique retailers, including Black Tie Draperies, Francesca’s Collection, and Eden Aveda Salon and Spa, Orland Park Crossings has emerged a new gem in the village’s retail landscape—not to mention its dining status with P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and the fall debut of Granite City Food and Brewery. Future plans for the area include the continued mix of national and local specialty retailers coupled with a mix of office and residential developments.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of growth in Orland Park and we see Orland Park Crossings as a property designed specifically to provide upscale retail and dining options for residents,” says Davis Street Land Company’s Scott McClure.
But more, Orland Park Crossings shows the village’s emerging focus on pedestrian-friendly developments, a change from decades past. Today, says McLaughlin, considerable thought by village planners and their partners results in better-schemed developments.
“For many years it was a battled between developers and the municipal planners. After years of doing the little things and analyzing how things should be laid out, we’ve settled on developments that are attractive and pedestrian-friendly. You’re now seeing it in new developments such as Orland Crossings and you’re going to continue seeing it in what’s to come,” promises McLaughlin.
Much work remains on an ambitious village slate, contends McLaughlin, but few are gaining as much attention as he village’s redevelopment plans for the Old Orland Historic District, the village’s former central gathering place at 143rd Street just west of LaGrange Road.
“We’ve been working with a development team to get this going for years, but in the last year-and-a-half those plans have started to move quicker,” tells McLaughlin. “Within a year or two, people should begin to see the development take shape.”
Central to the community’s redevelopment of its former downtown area stands a Metra station. As other Chicagoland communities have done, including Orland’s neighbor to the east, Tinley Park, the hope remains that a transportation post will anchor a mixed-use area featuring shopping, dining, and residential units. A pedestrian bridge at 143rd Street, meanwhile, will connect the Old Orland Historic District with the aforementioned Orland Park Crossings.
“This is the real Orland Park, exactly what was there 100 years ago. It’s a unique area,” says McLaughlin, “and we’re anxious to get things moving. The entire area will be something attractive.”
For Joan Curto and her fellow antique dealers in the Old Orland section, the mayor’s words sing a beautiful tune.
“Our little sleepy hollow over here,” she says, “was a nice place for our business, but had been forgotten for some time. With these redevelopment plans, the town will get a unique ambiance it hasn’t had for some time. It will create an entire different look and feel for Orland Park and will become just one more place to entice people.”
Friday, October 26, 2007
Writing Sample #12: Location, location, location: Finding the best spot for your pizzeria requires research before rewards (Pizza Today, October 2007)
Location, location, location has long been the guiding axiom of real estate, a mantra surviving in the residential world as well as the commercial arena. Pick the wrong spot for your location and doom could follow; select the right home and you’ll be baking pies for years.
“It’s important for a pizzeria to identify its key demographics and then strategically position itself to capitalize on that location,” says Russell Barnett, head of the restaurant specialty group for CB Richard Ellis, one of the nation’s leading real estate services firms.
While perhaps easier to execute in theory than reality, an operator’s research skills must take flight if the right location is to be found. From population growth to underserved communities and from tax legislation to competitive environments, the finished product provides success, but a well-scouted location surely doesn’t hurt.
Emerging Communities
On May 15, Steve Cornelius opened his Nick-N-Willy’s Pizza outpost in Elk Grove, California, a booming community near Sacramento. An Elk Grove resident, Cornelius said he was motivated by the sprouting population—Elk Grove had doubled in size since 2000—and presence of few established pizzerias.
“It was a growing area, so we knew that we could grow right alongside it,” Cornelius says, noting the advantage of opening in a spot where loyalties are scarce given such a fresh populace.
It comes as no surprise that four of the top 10 fastest growing cities according to U.S. Census data maintain a California address: Elk Grove, Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga, and Irvine leading the Golden State’s population surge. Florida boasts three emerging cities in Port St. Lucie, Cape Coral, and Miramar while Arizona, with Gilbert and Chandler, has also inherited thousands of new residents. North Las Vegas, adjacent to Sin City, has proven that real estate can rival blackjack as the biggest game in town.
Pizza-Starved States
Ever wonder about the most underserved pizza communities? New Jersey-based investment management firm W.R. Huff did and proceeded to analyze all 50 states to discover the nation’s most pizza-starved constituency.
The states warmest on weather are some of the coldest on pizza. With Mississippi claiming but one pizzeria for every 8643 residents, the potential market share is immense for those who get the All-American food just right, guys like Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal, owners of Sal and Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint in Jackson.
“It’s fascinating that the metro Jackson area has few ‘home grown’ or upscale pizzerias,” says Good. “Certainly, [we] took that into account when we created [our] concept. In the first five months, the feedback and rabid repeat customer business…has positioned Sal & Mookie’s as the place to get pizza in Jackson.”
Other pizza-starved states include Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Hawaii, Georgia, Tennessee, and California.
The Government: Your Small Business Friend
Taxes. Rarely a word that sparks any positive reaction from an American small business owner. While some states are heavy on taxation—New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, Maine, and Minnesota among the chief culprits—others do a noble job avoiding the business owners’ pockets.
The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, a Washington D.C.-based small business advocate, reports that South Dakota, Nevada, and Wyoming all avoid personal income tax, capital gains, and corporate income tax. Other states, meanwhile, such as Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Washington, and Colorado keep taxation to a minimum, offering an undeniable boost to the pizzeria’s bottom line.
Some Competition and the Golden Rule
Though the northeast remains the most pizza-filled region of the country, an immortal industry truth emerges: product remains king.
Despite boasting a pizzeria for every 2300 residents, the nation’s most competitive marketplace as sheer numbers go, Maine hosts several operations that merge a track record with a unique experience. Portland Pie, for instance, applied the micro-brew concept to pizza dough and claims not only a plethora of flavored pizza crusts—basil, garlic, and beer among them—but also a loyal customer base.
“We came out of the gates [in 1997] with a different concept…and there’s no question we’ve grown over the last ten years because we’ve differentiated ourselves from the competition, created our niche, and established a name for ourselves,” says Steve Freese, co-owner of the three Portland Pie locations.
Barnett says a competitive environment can often be a plus given the herd mentality of American society, a fact evident in cities across the country where rivals share street corners.
“People tend to congregate in the same place,” Barnett says, “and if one place is full, they’ll often move on to the next.”
Freese reminds that he and partner Nat Getchell opened their first shop next to an established local chain.
“People thought we were crazy,” he says, “but we believed in our concept and our product.”
(Sidebar)
Hungry for Pizza: Some of the Nation’s Top Spots for a Pizzeria
These American cities possess some of the key ingredients to hosting a successful pizzeria:
North Las Vegas, Nevada
Population: 198,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:4923 (Nevada)
Why North Las Vegas?: One of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, North Las Vegas claims a friendly small business climate with low taxes, high disposable income, and, more applicable to the pizzeria operator, the nation’s top projected restaurant sales growth according to the National Restaurant Association.
Gilbert, Arizona
Population: 192,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:5296 (Arizona)
Why Gilbert?: Despite a surging population, Arizona claims less than 1,000 pizzerias and resides among the nation’s most pizza-starved states. Gilbert, meanwhile, stands atop the state’s population push while offering a family-centered demographic with disposable income and favorable taxation policy.
Port St. Lucie, Florida
Population: 145,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:5066 (Florida)
Why Port St. Lucie?: Tabbed “A City for All Ages,” Port St. Lucie, which has seen its population triple in the last 15 years, promises extensive growth opportunities, residents with disposable income, and low taxes. Each year, meanwhile, the town entertains the New York Mets and their fan base, many of them pizza-eating Yankees, for spring training.
Denton, Texas
Population: 110,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:7727 (Texas)
Why Denton?: A music and art hotbed north of Dallas, Denton boasts an intellectual flair and two state universities with a combined enrollment of 45,000. Despite high property taxes and a corporate income tax, Denton avoids personal income, capital gains, and estate taxes as well as a saturated pizzeria market.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Population: 367,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:5218 (North Carolina)
Why Raleigh?: With steady population growth in recent years, an abundance of industry and commerce, and the presence of North Carolina State University, the state’s capital city boasts some key indicators for success. One negative: tax rates are among the nation’s highest.
“It’s important for a pizzeria to identify its key demographics and then strategically position itself to capitalize on that location,” says Russell Barnett, head of the restaurant specialty group for CB Richard Ellis, one of the nation’s leading real estate services firms.
While perhaps easier to execute in theory than reality, an operator’s research skills must take flight if the right location is to be found. From population growth to underserved communities and from tax legislation to competitive environments, the finished product provides success, but a well-scouted location surely doesn’t hurt.
Emerging Communities
On May 15, Steve Cornelius opened his Nick-N-Willy’s Pizza outpost in Elk Grove, California, a booming community near Sacramento. An Elk Grove resident, Cornelius said he was motivated by the sprouting population—Elk Grove had doubled in size since 2000—and presence of few established pizzerias.
“It was a growing area, so we knew that we could grow right alongside it,” Cornelius says, noting the advantage of opening in a spot where loyalties are scarce given such a fresh populace.
It comes as no surprise that four of the top 10 fastest growing cities according to U.S. Census data maintain a California address: Elk Grove, Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga, and Irvine leading the Golden State’s population surge. Florida boasts three emerging cities in Port St. Lucie, Cape Coral, and Miramar while Arizona, with Gilbert and Chandler, has also inherited thousands of new residents. North Las Vegas, adjacent to Sin City, has proven that real estate can rival blackjack as the biggest game in town.
Pizza-Starved States
Ever wonder about the most underserved pizza communities? New Jersey-based investment management firm W.R. Huff did and proceeded to analyze all 50 states to discover the nation’s most pizza-starved constituency.
The states warmest on weather are some of the coldest on pizza. With Mississippi claiming but one pizzeria for every 8643 residents, the potential market share is immense for those who get the All-American food just right, guys like Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal, owners of Sal and Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint in Jackson.
“It’s fascinating that the metro Jackson area has few ‘home grown’ or upscale pizzerias,” says Good. “Certainly, [we] took that into account when we created [our] concept. In the first five months, the feedback and rabid repeat customer business…has positioned Sal & Mookie’s as the place to get pizza in Jackson.”
Other pizza-starved states include Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Hawaii, Georgia, Tennessee, and California.
The Government: Your Small Business Friend
Taxes. Rarely a word that sparks any positive reaction from an American small business owner. While some states are heavy on taxation—New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, Maine, and Minnesota among the chief culprits—others do a noble job avoiding the business owners’ pockets.
The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, a Washington D.C.-based small business advocate, reports that South Dakota, Nevada, and Wyoming all avoid personal income tax, capital gains, and corporate income tax. Other states, meanwhile, such as Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Washington, and Colorado keep taxation to a minimum, offering an undeniable boost to the pizzeria’s bottom line.
Some Competition and the Golden Rule
Though the northeast remains the most pizza-filled region of the country, an immortal industry truth emerges: product remains king.
Despite boasting a pizzeria for every 2300 residents, the nation’s most competitive marketplace as sheer numbers go, Maine hosts several operations that merge a track record with a unique experience. Portland Pie, for instance, applied the micro-brew concept to pizza dough and claims not only a plethora of flavored pizza crusts—basil, garlic, and beer among them—but also a loyal customer base.
“We came out of the gates [in 1997] with a different concept…and there’s no question we’ve grown over the last ten years because we’ve differentiated ourselves from the competition, created our niche, and established a name for ourselves,” says Steve Freese, co-owner of the three Portland Pie locations.
Barnett says a competitive environment can often be a plus given the herd mentality of American society, a fact evident in cities across the country where rivals share street corners.
“People tend to congregate in the same place,” Barnett says, “and if one place is full, they’ll often move on to the next.”
Freese reminds that he and partner Nat Getchell opened their first shop next to an established local chain.
“People thought we were crazy,” he says, “but we believed in our concept and our product.”
(Sidebar)
Hungry for Pizza: Some of the Nation’s Top Spots for a Pizzeria
These American cities possess some of the key ingredients to hosting a successful pizzeria:
North Las Vegas, Nevada
Population: 198,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:4923 (Nevada)
Why North Las Vegas?: One of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, North Las Vegas claims a friendly small business climate with low taxes, high disposable income, and, more applicable to the pizzeria operator, the nation’s top projected restaurant sales growth according to the National Restaurant Association.
Gilbert, Arizona
Population: 192,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:5296 (Arizona)
Why Gilbert?: Despite a surging population, Arizona claims less than 1,000 pizzerias and resides among the nation’s most pizza-starved states. Gilbert, meanwhile, stands atop the state’s population push while offering a family-centered demographic with disposable income and favorable taxation policy.
Port St. Lucie, Florida
Population: 145,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:5066 (Florida)
Why Port St. Lucie?: Tabbed “A City for All Ages,” Port St. Lucie, which has seen its population triple in the last 15 years, promises extensive growth opportunities, residents with disposable income, and low taxes. Each year, meanwhile, the town entertains the New York Mets and their fan base, many of them pizza-eating Yankees, for spring training.
Denton, Texas
Population: 110,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:7727 (Texas)
Why Denton?: A music and art hotbed north of Dallas, Denton boasts an intellectual flair and two state universities with a combined enrollment of 45,000. Despite high property taxes and a corporate income tax, Denton avoids personal income, capital gains, and estate taxes as well as a saturated pizzeria market.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Population: 367,000
Pizzeria to Resident Ratio: 1:5218 (North Carolina)
Why Raleigh?: With steady population growth in recent years, an abundance of industry and commerce, and the presence of North Carolina State University, the state’s capital city boasts some key indicators for success. One negative: tax rates are among the nation’s highest.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Writing Sample #11: Reverse Gear: community colleges find university students filling their summer classrooms (Daily Southtown, May 6, 2007)
Russ Riberto considered it as wise a move as any he’s ever made. While pursuing his business administration degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Oak Lawn resident returned home each summer to make some money and, in a break from the academic calendar he enjoyed from the previous twelve years, take summer school courses.
“I took a few math classes in two consecutive summers,” said Riberto. “It was strange doing schoolwork in July, but I knew it was a good move and one that would help me get ahead.”
Now working with the federal government’s General Services Administration as a senior project manager, Riberto admits that his decision to take summer courses at Moraine Valley Community College remains one of his wisest academic decisions.
“I was able to stay on track and make sure I graduated from UIC on time,” the 2002 UIC alum said. “Plus, when I got back to UIC I was able to focus on my major classes in business and make sure they were getting the attention they deserved.”
Although students at four-year universities such as Riberto have long utilized their home community colleges to support or advance their studies over the summer months, local colleges have heightened efforts in recent years to promote such opportunities, particularly given the skyrocketing costs of tuition at both public and private four-year institutions across the nation.
“The primary advantage is that [the students] can get the classes they need at a much lower cost with the added convenience of being in their home area over the summer,” said Patrick Rush, director of public relations at South Suburban College. “This may allow them to take a smaller course load as a full-time student or to get their degree faster.”
Students, meanwhile, have increasingly taken advantage of the opportunities available at local community colleges, particularly as tuition at the colleges ranges anywhere from $60-90 per credit hour, an affordable respite from universities’ hefty costs. While some students return home during the summer for full or part-time work, others return expressly for summer school.
In 2006, South Suburban College claimed nearly 500 reverse transfer students, as they are often called, a number accounting for approximately 15 percent of its summer enrollment. Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills counts upwards of 20 percent of its summer enrollment as reverse transfer students, a number that has sprouted alongside overall campus enrollment. Oftentimes, university students flock to the community colleges to fulfill general education requirements, such as math, English, science, communications, and history.
“There are a variety of reasons why [general education courses] are popular: students couldn’t get into such a course at their school or they have to make it up or want to get these courses completed less expensively so they can concentrate on courses specific to their major [once they return to their school in the fall],” said Mark Horstmeyer, Director of College Relations at Moraine Valley Community College, who adds that students might also elect to take a course in which they feel they might need extra help.
Students at Illinois universities, meanwhile, can take assurance that their summer work will carry over to their four-year institution with the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide agreement among participating Illinois colleges and universities with clear guidelines identifying the transferability of courses.
“With the Illinois colleges, at least, transferring credits has become more seamless with the IAI,” said Cathy Robinson, Dean of Academic Services and Counseling at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights. “For those not at an Illinois four-year institution, I would suggest checking with the registrar’s office at the home institution. If the course transfers, then it’s really a win-win.”
Like the aforementioned Riberto, students who take summer courses at their local college rarely regret the edge it lends and the savings it provides. Yet more, such students even impress college administrators with their willingness to stay academically sharp in spite of summer’s tempting sunshine and students’ long-standing avoidance of schoolwork throughout June, July, and August.
“I’m impressed with the students who see that they can compete even better when they stay on their academic toes. They’ve thought it through and realized the benefits are well worth the investment,” said Robinson.
“I took a few math classes in two consecutive summers,” said Riberto. “It was strange doing schoolwork in July, but I knew it was a good move and one that would help me get ahead.”
Now working with the federal government’s General Services Administration as a senior project manager, Riberto admits that his decision to take summer courses at Moraine Valley Community College remains one of his wisest academic decisions.
“I was able to stay on track and make sure I graduated from UIC on time,” the 2002 UIC alum said. “Plus, when I got back to UIC I was able to focus on my major classes in business and make sure they were getting the attention they deserved.”
Although students at four-year universities such as Riberto have long utilized their home community colleges to support or advance their studies over the summer months, local colleges have heightened efforts in recent years to promote such opportunities, particularly given the skyrocketing costs of tuition at both public and private four-year institutions across the nation.
“The primary advantage is that [the students] can get the classes they need at a much lower cost with the added convenience of being in their home area over the summer,” said Patrick Rush, director of public relations at South Suburban College. “This may allow them to take a smaller course load as a full-time student or to get their degree faster.”
Students, meanwhile, have increasingly taken advantage of the opportunities available at local community colleges, particularly as tuition at the colleges ranges anywhere from $60-90 per credit hour, an affordable respite from universities’ hefty costs. While some students return home during the summer for full or part-time work, others return expressly for summer school.
In 2006, South Suburban College claimed nearly 500 reverse transfer students, as they are often called, a number accounting for approximately 15 percent of its summer enrollment. Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills counts upwards of 20 percent of its summer enrollment as reverse transfer students, a number that has sprouted alongside overall campus enrollment. Oftentimes, university students flock to the community colleges to fulfill general education requirements, such as math, English, science, communications, and history.
“There are a variety of reasons why [general education courses] are popular: students couldn’t get into such a course at their school or they have to make it up or want to get these courses completed less expensively so they can concentrate on courses specific to their major [once they return to their school in the fall],” said Mark Horstmeyer, Director of College Relations at Moraine Valley Community College, who adds that students might also elect to take a course in which they feel they might need extra help.
Students at Illinois universities, meanwhile, can take assurance that their summer work will carry over to their four-year institution with the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide agreement among participating Illinois colleges and universities with clear guidelines identifying the transferability of courses.
“With the Illinois colleges, at least, transferring credits has become more seamless with the IAI,” said Cathy Robinson, Dean of Academic Services and Counseling at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights. “For those not at an Illinois four-year institution, I would suggest checking with the registrar’s office at the home institution. If the course transfers, then it’s really a win-win.”
Like the aforementioned Riberto, students who take summer courses at their local college rarely regret the edge it lends and the savings it provides. Yet more, such students even impress college administrators with their willingness to stay academically sharp in spite of summer’s tempting sunshine and students’ long-standing avoidance of schoolwork throughout June, July, and August.
“I’m impressed with the students who see that they can compete even better when they stay on their academic toes. They’ve thought it through and realized the benefits are well worth the investment,” said Robinson.
Writing Sample #10: Taking a sip of liquor license know-how (Pizza Today, June 2007)
Casey Harris can tell you a thing or two about the difficulty of obtaining a liquor license. So, too, can Bob Callaway.
Though separated by time zones and some 1700 miles—Harris calling Port Huron, MI home and Callaway residing in Smithfield, UT—the two have traveled a similar path in pursuing their respective liquor licenses, one littered with frustration, disappointment, and bureaucratic noise.
Open since February 2006, Harris and his Casey’s Pizza and Sub Shop, a 100-seat establishment along the lake town’s evolving business district, have yet to pour a pint of ale or drop of wine. Though Harris called to get his liquor license the day after purchasing the former office building in late 2005, his journey to serving a pitcher of Budweiser has been anything but smooth.
“It’s taken two years to get my liquor license and I’m just now getting close,” says Harris, a retired hockey player who spent much of his youth in his parent’s Carmel, IN pizzeria. “I’ve been writing letters, making calls, and am constantly going to meetings. It’s disheartening how long it’s taken—not to mention the costs.”
For Callaway, who ran a catering service in southern California, his move to Smithfield, a modest spot of 7,500 inhabitants hugging the college town of Logan, and subsequent quest for a restaurant liquor license was similarly one of difficulty and distress.
Accustomed to California’s application process, Callaway encountered a different set of rules in Smithfield, a town with liquor regulations well beyond the state’s strict code. He could not purchase another’s vacated license, as one could in California, and was forced to petition the Smithfield City Council for a variance, a series of public hearings and forums to determine if Callaway’s Bistro faced “difficulties or hardships” given its inability to serve alcohol.
“I was going after the first restaurant liquor license in this conservative town,” says Callaway, “and I had to send letters out to everyone within an eight block radius. One dissenting council member said he’d be appalled to have his children walk home from school and pass a place serving alcohol. Such was the battle I faced.”
As it turns out, Harris’ and Callaway’s experiences are not uncommon. Operators across the country often find obtaining a liquor license to be a more challenging feat than anticipated. While liquor licenses once ran exclusively through the state, local municipalities sought increased say in the licenses granted within their communities. Zoning, as Jon Mejia of the California-based American Liquor License Exchange explains, has now lengthened, complicated, and overpriced the process.
“The local guys wanted their say and that’s placed an increased burden on the independent operator,” says Mejia, who notes Los Angeles where operators face a $6,000 price tag just to have their day in front of the zoning department—a first-step plea for a subsequent chance to deliver more paperwork, more cash, and more appeals.
While each state and municipality maintains its own set of regulations, Mejia, a two-decades long veteran of liquor licensing issues, offers a few general principles to move the process forward as efficiently as possible.
Two of the most overlooked items in applying for a license are parking, particularly in cities, and handicap accessibility, both of which demand an operator’s attention to detail and local code.
“These are true almost across the country,” Mejia says, “and are perhaps the critical items which most trip up operators. Don’t have them and you’ll likely run into a problem trying to get the liquor license.”
In an ideal world, says Mejia, the pizzeria would stand far away from residential units and so-called sensitive use facilities, such as churches, schools, parks, and hospitals. But since that leaves little else, Mejia urges operators with a choice to select a spot judiciously.
“If anybody’s going to throw up a real strong protest, it’s probably going to be residents so you’re sharp to avoid them,” he says, adding that community protests frequently delay license applications.
Most importantly, Mejia advises operators to learn the rules ahead of time, particularly those individuals opening a new spot. He relays horror stories of operators signing a lease, but failing to open their restaurant given code violations.
“Do your homework before you sign the lease,” he says. “Check with the appropriate agencies, both local and state, to make sure the business meets all the requirements.”
For operators opening a second pizzeria, Frank Fox of Chicago-based Fox’s Pizza says reputation goes a long way toward a more efficient process. Fox recently opened a new location in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, a 20-minute drive from his current spot, and says that although he got grilled by local leaders and had some moments of “hot seat wondering,” he understood that years of reputation, maintenance, presentation, and stability carried his application.
“[The council] knew who I was and knew I watched minors and consumption,” says Fox. “That’s the best advice I can offer to anyone, existing or new—have a clean record and they’ll respect how you conduct yourself with the product.”
Mejia reports that obtaining a license generally requires 90 days with costs falling anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to six figures. In Washington state, for instance, a hard liquor license might cost anywhere from $2,000-5,000; two New Jersey hard liquor licenses recently sold on the open market for $1.5 million, a nod to the speculative nature that has become more prevalent as zoning has emerged a more challenging hurdle.
For Casey Harris, who once thought he secured a Michigan liquor license for little more than the application fees only to watch new laws change the ballgame, a $20,000 charge is the present price tag. In an attempt to spur downtown development across the state, Michigan passed legislation in 2006 allowing business owners to purchase a liquor license for $20,000—a third of the open market’s going rate—if they could show a $75,000 investment in their downtown property coupled with a $200,000 town investment in redevelopment. Though a hefty cost, it’s a price Harris is willing to pay.
“It’s worth the $20,000 even if it takes a lot of pizzas to make up for it,” says Harris, who hopes to have the license in time for the summer’s active tourist season.
Callaway, meanwhile, now reaps the benefits of the license he obtained in 2003 following a four-year struggle. The frustrations behind him, he’s moving forward.
“It took an election shift on the city council to bring things around, but we finally got it done,” says Callaway. “We’ve been successful with a unique menu catering to different tastes, but now that we’re serving wine we’re no doubt getting customers that we didn’t have before.”
Though separated by time zones and some 1700 miles—Harris calling Port Huron, MI home and Callaway residing in Smithfield, UT—the two have traveled a similar path in pursuing their respective liquor licenses, one littered with frustration, disappointment, and bureaucratic noise.
Open since February 2006, Harris and his Casey’s Pizza and Sub Shop, a 100-seat establishment along the lake town’s evolving business district, have yet to pour a pint of ale or drop of wine. Though Harris called to get his liquor license the day after purchasing the former office building in late 2005, his journey to serving a pitcher of Budweiser has been anything but smooth.
“It’s taken two years to get my liquor license and I’m just now getting close,” says Harris, a retired hockey player who spent much of his youth in his parent’s Carmel, IN pizzeria. “I’ve been writing letters, making calls, and am constantly going to meetings. It’s disheartening how long it’s taken—not to mention the costs.”
For Callaway, who ran a catering service in southern California, his move to Smithfield, a modest spot of 7,500 inhabitants hugging the college town of Logan, and subsequent quest for a restaurant liquor license was similarly one of difficulty and distress.
Accustomed to California’s application process, Callaway encountered a different set of rules in Smithfield, a town with liquor regulations well beyond the state’s strict code. He could not purchase another’s vacated license, as one could in California, and was forced to petition the Smithfield City Council for a variance, a series of public hearings and forums to determine if Callaway’s Bistro faced “difficulties or hardships” given its inability to serve alcohol.
“I was going after the first restaurant liquor license in this conservative town,” says Callaway, “and I had to send letters out to everyone within an eight block radius. One dissenting council member said he’d be appalled to have his children walk home from school and pass a place serving alcohol. Such was the battle I faced.”
As it turns out, Harris’ and Callaway’s experiences are not uncommon. Operators across the country often find obtaining a liquor license to be a more challenging feat than anticipated. While liquor licenses once ran exclusively through the state, local municipalities sought increased say in the licenses granted within their communities. Zoning, as Jon Mejia of the California-based American Liquor License Exchange explains, has now lengthened, complicated, and overpriced the process.
“The local guys wanted their say and that’s placed an increased burden on the independent operator,” says Mejia, who notes Los Angeles where operators face a $6,000 price tag just to have their day in front of the zoning department—a first-step plea for a subsequent chance to deliver more paperwork, more cash, and more appeals.
While each state and municipality maintains its own set of regulations, Mejia, a two-decades long veteran of liquor licensing issues, offers a few general principles to move the process forward as efficiently as possible.
Two of the most overlooked items in applying for a license are parking, particularly in cities, and handicap accessibility, both of which demand an operator’s attention to detail and local code.
“These are true almost across the country,” Mejia says, “and are perhaps the critical items which most trip up operators. Don’t have them and you’ll likely run into a problem trying to get the liquor license.”
In an ideal world, says Mejia, the pizzeria would stand far away from residential units and so-called sensitive use facilities, such as churches, schools, parks, and hospitals. But since that leaves little else, Mejia urges operators with a choice to select a spot judiciously.
“If anybody’s going to throw up a real strong protest, it’s probably going to be residents so you’re sharp to avoid them,” he says, adding that community protests frequently delay license applications.
Most importantly, Mejia advises operators to learn the rules ahead of time, particularly those individuals opening a new spot. He relays horror stories of operators signing a lease, but failing to open their restaurant given code violations.
“Do your homework before you sign the lease,” he says. “Check with the appropriate agencies, both local and state, to make sure the business meets all the requirements.”
For operators opening a second pizzeria, Frank Fox of Chicago-based Fox’s Pizza says reputation goes a long way toward a more efficient process. Fox recently opened a new location in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, a 20-minute drive from his current spot, and says that although he got grilled by local leaders and had some moments of “hot seat wondering,” he understood that years of reputation, maintenance, presentation, and stability carried his application.
“[The council] knew who I was and knew I watched minors and consumption,” says Fox. “That’s the best advice I can offer to anyone, existing or new—have a clean record and they’ll respect how you conduct yourself with the product.”
Mejia reports that obtaining a license generally requires 90 days with costs falling anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to six figures. In Washington state, for instance, a hard liquor license might cost anywhere from $2,000-5,000; two New Jersey hard liquor licenses recently sold on the open market for $1.5 million, a nod to the speculative nature that has become more prevalent as zoning has emerged a more challenging hurdle.
For Casey Harris, who once thought he secured a Michigan liquor license for little more than the application fees only to watch new laws change the ballgame, a $20,000 charge is the present price tag. In an attempt to spur downtown development across the state, Michigan passed legislation in 2006 allowing business owners to purchase a liquor license for $20,000—a third of the open market’s going rate—if they could show a $75,000 investment in their downtown property coupled with a $200,000 town investment in redevelopment. Though a hefty cost, it’s a price Harris is willing to pay.
“It’s worth the $20,000 even if it takes a lot of pizzas to make up for it,” says Harris, who hopes to have the license in time for the summer’s active tourist season.
Callaway, meanwhile, now reaps the benefits of the license he obtained in 2003 following a four-year struggle. The frustrations behind him, he’s moving forward.
“It took an election shift on the city council to bring things around, but we finally got it done,” says Callaway. “We’ve been successful with a unique menu catering to different tastes, but now that we’re serving wine we’re no doubt getting customers that we didn’t have before.”
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Writing Sample #9: Winter Selling Season Heating up (Daily Southtown, December 1, 2006)
The spring season is no longer king of the hill.
Spring’s stranglehold on the real estate market has loosened in recent years, a result of diverse factors ranging from the Internet to industry-savvy buyers. Where people once delayed a for sale sign on the lawn until March or April, the quiet of a frosty home sales season has since subsided in favor of a more active real estate market; with snow on the ground, Christmas carols ringing, and temperatures dropping, this winter selling season looks to heat up further.
“This winter may be one of the most active in years given that buyers have been sitting around waiting for something to happen,” said Linda Dore, a veteran agent with Orland Park’s ReMax Team 2000. “All indications are that the wild market we’ve been having for a while is slowing and that all the things buyers wanted to see happening—a settling of the market and mortgage rates—are happening.”
For some homeowners, winter presents an ideal selling opportunity—despite an upswing of homes on the winter market supply nevertheless remains at endurable levels while the colder months also allow sellers to concentrate almost exclusively on the home’s interior. For other homeowners, however, perhaps those with a thriving landscape or dimly lit streets, winter offers some less than enticing potential. As common in the industry, homeowners must accentuate strengths and downplay weaknesses lest they risk a lingering home sale.
Indeed, the winter real estate market is one littered with positives for some homeowners and negatives for others. Will buyers be able to enjoy the spacious patio deck and envision a summer party as they shiver in the Chicago twilight? Yet, won’t those inviting holiday decorations, fresh cookie scents, and candles provide a touch of warmth and comfort?
The answer: well, yes and yes. With the winter season in tow, homeowners can capitalize on the cozy feelings of the holiday season as well as a decreased supply of homes while simultaneously battling weather and a withering outdoor life. Sellers have taken increased notice of winter’s potential in the sales market and erased the need to wait for the warmer months ahead. With a few wise steps, winter can deliver a winner.
“Sometimes we pick the time to sell our home and sometimes the time picks us. If you have the flexibility to make the call as to when the home will hit the market, then consider what aspects of the home you want to highlight,” said Barb Thouvenell, managing broker and owner of PRS Associates Realtors in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood.
“We’ve seen less of a seasonal market in recent years. Sellers used to think only about spring given the opportunity to spruce up the home, but in winter people can do some simple things they can’t do in the summer to make the home more inviting such as lighting the fireplace or candles. These are easy things that can make a home feel more like a home.”
While a well-priced, quality home prepared to sell will likely garner serious offers regardless of the season, the winter seller often needs to consider some aspects of staging that a summer seller might be able to overlook, including a seat inside the door for people to take off their shoes and accessible parking on snowy days.
“The winter seller has to be much more prepared for bad weather and scrupulous about shoveling and making a path to the door,” Thouvenell said. “The seller simply needs to take more care and cater to buyers while realizing that something like the open house requires a little luck of the draw.”
There are some uncomplicated ways, however, in which sellers can counter the ill effects of Chicagoland’s sometimes brutish winter months and make the most out of winter’s opportunities. Thouvenell advises clients to have summer, spring, and fall photos of the home’s exterior on display for potential buyers, a move she says “will help showcase the house in every season.” Dore, meanwhile, urges sellers to enter the market with realistic expectations and a positive attitude.
“The number one item to know is that you’re going to get fewer showings, so staging the home properly and making the house as attractive as possible takes on added importance,” she said.
Despite the movement toward an increasingly heated winter market, Dore cautions that the overall guiding principle of real estate holds regardless of weather and the winter season’s supply of homes.
“If you’re going to sell your home, then you get it ready in an attractive condition,” she said. “The buyer’s expectations remain high and on an attractive product no matter the weather outside.”
Spring’s stranglehold on the real estate market has loosened in recent years, a result of diverse factors ranging from the Internet to industry-savvy buyers. Where people once delayed a for sale sign on the lawn until March or April, the quiet of a frosty home sales season has since subsided in favor of a more active real estate market; with snow on the ground, Christmas carols ringing, and temperatures dropping, this winter selling season looks to heat up further.
“This winter may be one of the most active in years given that buyers have been sitting around waiting for something to happen,” said Linda Dore, a veteran agent with Orland Park’s ReMax Team 2000. “All indications are that the wild market we’ve been having for a while is slowing and that all the things buyers wanted to see happening—a settling of the market and mortgage rates—are happening.”
For some homeowners, winter presents an ideal selling opportunity—despite an upswing of homes on the winter market supply nevertheless remains at endurable levels while the colder months also allow sellers to concentrate almost exclusively on the home’s interior. For other homeowners, however, perhaps those with a thriving landscape or dimly lit streets, winter offers some less than enticing potential. As common in the industry, homeowners must accentuate strengths and downplay weaknesses lest they risk a lingering home sale.
Indeed, the winter real estate market is one littered with positives for some homeowners and negatives for others. Will buyers be able to enjoy the spacious patio deck and envision a summer party as they shiver in the Chicago twilight? Yet, won’t those inviting holiday decorations, fresh cookie scents, and candles provide a touch of warmth and comfort?
The answer: well, yes and yes. With the winter season in tow, homeowners can capitalize on the cozy feelings of the holiday season as well as a decreased supply of homes while simultaneously battling weather and a withering outdoor life. Sellers have taken increased notice of winter’s potential in the sales market and erased the need to wait for the warmer months ahead. With a few wise steps, winter can deliver a winner.
“Sometimes we pick the time to sell our home and sometimes the time picks us. If you have the flexibility to make the call as to when the home will hit the market, then consider what aspects of the home you want to highlight,” said Barb Thouvenell, managing broker and owner of PRS Associates Realtors in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood.
“We’ve seen less of a seasonal market in recent years. Sellers used to think only about spring given the opportunity to spruce up the home, but in winter people can do some simple things they can’t do in the summer to make the home more inviting such as lighting the fireplace or candles. These are easy things that can make a home feel more like a home.”
While a well-priced, quality home prepared to sell will likely garner serious offers regardless of the season, the winter seller often needs to consider some aspects of staging that a summer seller might be able to overlook, including a seat inside the door for people to take off their shoes and accessible parking on snowy days.
“The winter seller has to be much more prepared for bad weather and scrupulous about shoveling and making a path to the door,” Thouvenell said. “The seller simply needs to take more care and cater to buyers while realizing that something like the open house requires a little luck of the draw.”
There are some uncomplicated ways, however, in which sellers can counter the ill effects of Chicagoland’s sometimes brutish winter months and make the most out of winter’s opportunities. Thouvenell advises clients to have summer, spring, and fall photos of the home’s exterior on display for potential buyers, a move she says “will help showcase the house in every season.” Dore, meanwhile, urges sellers to enter the market with realistic expectations and a positive attitude.
“The number one item to know is that you’re going to get fewer showings, so staging the home properly and making the house as attractive as possible takes on added importance,” she said.
Despite the movement toward an increasingly heated winter market, Dore cautions that the overall guiding principle of real estate holds regardless of weather and the winter season’s supply of homes.
“If you’re going to sell your home, then you get it ready in an attractive condition,” she said. “The buyer’s expectations remain high and on an attractive product no matter the weather outside.”
Writing Sample #8: Sizing Issues: The Snazziest and Wildest Tech Gadgets of the Season in the Palm of Your Hand (ELITE, December 2006)
Bigger isn’t always better.
In fact, in today’s tech-frenzied world, in which the complete Rolling Stones song catalog can fit into one’s palm, iPods play feature length films, and GPS systems no bigger than a pocket-sized atlas direct us where to turn, the “bigger is better” mantra continues falling victim to a revolution of pint-sized gadgets keeping us updated, connected, informed, entertained, and easily accessed. To be certain, small is the new big.
“Everything is moving toward a smaller, more portable item,” reports Karrie Ann Peters, a digital entertainment architect at Oak Brook-based Tweeter. “People want the convenience of portability these days so they’re not lugging large items around.”
Tech companies, meanwhile, have responded to consumer demands for portable, lightweight items. From the Apple’s iconic iPod to the Blackberry PDA units, Silicon Valley and its global cohorts have moved toward rewarding consumers with their every imaginable desire—music, video, e-mail, photos, Internet access—and doing it in a package smaller than a juice box.
Such is the wave of the present and the future, one in which college student Nathan Kennedy slides his iPod into his left hip pocket and a cell phone into his right as he steps into class. Yet, dismiss the idea that the high-tech buzz has only affected teens and young adults, fittingly labeled iGen; indeed, technology has captured baby boomers in its web of wonderment as well, aided in large part by the industry’s renewed focus on consumer ease-of-use and technological marvel.
As the holiday season rolls around and tech-heavy conversations take the stage, a few pocket-sized items demand immediate attention for their innovation and ability.
iPod: Apple Video iPod
The iPod has achieved an envious status among corporate America—instant brand recognition and adoption into the American lexicon. Since its 2000 release, the iPod has revolutionized our listening habits—on the go, in the car, or on the run (see sidebar). With its hip marketing, portable style, and dazzling capabilities, the iPod has found its way into the hands of over 60 million Americans.
In its latest incarnation, the Video iPod, released in late-October, Apple delivers much the same features consumers have come to expect from the chic digital media player. The 30 gig memory Video iPod ($249) can hold 7,500 songs and 2-3 feature length films; its 80 gig sibling ($349), meanwhile, boasts the ability to store 20,000 songs, 100 hours of video, and 25,000 photos.
While many will continue to enjoy the portability of the Video iPod much the same as its predecessors, Apple’s continued focus on accessories lends the Video an even greater degree of versatility: speaker ports to play music at home; a firewire cable to transport video from the unit onto a bigger screen; and a car port to stream the variety of iPod programs into the car.
M3 Players: Creative Zen Microphoto
With the market dominance of the iPod, MP3 players, once the promise-holders of the tech world, have been relegated to near second-class status. MP3 manufacturers, fighting to break through the iPod hold, are making headway by offering much the same features as their popular brethren, but arriving on store shelves at a more competitive price point.
Among MP3 players reaching to secure a slice of praise stands the Creative Zen Microphoto. Though holding less memory than the iPod series, the 8 Gig Microphoto still possesses the ability to store as many as 4,000 songs and 1,000 photos and does so under $200. The Microphoto also boasts the ability to record meetings, memos and notes as well as work alongside Microsoft Works programs to organize a calendar and tasks.
Says Tweeter’s Karrie Peters, “Everybody has a choice: it’s either the iPod or an MP3 player. The MP3 players are a great option for those people who don’t want to go full out, but still want to tap into the technology that’s out there.”
Personal Digital Assistants (PDA): Blackberry 7130e
A one-stop shop for e-mail, phone, Internet access, and networking, PDAs have emerged among the most popular items for those seeking one high-tech item integrating a wide range of features.
The new Blackberry 7130e provides high-speed data in the palm of your hand. With the ability to access e-mail, make phone calls, browse the web, and organize the day’s agenda, the Blackberry 7130e meets much of the day’s expectations in a PDA device—doing so in a pocket-sized, elegant unit. Other features include Bluetooth technology (the cordless ear piece), a wide color display panel, speakerphone, and laptop compatibility with the use of a single USB cable. To be used, however, the 7130e must be paired with a plan from a registered local provider such as Verizon or Sprint.
Satellite Radio: Pioneer INNO
The FCC has issued but two licenses to deliver satellite radio programming—one to Sirius and the other to XM Radio. The continuing battle between the two heavyweights shapes up much the same as a championship boxing match: Sirius hits with an all Elvis station followed by the landing of shock jock Howard Stern while XM counters as the exclusive station for Major League Baseball and a partnership with Napster to cultivate digital music downloading.
The reality: the two providers share much the same promises, including commercial free programming and top-notch clarity, features that have enticed the American public and brought millions of users on board. While each provider requires a monthly subscription fee ranging from $10-14, one must first select a compatible radio unit amid the myriad of choices.
The Pioneer INNO, weighing in at less than 5 ounces, is one of two portable receivers available from XM Radio. An easy-to-use unit, the INNO allows users to record songs and create play lists within its 1GB of storage and arrives with a home docking station to connect with your home radio. This, of course, all pales to its primary function: clear sound and exclusive programming free of commercials.
Navigation Systems: Alpine PMDB100 Blackbird GPS System
The days of poster-sized fold-up maps have disappeared in the wake of Internet mapping programs and, now, GPS systems guided by space-hosted satellites. North America’s streets are, in fact, contained in GPS units little bigger than a deck of cards.
But sometimes the GPS system alone isn’t enough.
Ringing in at $600, the Alpine Blackbird merges GPS navigation technology with a dash of entertainment allure. The Blackbird’s hard drive includes a music player, FM modulator, and traffic receiver. The 8-ounce system claims the preloaded maps typical of GPS systems combined with over 6 million points of interest from golf courses to hospitals. A short battery life, however, means you’ll want to keep that trusty paper map in the car.
Technology on the Run: Nike+
In July, Nike and Apple merged a pair of American passions—athletics and music. The debut of the Nike+ system, a collaborative venture between the two corporate giants, created a whirlwind of chatter upon its release and the buzz has yet to settle.
A nickel-sized sensor ($30) placed under the insole of the designated Nike shoe allows the individual to track the distance walked or ran and thereafter communicate such information through the iPod Nano in a wireless-frenzied awe. During Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” for instance, the Nano will interject to inform that you’ve just completed one mile while providing your time for that distance. Athletic greats such as Lance Armstrong may later congratulate you on completing your longest run to date. Users can also create custom play lists and workouts as well as record and track their progress.
Though Nike’s shoe selection for the Nike+ system is currently limited to a handful of models ($85-130), the company has plans to extend its use to the bulk of its running shoe line. All signs indicate, however, that the Nano will continue to be the only compatible iPod unit for the Nike+ system.
In fact, in today’s tech-frenzied world, in which the complete Rolling Stones song catalog can fit into one’s palm, iPods play feature length films, and GPS systems no bigger than a pocket-sized atlas direct us where to turn, the “bigger is better” mantra continues falling victim to a revolution of pint-sized gadgets keeping us updated, connected, informed, entertained, and easily accessed. To be certain, small is the new big.
“Everything is moving toward a smaller, more portable item,” reports Karrie Ann Peters, a digital entertainment architect at Oak Brook-based Tweeter. “People want the convenience of portability these days so they’re not lugging large items around.”
Tech companies, meanwhile, have responded to consumer demands for portable, lightweight items. From the Apple’s iconic iPod to the Blackberry PDA units, Silicon Valley and its global cohorts have moved toward rewarding consumers with their every imaginable desire—music, video, e-mail, photos, Internet access—and doing it in a package smaller than a juice box.
Such is the wave of the present and the future, one in which college student Nathan Kennedy slides his iPod into his left hip pocket and a cell phone into his right as he steps into class. Yet, dismiss the idea that the high-tech buzz has only affected teens and young adults, fittingly labeled iGen; indeed, technology has captured baby boomers in its web of wonderment as well, aided in large part by the industry’s renewed focus on consumer ease-of-use and technological marvel.
As the holiday season rolls around and tech-heavy conversations take the stage, a few pocket-sized items demand immediate attention for their innovation and ability.
iPod: Apple Video iPod
The iPod has achieved an envious status among corporate America—instant brand recognition and adoption into the American lexicon. Since its 2000 release, the iPod has revolutionized our listening habits—on the go, in the car, or on the run (see sidebar). With its hip marketing, portable style, and dazzling capabilities, the iPod has found its way into the hands of over 60 million Americans.
In its latest incarnation, the Video iPod, released in late-October, Apple delivers much the same features consumers have come to expect from the chic digital media player. The 30 gig memory Video iPod ($249) can hold 7,500 songs and 2-3 feature length films; its 80 gig sibling ($349), meanwhile, boasts the ability to store 20,000 songs, 100 hours of video, and 25,000 photos.
While many will continue to enjoy the portability of the Video iPod much the same as its predecessors, Apple’s continued focus on accessories lends the Video an even greater degree of versatility: speaker ports to play music at home; a firewire cable to transport video from the unit onto a bigger screen; and a car port to stream the variety of iPod programs into the car.
M3 Players: Creative Zen Microphoto
With the market dominance of the iPod, MP3 players, once the promise-holders of the tech world, have been relegated to near second-class status. MP3 manufacturers, fighting to break through the iPod hold, are making headway by offering much the same features as their popular brethren, but arriving on store shelves at a more competitive price point.
Among MP3 players reaching to secure a slice of praise stands the Creative Zen Microphoto. Though holding less memory than the iPod series, the 8 Gig Microphoto still possesses the ability to store as many as 4,000 songs and 1,000 photos and does so under $200. The Microphoto also boasts the ability to record meetings, memos and notes as well as work alongside Microsoft Works programs to organize a calendar and tasks.
Says Tweeter’s Karrie Peters, “Everybody has a choice: it’s either the iPod or an MP3 player. The MP3 players are a great option for those people who don’t want to go full out, but still want to tap into the technology that’s out there.”
Personal Digital Assistants (PDA): Blackberry 7130e
A one-stop shop for e-mail, phone, Internet access, and networking, PDAs have emerged among the most popular items for those seeking one high-tech item integrating a wide range of features.
The new Blackberry 7130e provides high-speed data in the palm of your hand. With the ability to access e-mail, make phone calls, browse the web, and organize the day’s agenda, the Blackberry 7130e meets much of the day’s expectations in a PDA device—doing so in a pocket-sized, elegant unit. Other features include Bluetooth technology (the cordless ear piece), a wide color display panel, speakerphone, and laptop compatibility with the use of a single USB cable. To be used, however, the 7130e must be paired with a plan from a registered local provider such as Verizon or Sprint.
Satellite Radio: Pioneer INNO
The FCC has issued but two licenses to deliver satellite radio programming—one to Sirius and the other to XM Radio. The continuing battle between the two heavyweights shapes up much the same as a championship boxing match: Sirius hits with an all Elvis station followed by the landing of shock jock Howard Stern while XM counters as the exclusive station for Major League Baseball and a partnership with Napster to cultivate digital music downloading.
The reality: the two providers share much the same promises, including commercial free programming and top-notch clarity, features that have enticed the American public and brought millions of users on board. While each provider requires a monthly subscription fee ranging from $10-14, one must first select a compatible radio unit amid the myriad of choices.
The Pioneer INNO, weighing in at less than 5 ounces, is one of two portable receivers available from XM Radio. An easy-to-use unit, the INNO allows users to record songs and create play lists within its 1GB of storage and arrives with a home docking station to connect with your home radio. This, of course, all pales to its primary function: clear sound and exclusive programming free of commercials.
Navigation Systems: Alpine PMDB100 Blackbird GPS System
The days of poster-sized fold-up maps have disappeared in the wake of Internet mapping programs and, now, GPS systems guided by space-hosted satellites. North America’s streets are, in fact, contained in GPS units little bigger than a deck of cards.
But sometimes the GPS system alone isn’t enough.
Ringing in at $600, the Alpine Blackbird merges GPS navigation technology with a dash of entertainment allure. The Blackbird’s hard drive includes a music player, FM modulator, and traffic receiver. The 8-ounce system claims the preloaded maps typical of GPS systems combined with over 6 million points of interest from golf courses to hospitals. A short battery life, however, means you’ll want to keep that trusty paper map in the car.
Technology on the Run: Nike+
In July, Nike and Apple merged a pair of American passions—athletics and music. The debut of the Nike+ system, a collaborative venture between the two corporate giants, created a whirlwind of chatter upon its release and the buzz has yet to settle.
A nickel-sized sensor ($30) placed under the insole of the designated Nike shoe allows the individual to track the distance walked or ran and thereafter communicate such information through the iPod Nano in a wireless-frenzied awe. During Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” for instance, the Nano will interject to inform that you’ve just completed one mile while providing your time for that distance. Athletic greats such as Lance Armstrong may later congratulate you on completing your longest run to date. Users can also create custom play lists and workouts as well as record and track their progress.
Though Nike’s shoe selection for the Nike+ system is currently limited to a handful of models ($85-130), the company has plans to extend its use to the bulk of its running shoe line. All signs indicate, however, that the Nano will continue to be the only compatible iPod unit for the Nike+ system.
Writing Sample #7: Win or Die Trying while Feeling the Fire (Southland Business, July 2005)
Despite street addresses that define them as teams of Chicago’s south side and current first-place records, the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Fire have little else in common. The White Sox, players of America’s grandest pastime, are a century old franchise with a long line of loyal followers. The Fire, meanwhile, an eight-year-old club in Major League Soccer, represent the upstart kids—a young program with immediate success and desires for stability and growth.
And from those differences emerge drastically variant marketing schemes. While the White Sox maintain a steady fan base in the hundreds of thousands and refine the franchise’s yearly marketing plan to bring more people into the ballpark, the Fire aggressively market their product in a different direction, simply urging people to give their game a try. With the Fire, a significant let-up can mean dangerous trouble. It’s a classic tale of keeping what you have versus earning what you want.
In the early to mid-1990’s, when the Chicago White Sox were perennial division contenders and a uniform redesign spurred new directions, the ball club ingrained the slogan “Good Guys Wear Black” in the minds of Chicago baseball fans.
Years later, with a slew of young talent and a quasi-rebuilding phase underway, the Sox looked at the character of their team and chimed, “The Kids Can Play.” Truth be told, some of the kids could play while others struggled to find success at the Major League level. Now, under the enterprising styles of both manager Ozzie Guillen and general manager Kenny Williams, the 2005 edition of the White Sox adopted the mantra “Win or Die Trying.” In a near perfect merger of sports marketing and sports reality, the slogan has matched the team on the field as the White Sox currently boast baseball’s best record.
“You never want to make promises with your slogans,” said Brooks Boyer, Vice President of Marketing for the Chicago White Sox. “People wanted us to play hard, smart, and win—that’s what it all comes down to. The guys on the field have taken care of what’s needed to be done.”
Yet even before the 2005 season’s first pitch, the team’s marketing staff consistently searched for ways to better the fan experience at U.S. Cellular Field. More than ever before in American sports history, the fan’s lofty expectations have moved from the product on the field to the entire entertainment experience. Everything from music to parking and cuisine achieving an elevated level of attention in the 21st century sports world.
“The number one priority is to make the experience great for the fan,” said Boyer. “All of the money that came from the park’s naming rights went back into the ballpark and breaking the stigma that [the new Comiskey] lacked character. We put things like a cover on the upper deck to make it more intimate and the Pontiac Fundamentals Deck so kids could have something. People are coming out and realizing that U.S. Cellular Field is a convenient, friendly place. The result is that we’ve created a fun experience for a wide range of people.”
Couple an improved fan experience at the stadium with the tremendous success of the 2005 White Sox and new marketing ideas develop to capitalize on all the good will.
“We got a Chevy Avalanche from a local dealer and we’ve created the White Sox bandwagon,” Boyer said. “Now, we’re taking it around and inviting people to jump on.”
And while the bandwagon approach is a relatively new one for the White Sox, it’s old hat to the Chicago Fire. Starting from scratch in 1997, the expansion Fire had to get riders on the bandwagon immediately. And while winning traditionally breeds success at the gates, the impermanent home of Soldier Field coupled with a temporary residence at Naperville’s North Central College for two seasons, dealt the Fire some unnecessary blows in building a steady customer base despite numerous on-field successes.
The club’s move into a new 20,000-seat stadium in Bridgeview, slated for opening in 2006, should provide the stability and continuity the Fire has long sought. With that, however, comes a new marketing focus.
“Moving to our own home in Bridgeview, one that better suits our needs, allows us to better control the presentation of the event,” said Fire President and CEO John Guppy. “Now, we’ll reach to create a more intimate atmosphere within the stadium that’s driven by the hard-core fan. We’ll try to create something different for the live event experience. The best selling tool is always word of mouth and we’ll want people to leave talking about us.”
While the White Sox have the benefit of season ticket holders and a steady stream of individual ticket sales, the Fire turn aggressively to group sales to spur the club’s financial fortunes. Working closely with Chicago area soccer leagues and teams, especially on the youth level, the Fire pursue group attendance at home games with a furor unlike their baseball counterparts.
“We’re more aggressive with group sales than any other sports team in Chicago,” Guppy said. “And that’s because we have to be. To build that strong foundation, you start with people who have a connection and support for soccer.”
And that aggressiveness extends beyond group sales, eventually reaching the average Chicago sports fan.
“The White Sox have decades of history and awareness. Everybody knows when their seasons starts and where they are,” Guppy said. “People are not programmed in such a way with the Fire. People are aware of us, but it’s not top of the mind. That’s why it’s even more important that we’re aggressive getting in front to people and educating them on why they should come to a Fire game. Our marketing strategy is akin to a political campaign. Get in front of them and tell them why you’re a good choice.”
Guppy also acknowledges the shift in the sporting fan’s expectations when coming to a game. Just as the White Sox aimed to create a more intimate, fan-friendly experience, the Fire seek to achieve a similar feel in their new Bridgeview stadium.
“There are more entertainment options available for people each day and so it’s become more incumbent on sports teams to create a positive experience for the people,” said Guppy, echoing the thoughts of Boyer. “Once it was purely about what happened on the field of play. Now, it’s entirely about the experience and the entertainment value. Fifteen years ago, sports was sports. Now, more than ever before, sports is entertainment.”
Given the realization that sports has matured into a viable entertainment option, both of Chicago’s south side teams have committed themselves to the entertainment experience first and foremost, adding another similarity to a growing list.
“You want to make the experience as good as it can possibly be for everybody who walks in—from the diehard fan to the novice guest,” said Boyer. “You want the fans to be participants in the action, not sitting on their hands.”
And though Boyer speaks specifically of the White Sox and U.S. Cellular one can’t help but think similar thoughts are being expressed among Guppy and his front office colleagues with the Chicago Fire.
“The interesting thing about sports,” said Boyer, “is that the more things change, the more they actually stay the same.”
And from those differences emerge drastically variant marketing schemes. While the White Sox maintain a steady fan base in the hundreds of thousands and refine the franchise’s yearly marketing plan to bring more people into the ballpark, the Fire aggressively market their product in a different direction, simply urging people to give their game a try. With the Fire, a significant let-up can mean dangerous trouble. It’s a classic tale of keeping what you have versus earning what you want.
In the early to mid-1990’s, when the Chicago White Sox were perennial division contenders and a uniform redesign spurred new directions, the ball club ingrained the slogan “Good Guys Wear Black” in the minds of Chicago baseball fans.
Years later, with a slew of young talent and a quasi-rebuilding phase underway, the Sox looked at the character of their team and chimed, “The Kids Can Play.” Truth be told, some of the kids could play while others struggled to find success at the Major League level. Now, under the enterprising styles of both manager Ozzie Guillen and general manager Kenny Williams, the 2005 edition of the White Sox adopted the mantra “Win or Die Trying.” In a near perfect merger of sports marketing and sports reality, the slogan has matched the team on the field as the White Sox currently boast baseball’s best record.
“You never want to make promises with your slogans,” said Brooks Boyer, Vice President of Marketing for the Chicago White Sox. “People wanted us to play hard, smart, and win—that’s what it all comes down to. The guys on the field have taken care of what’s needed to be done.”
Yet even before the 2005 season’s first pitch, the team’s marketing staff consistently searched for ways to better the fan experience at U.S. Cellular Field. More than ever before in American sports history, the fan’s lofty expectations have moved from the product on the field to the entire entertainment experience. Everything from music to parking and cuisine achieving an elevated level of attention in the 21st century sports world.
“The number one priority is to make the experience great for the fan,” said Boyer. “All of the money that came from the park’s naming rights went back into the ballpark and breaking the stigma that [the new Comiskey] lacked character. We put things like a cover on the upper deck to make it more intimate and the Pontiac Fundamentals Deck so kids could have something. People are coming out and realizing that U.S. Cellular Field is a convenient, friendly place. The result is that we’ve created a fun experience for a wide range of people.”
Couple an improved fan experience at the stadium with the tremendous success of the 2005 White Sox and new marketing ideas develop to capitalize on all the good will.
“We got a Chevy Avalanche from a local dealer and we’ve created the White Sox bandwagon,” Boyer said. “Now, we’re taking it around and inviting people to jump on.”
And while the bandwagon approach is a relatively new one for the White Sox, it’s old hat to the Chicago Fire. Starting from scratch in 1997, the expansion Fire had to get riders on the bandwagon immediately. And while winning traditionally breeds success at the gates, the impermanent home of Soldier Field coupled with a temporary residence at Naperville’s North Central College for two seasons, dealt the Fire some unnecessary blows in building a steady customer base despite numerous on-field successes.
The club’s move into a new 20,000-seat stadium in Bridgeview, slated for opening in 2006, should provide the stability and continuity the Fire has long sought. With that, however, comes a new marketing focus.
“Moving to our own home in Bridgeview, one that better suits our needs, allows us to better control the presentation of the event,” said Fire President and CEO John Guppy. “Now, we’ll reach to create a more intimate atmosphere within the stadium that’s driven by the hard-core fan. We’ll try to create something different for the live event experience. The best selling tool is always word of mouth and we’ll want people to leave talking about us.”
While the White Sox have the benefit of season ticket holders and a steady stream of individual ticket sales, the Fire turn aggressively to group sales to spur the club’s financial fortunes. Working closely with Chicago area soccer leagues and teams, especially on the youth level, the Fire pursue group attendance at home games with a furor unlike their baseball counterparts.
“We’re more aggressive with group sales than any other sports team in Chicago,” Guppy said. “And that’s because we have to be. To build that strong foundation, you start with people who have a connection and support for soccer.”
And that aggressiveness extends beyond group sales, eventually reaching the average Chicago sports fan.
“The White Sox have decades of history and awareness. Everybody knows when their seasons starts and where they are,” Guppy said. “People are not programmed in such a way with the Fire. People are aware of us, but it’s not top of the mind. That’s why it’s even more important that we’re aggressive getting in front to people and educating them on why they should come to a Fire game. Our marketing strategy is akin to a political campaign. Get in front of them and tell them why you’re a good choice.”
Guppy also acknowledges the shift in the sporting fan’s expectations when coming to a game. Just as the White Sox aimed to create a more intimate, fan-friendly experience, the Fire seek to achieve a similar feel in their new Bridgeview stadium.
“There are more entertainment options available for people each day and so it’s become more incumbent on sports teams to create a positive experience for the people,” said Guppy, echoing the thoughts of Boyer. “Once it was purely about what happened on the field of play. Now, it’s entirely about the experience and the entertainment value. Fifteen years ago, sports was sports. Now, more than ever before, sports is entertainment.”
Given the realization that sports has matured into a viable entertainment option, both of Chicago’s south side teams have committed themselves to the entertainment experience first and foremost, adding another similarity to a growing list.
“You want to make the experience as good as it can possibly be for everybody who walks in—from the diehard fan to the novice guest,” said Boyer. “You want the fans to be participants in the action, not sitting on their hands.”
And though Boyer speaks specifically of the White Sox and U.S. Cellular one can’t help but think similar thoughts are being expressed among Guppy and his front office colleagues with the Chicago Fire.
“The interesting thing about sports,” said Boyer, “is that the more things change, the more they actually stay the same.”
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