IT'S YOUR BUSINESS: Business news releases Monday, March 30, 2009

Bargain Box celebrates 25th birthday in May

The Bargain Box, the longest continuingly operating Thrift store in Naples, will be celebrating its 25th birthday in May. Currently located in the pink building at the corner of 8th Street South and 3rd Avenue South, the store is gaining a reputation for raising the bar for all local thrift operations and is also known as, “The Thrift off Fifth.”

An article publish on Friday, April 8, 1976 in the Naples Star, tells the story of how the Women’s Fellowship of The Naples United Church of Naples, opened The Bargain Box at 350 Seagate Road in September of 1976 ( after beginning with patio sales in May of 1975).

Originally the store provided funds for their new church but soon grew into a mission to provide funds for local organizations with various needs. Today’s profits all provide assistance to the needy, as determined by the church’s mission committee.

The new Bargain Box, which moved over four years ago, is an exciting experience for its growing numbers of shoppers. Quality clothing, many with designer labels is the mainstay of the store. Decorator items, domestic goods, and selective pieces of furniture are also available. All are priced at the lowest possible prices, which in these economic times, is proving to be not only important, but key to the store’s popularity and success.

Volunteers operate the store, under the leadership of Director Jim Welty, a professional retailer with 40 years of experience. Everyone associated with The Naples United Church of Christ, under the direction of Dr. Ronald Patterson, Senior Minister, is proud and honored to have served the community for the past 25 years.

Visit our store on Monday through Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. While you are there, pick up a copy of our very own children’s book, Look at Little Lucy!, whose profits also benefit the local missions.

- Contributed by the Bargain Box

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Dex launches new mobile phone resource today

Mobile users in Naples now have a new, free resource to turn to when they’re out and about.

Today, Dex launched a new mobile solution that allows area residents to search for information on thousands of businesses and individuals via any mobile device, including iPhones, smart phones and other wireless handsets.

“With the Dex mobile solution, we’re literally putting a wealth of information in the hands of mobile consumers,” said Deborah Eldred, director, mobile and personalization, Dex. “Now, people can access Dex via their mobile device to find information on local bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and more. The service is fast, fun and easy to use, and is available 24/7.”

Consumers can access the mobile solution and search for information in various ways, including by business name, type and location. For example, a person searching for “coffee shops” can search by ZIP code, city or specific address. Other special features include:

o Feelin’ Like…: Using this unique tool, consumers who aren’t quite sure what they’re looking for can look up different categories to find popular recommendations on things like places to eat, things to do, and more.

o Easily stored contact info: Consumers can easily store a businesses’ contact information to their own contacts or favorites lists. They can also e-mail business contact information to their friends.

o Connect with a click: A single click will automatically dial a business’s phone number.

o Ability to map things out: Detailed maps show consumers exactly where a business is, making it easy for them to determine its convenience, and step-by-step directions tell them how to get there.

o People search: Listings make it easy for consumers to find individuals’ contact information.

o Reverse number lookup: Consumers can easily track down a number with the touch of a few keys.

The Dex mobile solution – which can be accessed by going to m.dexknows.com on a mobile browser– is fully optimized for use on mobile devices and builds off of the look and feel of the newly relaunched dexknows.com (http://www.dexknows.com), Dex’s popular online local search site. iPhone and smart phone users can download customized versions of the Dex mobile application from either the iTunes App Store (for iPhone users) or by accessing m.dexknows.com and clicking on the “Install the Dex App” link. The application includes many of dexknows.com’s most popular features, including user-generated ratings and reviews and more. The iPhone version also includes the “Near Me” feature, which allows users to find information on nearby businesses, and a special “shake” feature that lets users get a new set of results after literally shaking the phone. More information is available at www.dexknows.com/mobile.

About Dex

Dex is part of R.H. Donnelley (OTC:RHDC), which connects businesses and consumers through its portfolio of print and interactive marketing solutions. Small- and medium-sized businesses look to the company’s experienced team of marketing consultants to help them grow their businesses and drive sales leads. Consumers depend on the company’s reliable, trusted, local business content to deliver the most relevant search results when they are seeking local goods and services. For more information, visit www.dexknows.com and www.rhd.com.

- Contributed by Dex mobile solution

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Lutgert Cos. hosting designer showcase this weekend

The Lutgert Cos. today announced that it will host a “Designer Showcase” at The Strada at Mercato on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The special event will have an “open house” type of atmosphere and will be held on the recently completed amenity deck of The Strada.

The Designer Showcase will give guests the opportunity to tour the fully furnished models available at The Strada and personally meet the professional interior designers. Among the interior design firms participating in the event are Antonacci Design Group Inc., Collins & Dupont Interiors Inc., Riha Design Group and Robb & Stucky Interiors.

Developed by The Lutgert Cos. of Naples, The Strada is the first of two residential communities at The Mercato. The premier lifestyle community will feature 92 luxury residences conveniently located on the second through fifth floors of two architecturally distinct buildings directly overlooking the crescent-shaped “Main Street” of The Mercato.

Ten floor plans are currently available for viewing by appointment, ranging from just under 1,000 to 2,400 square feet and one to three bedrooms. Each residence at The Strada includes a completed interior finish package, including wood, tile and carpeted floors, granite countertops, crown moulding, marble master baths, wood panel front or stainless steel front kitchen appliances, Ray Routh cabinetry, gas cook tops and pendant lighting.

Numerous upgrades are also built into The Strada. These include such desired items as providing two parking spaces per residence in an adjacent, private parking garage, secured entrances, 9-foot 8-inch ceilings, individual air-conditioned storage areas, enhanced sound abatement, and commercial grade windows with hurricane impact glass.

Residents at The Strada will share an extraordinary collection of amenities. These include a resort-style pool with a cascading waterfall, a hydro-therapy spa, and private sundecks complemented by an outside social deck with a gathering bar and fire pit, barbecue grills and veranda. There will also be a designated rooftop dog walk area for pet owners.

Inside, the clubhouse will offer a billiard room, entertaining area with fireplace, flat-screen television and full-sized kitchen, enhanced by exercise and fitness areas overlooking the lushly landscaped sundeck. A private beach shuttle will also be available to conveniently transport residents back and forth within minutes to Vanderbilt Beach.

All the things that residents will want will be within close walking distance. Among those now open at The Mercato is Whole Foods Market, which anchors one end of Main Street. The 53,000-square-foot grocery store combines a farmer’s market, gourmet store, butcher and fishmonger with a team of chefs preparing the finest restaurant quality meals. A wide array of organic and natural foods as well as health products and wines are also available.

Among the exciting new restaurants available at The Mercato are The Capital Grille, McCormick & Schmick’s and AZN. Also now open are numerous national and specialty retailers like Coldwater Creek, Sur La Table, Z Gallerie, Books-A-Million and Gigi’s Children’s Boutique. All of these will be within a short, few minutes stroll for residents.

Complimenting this stylish urban lifestyle will be an 11-screen, 1,300-seat movie theater to open around mid-year. Seats in each auditorium will be numbered so customers can purchase their seat of choice in advance through the box office or online. The Mercato will also offer the latest in nightlife entertainment with high energy tenants such as Blue Martini, Florida’s premier martini lounge. Other tenants will be announced at a later date.

For homeowners, The Strada will provide every amenity for luxury living without the hassle of exterior or yard maintenance. This, together with the accessibility of exceptional streetside cafes and restaurants, fashionable boutiques and exquisite retail shops will establish The Strada as the new Southwest Florida landmark in convenient, vibrant living.

The process of purchasing a luxury residence at The Strada is easy and accommodating with the help of a professional on-site sales team who can walk buyers through the process, answering all their questions and providing personalized assistance in making selections. Residences are currently priced from the $500s to more than $1 million.

The Strada is being marketed through Lutgert’s real estate arm, Premier Properties of Southwest Florida, Inc., REALTORS. The on-site sales center is located on the east side of U.S. 41, just north of Vanderbilt Beach Road. For more information, call 594-9400 or toll-free 877-797-9400 or visit The Strada at Mercato at www.MercatoNaples.com.

- Cone Communications Co.

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After all, it’s your business.

So we are adding a new feature to naplesnews.com called It’s Your Business.

Have news about your business to share with Southwest Florida? Send it to business@naplesnews.com and to our Business and Government Content Editor Dave Osborn at djosborn@naplesnews.com. We’ll post these on the Business page at naplesnews.com every day and will publish these as space allows in Business Monday in the Naples Daily News. Start watching online daily for these postings!