T.G.I. Friday’s: A Cocktail Party Down The Street

Known for its red and white canopies, Tiffany lamps, brass railings and constant use of antiques in their interior designing, T.G.I Friday’s is a chain of restaurants that focuses on casual dining and traditional American cuisine

T.G.I Friday’s was founded in 1965 by Alan Stillman, a bachelor salesman who lived in an upscale Manhattan neighborhood with many fashion models, airline stewardess, secretaries and a wide assortment of single people. During that time, Stillman had very limited choices when it comes to meeting these women. There were only private cock-tail parties and beer-drinking hangouts that women don’t usually go to. Frustrated, he sought to open a bar that’s going to recreate the comfy cocktail-party ambience in public in spite of having no background in restaurant operations. He hoped that his new venture would help him and other single men mingle with other women and find their perfect match.

With only $5,000 from his own pocket and another $5,000 from his mother, Stillman purchased The Good Tavern, a bar he frequently visited at the corner of First Avenue and 63^rd Street. He rebuilt it as T.G.I Friday’s, complete with red-and-white striped awnings, blue paint, “Gay Nineties” interior and young employees donning red and white soccer shirts. The restaurant exuded a vibrant and colorful atmosphere which drew youthful people in.

Today, T.G.I Fridays is pulsating as it was way back in 1965 and still serves traditional American cuisine, bar grubs and alcoholic beverages. Stillman made sure that every bit of food and drinks they serve is excellently prepared and made of superior quality ingredients. Although the restaurant serves a wide range of delicious food, it is more well-known for its alcoholic beverages and boasts of the “Ultimate” drinks that come in an 18 oz. glass. Its bar also offers an assortment of blended drinks including its signature “Friday’s Freeze” and “Tropicolada.

Needless to say, Stillman’s strategy worked and he met enough number of ladies that’s going to last him a lifetime.  But what’s more impressive is that he has also steered himself to the summits of the restaurant industry, making meeting women a no-brainer for the wealthy restaurateur.

Kum & Go: Fueling the Fire of Convenience Store Industry

If one takes a good look at the rear view mirror, he will see how much the Kum & Go convenience stores revolutionized the ways of the industry during its 50 years of existence. This chain of stores has singlehandedly transformed the facade of the trade by doing business with unparalleled ingenuity and gutsy risk-taking.

Founded by Hampton entrepreneurs T.S. Gentle and W.A. Krause on September 1, 1959, Kum & Go was the first store ever to have conceived the gas station/convenience store idea. Starting out with just a tiny full-service gas station, it morphed into a convenience store that offered gas refills in the desire to serve its customers even better. As such, the “gas station” was dropped and was replaced with “station store”. Needless to say, the concept was a massive hit and the company grew uncontrollably, with hundreds of stores operating all over United States in less than a decade.

Today, the Kum & Go chain of stores steered itself to the heights of success and has become America’s fifth largest, company-operated, privately-held chain of convenience stores with more than 400 branches in 11 states, catering to hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers each and every day.

The Way of the Buffalo Exchange

The Buffalo Exchange is unlike any other retail store we have ever seen. It is a forerunner in the resale fashion industry where customers buy, sell and barter items of all sorts -- from spanking new to archaic, untarnished to recycled, and local to imported. All you have to do is bring in your handpicked items and trade them in for other unique finds or cash right on spot! 

Built in 1974 in Tucson, Arizona by Kerstin and Spencer Block, the Buffalo Exchange’s entire purpose is to reawaken the dormant fashion trade, grant a stable source of livelihood for its staff, provide decent returns to its founders and accomplish sustainable prosperity by offering a wide range of inventory that includes one-of-a-kind designer labels, jeans, leather, vintage and other rare items. You can also spot brand new merchandises, current basics and clothing made by the community, for the community. Most of its items are bought from local customers and include clothing that are a whole lot more fashionable than those sold on your regular stores. The 450 square foot store located at the heart of well-developed, urban neighborhood was the first one ever to have bought, sold, bartered and took in accessories and apparel on consignment. Its prices vary widely depending on the condition, label, styles and several other factors. Most items cost around $15 but designer and collectors’ items have higher prices, yet a lot lower as compared to retail.

It was Kerstin’s passion for fashion and the thrill in finding once-in-a-lifetime bargains that created the company which now boasts of 45 stores scattered in 16 states, with a $72.9 million revenue last December 2011. It is a privately-held, independent company and the founders operate its day-to-day transactions. Kerstin, together with her daughter Rebecca, still owns and manages Buffalo Exchange until now and continues to redefine the fashion industry with its new and recycled merchandises.

Hank's Fine Furniture’s Diverse Customer Network Benefits

Hank's Fine Furniture has maintained a simple philosophy of combining exceptional deals with knowledgable staff and quality service for nearly four decades. Headquartered in Arkansas and with locations throughout the Southeast, Hank's Fine Furniture features an impressive selection of gallery collections that include top-tier brands such as Lexington, Thomasville, and Henredon Furniture. The collections are on display at several larger locations, including West Little Rock, Arkansas; Springfield, Missouri; and the Home Place showroom in Pensacola, Florida.

With customer loyalty rates among the highest in the industry, Hank's Fine Furniture encourages people to join the Hank's Furniture Network. HFN Group members earn a number of distinct advantages, including automatic entrance into the 2012 $5,000 Furniture Giveaway. Members also gain free coupons, early notification of upcoming sales, and an exclusive newsletter subscription.

Hank's Fine Furniture’s interior solutions extend beyond single pieces of furniture to include condominiums, apartments, rental units, and second homes. Rather than taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach, sales professionals work closely with clients in tailoring a package that combines significant savings with top-quality furniture. Hank's Fine Furniture takes pride in fulfilling even the largest and most demanding multiple-unit assignments, sourcing specialized furnishings to fit specific dimensions as required.

Customer care is at the core of the furniture experience at Hank's, with advantages including the 30-Day Bedding Comfort Guarantee, the “Double the Difference” Low Price Guarantee, and Hassle Free Shopping. The latter promise reflects a respectful and courteous sales staff, dedicated to helping customers select high-quality furniture and home furnishings. 

Alex and Ani: Adorning the Body with Positive Energy

Alex and Ani is a retail company that sells its own collection of earrings, bangles, necklaces and other jewelries. It also offers licensed products with team logos of major league sports.

 

All of Alex and Ani’s Jewellery is made of recycled materials handcrafted by local manufacturers because it wants to provide its customers with environment-friendly, positive-energy products that do not only embellish the body but enlighten the mind and enrich the soul as well. Carolyn Rafaelian, head designer of the company, believes that each individual exudes a positive energy that should be shared with the rest of the world. This can be done by integrating powerful design and symbolism into every jewelry piece. This way, people will be provided with the opportunity to convey their individuality to the world in spiritual, organic way. The company believes that it is their work to support individuals and communities while inspiring every customer to cherish what is authentic and unique about themselves, revealing the true beauty that rests within.

Bridging the Communications Gap Between Professional and Trade Associations and their Members the Inalink Way

Busy professionals and trade workers can read only so many advertisements, emails, and publications before they opt for human contact instead. Inalink Corporation figured out 20 years ago how to close the gap between all the opportunities the associations have to offer and their members’ and potential members’ awareness of the benefits of joining and retaining membership. Utilizing warm and friendly one-on-one conversations (what a concept!), Inalink provides insight for potential and current members and growth and financial stability for associations.

Focusing on the typical association offerings, including continuing education, conventions, conferences, publications, and social events, Inalink provides assistance through unscripted, meaningful conversations with past, present, and future members. Other services include new- program and services announcements, subscription renewals and upgrades; member profiles; and advertising follow-up. The innovative firm also provides client-direct and project-specific fulfillment services, including toll-free inbound phone lines for special events. National clients of the premier service provider range from associations representing scientists and engineers to organizations for financial representatives and medical professionals.

An integral part of the Inalink proprietary methodology, the company’s detailed reporting offers insight into the desires and concerns of current and potential members as well as qualitative and quantitative information on membership and association services. The high-quality reports find use internally and as presentations to boards. Throughout its contract period, Inalink also updates member contact data systematically to purify mailing lists for email and direct-mail campaigns. Take busy work schedules and other business-related obligations, add in hectic family lives, and top them off with community involvement, and most professionals have precious little time to investigate their own industry associations. But most of us make time for the things we value, and we appreciate personal contact more than another email or direct-mail advertisement. Therein lies the brilliance of the Inalink model. The company’s representatives, highly skilled in communications, do not sell; they listen. As a result, associations win or win back members, and busy professionals find a valuable support system.

Nasty Gal Clothing Company: A New Fashion Industry Phenomenon

Fashion-forward, free-spirited girls can’t stop talking about Nasty Gal, a worldwide online destination that offers one of a kind new and vintage accessories clothing and shoes. Its wide collection boast of items that fashionistas and trendsetters won’t find anywhere else in the world – be it from a vibrant flea market or shelves of showrooms. The online shop is stocked on a weekly basis with both specially selected vintage pieces and handpicked selection of on-the-rise fashion designers, making it not just a shop that offers what those fashion doctors prescribed but truly rare items that cannot be unearthed elsewhere. 

The rapidly-rising e-commerce website was founded by 28 year-old Sophia Amoruso, a college dropout who didn’t have the slightest idea on how to start a business. She also had no background on fashion designing and admits to be a total “noob” when it comes to creating Power Point presentations. But with her unkempt hair, engine red lips and a bold sense of fashion style, Amoruso brought her business to the summits of the fashion industry with a projected annual sale of $100 million this year. Not bad for someone who used to check student Ids in an art school lobby for $13 an hour, eh?

Nasty Gal – named after the album of ultimate bad-ass woman, Betty Davis – is the reflection of its founder’s fashion whims. It sells a wide array of provocative and edgy clothing that has enticed a cult-like following of women who just can’t get enough of the company’s matchless collection. Needless to say, the Nasty Gal items aren’t for those of the prim-and-proper class. The clothes are offbeat, eclectic and sexy like skinny jeans with laced up sides, Hendrix Faux Fur Coat and Rock & Roll Me leggings. Most of the items are below $200 with profit margins of over 60% because of the company’s business model that seldom includes discounts. 

Yet even with this downbeat economy, customers don’t seem to mind – proof that Nasty Gal is a phenomenal company that’s out to conquer the fashion world.