AFP Business News
AFP is new WDDI Business Patron
Augusta Free Press LLC has signed on as a new Downtown Business Patron of Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.
WDDI, founded in 2001, is an accredited member of the National Main Street Program and Virginia Main Street Program.
The organization follows the Main Street Four Point Approach towards revitalizing Downtown Waynesboro.
More information about WDDI is available online.
AFP sponsors Taste of the Town
Augusta Free Press LLC is a Table Sponsor at next week’s Taste of the Town event being put on by Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.
The 12th annual Taste of the Town is set for Tuesday, March 22, from 5-8 p.m. at the Waynesboro Country Club. The event features 11 local professional chefs.
Tickets: $50 VIP, $35 Couple, $20 Single, $10 age 13-17. Tickets available at the WDDI office, 301 W. Main St. and from all participating chefs.
More information about Taste of the Town is available online.
AFP is major sponsor for Fly Fishing Festival
Augusta Free Press LLC is a major sponsor of this year’s Virginia Fly FIshing Festival in Waynesboro.
The 11th annual Festival is set for April 16-17 on the banks of the South River in Downtown Waynesboro.
The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is the largest outdoor fly fishing event in the country that offers on-stream instruction. Only here can you learn all the latest techniques from the experts and then walk right over to the river and try them for yourself.
More information about the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is available online.
Taste of the Town
The 12th annual Taste of the Town sponsored by Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. is set for Tuesday, March 22, from 5-8 p.m. at the Waynesboro Country Club.
How do your cookies stack up?
Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. and Christmas in River City will host a cookie baking contest as a part of the annual Christmas in River City celebration in Downtown Waynesboro.
There are two baking categories – Adolescent (ages 14 to 17) and Amateur (adults – no professionals). Bakers must provide a total of 39 cookies (all home made and all one type). Cookies are provided for the judges, display and guest samples. Entry fee into the contest is two non-perishable food items (for the Blue Ridge Food Pantry).
Entrants must create a “cookie display” using personal items and their cookies. They may include notes about the cookies (history of the recipe, etc) in their display.
Set-up time for the cookies will be on Thursday, Dec. 16, from 3-6 p.m. at the Shenandoah Valley Art Center. Displays must be complete by 6 p.m. Judging will occur the following morning (Dec. 17) at SVAC and will go on display that evening at 5 pm. They will remain on display until the event closes at 7:30 p.m.
For more information or an application, contact Kathy Johnson at 540.836.8164 or e-mail her at kj.bedford@gmail.com.
Applications may also be picked up at the WDDI office in Downtown Waynesboro, corner of Main and Arch.
Free business seminar, assessment will tell it like it is
Marc Wilson isn’t in the business of sugarcoating.
“I’m not related to you, and I’m not necessarily your friend. So when I leave, you’re going to get the truth, but you might not like hearing it,” said Wilson, a retail industry consultant at the Virginia Small Business Development Corp. and 35-year veteran of the retail business, who will be in Waynesboro on Thursday and Friday to lead a Holiday Retail Seminar in conjunction with Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.
Wilson’s visit begins with a free seminar at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at City Hall in the City Council Chambers, “From bah-humbug to booming business, or Bah-To-Boom!” The seminar will cover all aspects of holiday retail sales, including sales approaches, merchandising, window dressing, cash-flow management and customer-traffic management.
Aimed at retail and restaurant establishments, the focus of the talk will be on helping small-business owners develop strategies for maximizing sales and profitability in the fourth quarter of the business year.
The rest of his time in Waynesboro on the two-day visit will be spent with individual owners doing 90-minute on-location evaluations that Wilson said is “literally a physical of their operations.”
“I’m another set of eyes and ears. I’ve been in the retail business for 40 years. I’ve seen an awful lot,” said Wilson, who preaches to small-business owners the value of differentiation.
“Are you the only, are you the best, do you have the best product selection, do you have the best price, do you have the best people, do you have the best shopping experience? It’s all about the diffentiation,” Wilson said.
RSVP for the confidential business assessment at wddidirector@ci.waynesboro.va.us.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
WDDI announces staff cut
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. has laid off its events coordinator after the board of directors of the business-improvement organization voted this week to eliminate the position due to funding issues. Read more
Busy schedule for Third Fridays
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The River City Radio Hour, Kid’s Avenue and the Wayne Theatre Alliance Children’s Hour mark a busy schedule of events for Third Fridays in Downtown Waynesboro. Read more
Radio Hour brings back favorites
Submitted Item
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The River City Radio Hour March 19 performances feature the return of a number of audience favorites.
Heading the performances will be Sound Direction. The a cappella group first appeared on the Radio Hour in July 2009, and established itself as a real crowd pleaser. Read more
