All about the money

Does social media affect our spending?

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In the era of social media in this digital age, everyone have some type of social account. From parents, friends, even your favorite brands have a page. On platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and more are getting smarter on how to gain more consumers. Michigan State student Kevin Nichols can adhere to the social media marketing. “I follow certain brands on Instagram as well fashion blogs, to get ideas,” said Nichols.

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Beloved suburban Detroit trading post closing its doors

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MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. — The Gibraltar Trade Center, a popular trading post on the weekends for so many people, has announced that it will be closing its Mount Clemens location at the end of next month. According to their website they are going “in a new direction.”

The property that the Mount Clemens location sits on has been sold, but will continue to have the scheduled shows and the “weekend public market” until its closing on Aug. 27th. This comes as a surprise after 37 years of business.

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Flea market, antique stores continue to flourish in Lansing

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In the City of Lansing, residents can find numerous flea market and antique stores, including Capitol City Pickers Vintage Marketplace, Dicker & Deal Second Hand Store, The Mega Mall and Vintage Junkies. Each of these stores has something in common – they cater to the same community. “When it comes to flea markets and antique stores, you can find different types of consumers,” said Ayalla Ruvio, an assistant professor of marketing at Michigan State University. “There are the ones that are generally interested in antiques. There are those people that do it for professional reasons.

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REO Town community finds its post-industrial place in the world

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REO Town, a Lansing district located south of downtown, is considered the United States birthplace of the commercial automobile. The district is named after Ransom Eli Olds, an entrepreneur who founded the REO Motor Car Company in 1905. From 1905 to 1975, a major manufacturing plant for the REO Motor Car Company was located in REO Town. The plant gave a significant financial boost to the district, supplying both jobs and outside interest. Since production ceased in 1975, the automotive industry has remained the major employer in REO Town, with more than 2,000 workers employed by the Lansing Grand River Assembly plant.

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Local businesses thrive in upstate New York due to community

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — What makes the city of Buffalo so unique is that it’s full of small and local businesses started by families and real people who turned an idea into a reality. Because of the tight-knit and supporting community, local businesses thrive all throughout the city and the surrounding suburbs. Ashker’s Juice Bar, located at 1002 Elmwood Ave. right in the middle of the city, is just one small business that has become so successful because of its loyal customers and authenticity. Ashker’s, the first juice bar in Western New York, was started nine years ago by Sarah Nasca and her boyfriend, Angelo Ashker.

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Starting your own business can be a ‘very scary proposition’

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Driving down Willow Street in Lansing, Mich. on a sunny afternoon, a passer-by notices there were 10 mannequins standing in front of a what it seems to be a clothing store. The mannequins were all dressed up from men’s to women’s clothing that were easily catching to the eye. Walking in, the visitor notices a woman sitting in a chair and a man in another. The store was called Unique Fashions; it was very small but it had so many clothes and items it was overwhelming.

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“Now Hiring” signs more common than not in Northwest Michigan

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TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Looking around Traverse City it’s hard not to notice the large quantity of stores looking for more employees in this northwest Michigan beach town. Diane Kimmel, who taught general business at Northwestern Michigan College, says “summer is Traverse City’s tourism time, so early summer and spring are big times for hiring. Traverse City Area Public Schools is one of the biggest employers and so is Munson (hospital). If you think about those two places, the public schools have to hire during the summer and the hospital is pretty much ongoing.”

Kimmel says the most successful way for Traverse City businesses to reach a larger audience of potential employees is by either newspaper ads or employment websites: “If you’re a local person you probably know about the email that comes out every week or every day called The Ticker.

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VIDEO: A 50/50 deal

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When we see or hear of a consignment shop some words that come to mind may include cheap, bargain, deal, unique; the list goes on and on. Owners of consignment shops are not only in it for the profit they make off of their store, but to recycle items and products that hold a sentimental and historical value to the community, rather than to have it misused or thrown out. Customers visit these shops in hope to find a deal on a product that still has value or to bring in a piece that they believe still has value in hope of making some sort of profit off of it sometime down the road. Whatever the reason may be, owners and customers cherish the products a consignment store has to offer just as much as the profit they make off of those same exact products.  

 

 

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Lansing business owners share their secrets to success

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Owning a business is far from easy, even under perfect circumstances. Success is hard-won and results from months (or years) of effort and dedication. What, then, is the secret to success in the capital of the state, where organized events, politics and tourism make a significant difference in traffic? Chad Jordan, the owner of Cravings Gourmet Popcorn, believes in being genuine. “I think what helped us stay in business for 10 years was authenticity,” Jordan said.

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Traverse City has some special things to offer entrepreneurs

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TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Traverse City in northwestern Michigan is home to many entrepreneurs. The town has a supportive food scene, excellent tourism, a strong Chamber of Commerce, and many citizens with amazing stories to tell. If you walk through Downtown Traverse City, you may come across Ben Phillips, owner and founder of Ben’s Boards, a company that rents paddle boards on Grand Traverse Bay. Scroll through social media and it’s likely you’ll see Sean Murray, founder of Green Light Podcast.