Cary Business Report: Sneakers, Pie & Win a Car

Story by Brenda Larson | February 16, 2010 | Tags: Business, cary chamber, News

Editor’s Note – Business in town is certainly simmering along. In this issue of the Cary Business Report, Brenda Larson writes about a sneaker store sending shoes to Haiti, Black Bottom Pie to die for, a chance to win a new hybrid Chevy Mailbu and lots of new business openings.

Finish Line boosts Haiti relief effort

Finish Line, an athletic apparel store at Cary Towne Center, is participating in a corporate venture to reach out to Haitian earthquake survivors and you can help.

Finish Line, the Finish Line Youth Foundation, company employees, customers and charitable partners are all mobilizing to lend support to the cause.

Finish Line began collecting monetary donations on Jan. 7 at its stores across the country and at http://www.finishline.com for Samaritan’s Feet, http://www.samaritansfeet.org/, a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to providing shoes for impoverished children around the world. Samaritan’s Feet is redirecting $50,000 from the current collection drive to help distribute shoes specifically for the people of Haiti.

The Finish Line Youth Foundation will, in turn, match monetary donations from customers up to the first $50,000 collected. These funds will be distributed to Action Against Hunger, http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/, a global humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger.

Finish Line will also collect donations from its more than 12,000 employees nationwide. The company will match the relief contributions of its associates up to the first $25,000.

Customers can also donate gently used pairs of shoes at any of the retail locations, including the one at Cary Towne Center. The donation of shoes is being coordinated with Soles4Souls, http://www.soles4souls.org/, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives around the world with the gift of shoes. The organization has pledged to collect one million pairs of new and used boots and shoes for Haitian earthquake survivors.

Jay Rowland, assistant manager at the Cary Towne Center Finish Line store, says the company raises funds every year for Samaritan’s Feet, but this year, the corporation made a conscious decision to direct relief efforts to the people of Haiti.

“People are bringing in shoes, they’re bringing in monetary donations. The monetary donations have been amazing. People are giving $30, $20, $10. It’s great,” Rowland said.

“It’s good for us to be here, right in the middle of it, making this happen. It makes us feel good, it makes our customers feel good. We’re making a difference,” Rowland said.

The Finish Line is located on the main level of the mall near Sears and JC Penney. Drop by any time to help put shoes on bare feet and food in empty tummies.

Chatham Street Café desserts tempt food writer

Congratulations to chef/owner Gayla Bonke of Chatham Street Café in downtown Cary on the great review from The News & Observer’s food writer Greg Cox.

In the review, Cox writes about the sorely tempting array of buttery almond cake, chocolate mousse pie and carrot cake calling to him to eat dessert first, just as you likely begged your own mom once or twice.

“And don’t think the temptation lets up once your food is brought to the table. Sure, the wild mushroom omelet or tarragon chicken salad wrap provides some savory distraction. But it’s only temporary. Before you know it, you’ll start hearing the seductive refrain again, at a first a whisper, then louder: blaaaack bottommm piiie, blaaaaack bottommm piiie…” Cox writes.

A big disclaimer from me… I eat breakfast with a large group of community volunteers at Chatham Street Café once a month, every month, and what we appreciate is how they serve our group a hot, tasty, comforting breakfast and get us in and out in less than an hour, something we all appreciate. Thanks from our team!

Bonke grew up on a farm outside of Rochester, NY, where she learned to appreciate delicious, homegrown, high-quality food. A life-long foodie, she became sole proprietor of Chatham Street Café in May 2008. Visit the website at http://www.chathamstreetcafe.com/home for more information about their hours and menu.

Cary Chamber Business Events

• BUILDING BUZZ WITH DEIDRE HUGHEY: I hope you have Thursday, Feb. 18 marked in your calendar for the monthly Business of Women luncheon at Prestonwood Country Club at noon. Guest speaker is Deidre Hughey from The Buzz Builder, LLC, http://thebuzzbuilder.com/, who will be talking about staying motivated, a great subject for these times. Deidre is a marketing maven, who knows how to help businesses build buzz through a variety of tools, including social media. She is also president of the Women Business Owner’s Network, a trustee for inSide919.com, on the board of the Knowledgeable Network of Women in Morrisville and a veteran speaker. It’s $15 with advance registration, www.carychamber.com, or $20 at the door.

• HONOR A SMALL BUSINESS: Nominations are open for the Cary Chamber of Commerce 2010 Small Business Awards, which include the Small Business of the Year, Community Service, Employer of the Year, Innovation Award, Entrepreneurial Award in Education and Charitable Partners Award. Presenting sponsor Crescent State Bank encourages you to nominate a business by visiting the chamber site, www.carychamber.com, and filling out the nomination form. The awards will be presented at a special luncheon May 13 at noon at Embassy Suites in Cary. Keep an eye on the chamber site for more details.

• WIN A 2010 CHEVY MAILBU HYBRID: Well, you could, if you’re one of the 500 people who buy a ticket in the chamber’s reverse raffle. Only 500 tickets, $100 each, will be sold on the car, donated by Hendrick Cary Auto Mall, so the odds are great. The ticket also provides entry for two people to the raffle and auction event Feb. 25 at Prestonwood Country Club, 5:30 pm. For more info, visit the chamber site, www.carychamber.com.

• UNDERSTANDING HEALTH-CARE REFORM: It’s a complicated subject and it’s creating strident discussion across the nation.  Cary Chamber dedicates its Feb. 24 Eyeopener Breakfast meeting, 7:45 a.m., Prestonwood Country Club, to the subject of health-care reform. Mark Fleming, senior director of government affairs for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, will discuss the reform proposals in Congress and the effects on business owners and individuals. He will be joined by Brad Crone, regional director of the Healthcare Leadership Council, a coalition of CEOs advocating quality, innovation and access for the nation’s health-care delivery system. For registration information, visit www.carychamber.com.

Cary Chamber New Members

Hey, just so you know … CaryCitizen, your local online newspaper, was the very first new member of 2010! We’re excited to be a Chamber member and look forward to working with our new partners in business. Now, here are the other businesses that joined the Chamber in January:

Creative Audio Imaging, Steve Gorick, 3704 Satinleaf Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27616, 888-548-7656, provides on-hold messages that really work for companies everywhere, reducing hangups and educating callers in the process.

Gordon Munro, 204 Valenta Ct., Cary, NC, 27513, (919) 650-1563, a talented photographer specializing in fashion, beauty, celebrities, horses and dogs, whose work has appeared in major publications around the world.

Four Points by Sheraton Raleigh Cary, Trevor Walden, 500 Caitboo Ave., Cary, NC, 27518, 919-900-8840, providing comfortable, 100 percent non-smoking, clean, fresh accommodations for travelers, with great access to transportation, entertainment, dining and educational institutions.

Copiers Plus Inc., Keith Woedy, 130 Penmarc Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27603, 919-270-9498, bringing the most up-to-date technology and office solutions to customers and their businesses.

Oswald Company Inc., Judson Oswald, 3737 Glenwood Ave., Suite 100, Raleigh, NC, 27612, 919-573-6116, provides development, design-build and construction services to a wide range of clients.

Sanctuary Senior Care, Donna Rasmussen, 1135 Kildaire Farm Rd, Suite 200, Cary, NC, 27511, 919-415-2355, provides at-home non-medical caregiving for senior individuals and families.

1750 Ordinary, David Needham, 6490 Tryon Rd., Cary, NC, 27518, 919-851-5300, a restaurant/tavern with a fresh approach to classic fare, something for every palate.

Gurkin Construction Design Build, Julie Pounds, 1312 Kirkland Rd., Suite 117, Raleigh, NC, 27607, 919-834-1196, general contracting and construction management with more than 60 years of collective experience in a wide variety of building projects.

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex, Mark England, 102 Sherringham Ct., Cary, NC, 27519, 919-434-7249, 919-454-7776, providing residential and commercial air duct cleaning, emergency water removal, mold removal, making every home a healthy home.

CaryCitizen, Hal Goodtree, Cary, NC, 27513, an online local newspaper serving Cary citizens and businesses. All local, all the time.

Kidz Korner, Manjeet Kaur, 1867 Lake Pine Dr., Cary, NC 27511, 919-460-3103, provides drop-in child care. Tour the facilities, meet the staff.

NextCare Urgent Care, Kim Dahl-Dewitt, 1110 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary, NC, 27511, 614-477-3446, provides urgent care when feeling great can’t wait.

Get in Touch

Thanks for reading! If you have business news, email me at Brenda.Larson@carycitizen.com. I look forward to hearing from you.