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Living Good in a Bad
Economy
By Joanne Thompson
Times are tough. But, isn't anyone doing something to help us, the
consumer? Well, all you have to do is look around. National food chains
get the message that customers need to feel that they are getting value
in their choices. Right in our own backyard, you can find some folks
here in Brunswick County who are DOING something to help consumers, and
in turn, they are helping themselves and their own bottom line get
through this difficult time.
To stay in business, businesses have to continue to bring in customers.
Once customers come in, it is up to the seller to seize the opportunity
to “sell” to the buyer. So, attracting and keeping
customers is crucial. Customers will come in to a store or restaurant
when they perceive value for their purchase.
National chains like KFC are introducing many new $.99 items to make
quick lunch picks affordable. Subway made the choice easy, affordable,
and a perceived value for all by making all submarines on their menu
$5.00 -- and the marketing effort is paying off. McDonald's longtime
favorite 2 for $2 breakfast specials recently were advertised as 2 for
$3 and the public responded by cutting back on buying the special. Why?
Because customers saw the increase as too much? To turn things around
McDonald's is now offering the special as a buy-one-get-one choice to
try to lure back their breakfast crowd.
Grocery chains like Lowe's, Food Lion, Piggly, Wiggly, and Harris
Teeter are running ads touting buy-one-get-one free and 10 for $10 etc.
specials to bring in buyers.
Locally, restaurants like Fishy, Fishy in Southport on the water is
offering $5.99 luncheon specials and $10.99 dinner specials along with
the higher priced items on their menu, to bring in diners. People are
cutting back to make ends meet, but they still like to eat out,
especially for a good price. Antonio's restaurant in Leland offers
daily specials and half priced bottles of wine on Sundays. The Dead End
Saloon, at South Harbor Village in Southport has Monday night half
price burgers and $2 beers along with live music, as well as other
nightly specials. Taylor's Catering and Café in Southport is now
staying open until 8pm Thursday through Saturday with dinner specials
to let diners know that they can still afford an evening out! Knott's
Landing in Southport too is using a similar strategy: Thursday is BBQ
pork ribs; Friday is steak and seafood; and Saturday is Prime Rib
night. Chagall's on Oak Island is offering a new menu with some good
dollar values on it in time for the spring rush of tourists. On Oak
Island, Turtle Island's Wednesday night seafood specials still continue
to please appetite and pocketbook!
Consumers like a well valued meal. Many enjoy a glass of wine as well.
A novel way to attract wine connoisseurs and just plain lovers of a
great social gathering opportunity is the wine tasting event. Around
Brunswick County you can choose your place and time to try new and
different wines offered by knowledgeable shopkeepers. The Beverage Barn
on Oak Island, long-known as a place that you can drive up to a window
to make a beverage purchase, has a Thursday night wine tasting
accompanied by manager Steve Lapin's gourmet goodies. Friday nights the
Wine Rack in downtown Southport offers wine tastes with hors d'ouvres
prepared by Oak Island's French style restaurant, Chagall's. Ray, the
owner has started carrying a line of specialty beers. The very up scale
Grape & Ale located between Southport and Oak Island on Highway 211
welcomes wine novices and aficionados to wine samplings on Friday and
Saturday evenings complemented with breads, cheese, fruits, and
chocolates. The Grape and Ale offers customers a selection of special
events, a wine and a book club, artesian cheeses, imported beers and
customized gift baskets. All of these wine shops do not charge for the
tasting and the nibbles that they serve. Of course, they hope you'll
buy their wares, but why not sample before you buy?
Grape and Ale goes one step further. Purchase your wine at the Grape
and Ale and present your receipt with your wine at either
Chagall’s or Turtle Island, two Oak Island restaurants, to enjoy
your wine without paying a corkage fee, usually $10. The Wine Rack has
the same arrangement with Chagall’s too. That’s a nice
saving for the consumer; a sale for the wine shop; and a sale of at
least one or more dinners for the restaurant, not to mention appetizers
and/or desserts. Talk about a win, win, and win situation. Everyone is
happy!
There are probably many, many more local businesses that are doing
something to help themselves and their customers get through this
economically challenging time.
Please, YOU our readers let us know who they are and what they are
doing and Your Brunswick Marketplace newspaper will share the news.
Write, call, or email your “finds” to us at
www.sisterpublications.com .We'll share the wealth of knowledge!
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