Quilt'n'Fabric, Quilt Shop Hop

To: Southwest Harbor Shoppes Businesses, Flying Mountain Artisans and Chamber of Commerce

From: Ruth Davis

During the month of April, (April 1^st to April 30^th) Quilt 'n' Fabric will be participating in a statewide program called the Quilt Shop Hop. This brings in a lot of people from all over Maine to this area. Since this is my first year doing this program, I can only go by my fellow quilt shop owners as to their experiences. One store indicated that we might have as many as 300-400 people visiting our area.

I am required to give a gift package and I would be glad to add a discount card/small gift/information in my package from your store and hand it out to the Hoppers. All you would need to do is print out your information and I will put up a poster in my window of the participating stores. Please indicate your store hours and the dates any discount/gift would be valid.

If you have any questions, please get in touch as soon as possible.Quilt 'n' Fabric, 11 Seal Cove Road, Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679.  Tel. 207-244-1233.  E-mail: quiltnfabric@gmail.com

Ruth says she has six businesses signed up so far: Seawall Motel, Jay Dub's, Artful Hair Designs, Westside Florist, Snow2CPA's and Brandon & Laura's.

  

News from the Directors Board Meeting: 3.6.13

MDI Regional Chambers of Commerce:

We have just paid our annual dues for 2013 to the MDIRCC.  Because Acadia Chamber is a member of the Regional Chambers, you can access their services starting with Brochure Rack Space at Thomspon's Island for $100.  Non-chamber members must pay $300.  With 7-800 visitors daily at Thompson's Island, this is an excellent and inexpensive way to put your business before visitors who will choose between turning left to Bar Harbor or continuing straight on to the Quietside.  The MDIRCC is getting busy not only planning for spring, but planning for its move to the new Acadia Gateway Center being built by DOT.  Acadia National Park will be the tenant and continuing our long standing good relations with the Park we have been invited to move with them.  This move will incur some one time capital costs while the facility is being built - we hope to see ground broken no later than next spring.  After the facility is completed, we will have permanent increases to staffing costs as we expect visitor counts to rise.

Currently 38 of our 134 members are using Thompson's Island Services.  We encourage you to take a look at the services and consider them for your business.  Bill Haefele, General Manager of the MDIRCC and Mount Desert Island Information Center @ Thompson's Island will soon be contacting you by post with advertising opportunities.  Bill says he'd like to see more menus at Thompson's Island.  When new visitors are deciding where to stay, they want to know whether they can find a place to eat.  Campgrounds, B&B's, inns, hotels and motels also benefit from the services.  Our activities and excursions services are already very well represented and we appreciate their support of Thompson's Island operations.

Trail Map:

It's time to start preparing the 2013 Trail Map.  Marty Williams and Kristin Hutchins will be contacting you for inclusion in the advertising section on the back of the map.  We currently have only 40 spaces available which we expect to fill.  They will be filled on a first come first served basis with preference given to Chamber members.  Chamber members pay $200 for a 2.25" x 1.5" space, either color or black and white.  Chamber members will again be entitled to up to 200 free maps.  Non-members may advertise for $250, space permitting. and if they place an ad may have 100 free maps for distribution at their businesses.  Additional maps may be purchased @ 25cents and 50 cents respectively.

Resignations:
Long time board member, Marty Williams has resigned from the Board, but will continue to help out with special projects and on sub-committees.  Marty's work for the Chamber would be difficult to overestimate and we thank her for her service and her continued willingness to serve as a volunteer.  This makes two vacancies on the Board if anyone has an interest in serving.