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Groton Daily Independent
Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017 ~ Vol. 25 - No. 102 ~ 23 of 63
In her rst week in business, AR Workshop owner Tracy Hinkkanen has seen groups from mothers and daughters to friends to bridal parties at the new do it yourself franchise in Sioux Falls.
AR Workshop’s entire business model hinges on the popularity of make-and-take. Customers choose a time to work on a craft, such as a farmhouse-style sign or a centerpiece box, and as they’re guided through the project, they can have a few drinks and socialize with friends.
The early success of AR Workshop solidi es for Hinkkanen the popularity of DIY as a social experience.
“People are, rst of all, really, really busy,” she said. “And so when they get together with friends, it feels good to be productive ... They also get to create something, that sense of satisfaction.”
Make-and-take events also give employees a chance to educate customers about products.
At New You Infrared Spa, Manager Stacey Harris hosts make-and-take events about essential oils. It’s a way to bring in new customers and also a way to share the bene ts of essential oils in a no-pressure environment.
“We tell them to try it out,” Harris said. “They’re trusting that we’re not just trying to sell them something. We’re really trying to help them.”
The personal interactions during a make-and-take help customers see the passion employees and busi- ness owners have for their work.
“We become closer to our customers because people can sense when you’re passionate about what you do. ... They become a little extended family for us,” Harris said.
Landscape Garden Centers has hosted make-and-take events for about six years, said Betty Tarrell, retail store manager.
In the last few years, Tarrell has seen these events become more popular, and in the spring, she’s host- ing up to four events per week.
“It’s worthwhile to us because we are passionate about our industry, and we like to pass that passion to our customers,” Tarrell said.
Make-and-take events empower customers to use Landscape Garden Centers’ products con dently, Tarrell said. It’s a way for employees and employers to create a shared passion for gardening, owers, fairy gardens and arrangements.
That’s true for other businesses as well. Harris sees repeat customers coming back again and again for a certain essential oil they rst tried at a make-and-take.
For Tracy, make-and-take events give customers a chance to try their hand at DIY decor, but they also get a chance to see the offerings at Conversation Piece.
It gets customers in the door, having fun and interacting with employees, and, often, they come back. “You build that personal relationship,” Tarrell said. “And I think you build customers for life.”
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Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
Alaska man les lawsuit over motorcycle mishap at concert
STURGIS, S.D. (AP) — An Alaska man who says he was hit by a motorcycle that ew offstage during a 2016 Buffalo Chip Campground concert has led a federal lawsuit against the campground, the rider and the bike company.
The Argus Leader reports that Royce Rath was in the crowd during the Aug. 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally festivities at the campground. The complaint led this week says in between concert performers Lita Ford and Kid Rock, showman Roland Sands road a motorcycle designed without front brakes across the stage and into a crowd of spectators.
The lawsuit says Rath suffered permanent disability, medical expenses and the loss of wages and earning capacity. Federal court records don’t list attorneys for Sands, Polaris Industries or Buffalo Chip Campground.
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Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com