Going 'green' in more ways than one

Going "green" in your dietary habits will mean more green dollar bills for your neighbors, according to area growers.

More local restaurants, farms and environmental organizations are working to bridge the gap on the distance food travels between the farm and the fork. It's called sustainable agriculture, and in many circles, it's catching on.

I discussed the issue during a Bay News 9 talk-back yesterday (if you don't tune in, you need to) and will have a story on the topic in the Bradenton Herald and Bradenton.com on Monday. Obviously, you'll want to read that.

Buying locally grown produce, wild fish and farm-raised meat is healthier for you and tastes better -- while cutting down dependence on harmful fuel, chefs say. But what does this have to do with a business blog?

The practice also been touted to benefit the economy. Experts estimate if every consumer bought just 5 percent of their groceries from a local source, it would  boost the U.S. economy to the tune of $40 million a year.

That equates to more jobs for Florida's agriculture industry.

So, the question remains, do you stop by a local farmer's market for produce? If so, which one? And what's your favorite locally grown item? I'm a tomato guy myself.

For the latest business updates, follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman

University Town Center inches closer

Since moving back to the Sarasota-Bradenton area about three years ago, there's one project I kept hearing about time and time again. It has generated more local buzz and excitement than just about any other in recent memory.

Today, that project took a colossal step closer to becoming a realty.

As I reported in my online post this morning, and the full story (you'll have to check back at Bradenton.com later for that), the University Town Center has secured its three top anchor tenants.

Several more details about the long awaited shopping destination also have emerged.

The upscale fashion mall -- which will feature Macy's, Dillard's and Saks Fifth Avenue among 115 others -- is scheduled to begin construction this year and open by 2014. The project will cost $315 million.

The mall will fill a small gap in what is already one of the most heavily commercialized corridors in the greater Sarasota-Manatee area, with Lakewood Ranch a stone's throw away and a slew of other big box retailers lining University Parkway from Interstate 75 to Tuttle Avenue.

Sarasota County officials are touting the project because it's their tax gain (just south of the border). But the biggest winners are Southern Manatee residents, like me, who now have to drive to Sarasota or west Bradenton to find the closest true shopping mall.

It's still a guess as to what the remaining 115 stores and six sit-down restaurants will be. Developers say about half will be new to the market. I'm hoping for a Cheesecake Factory myself.

What about you, what retailer-restaurant would you most like to see land a home in the new mall? And are you excited the project is finally becoming a reality?

For the latest breaking business news, please follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman. That's where I post everything first, as well as interesting tidbits you won't find anywhere else.

Building the blocks to a stronger housing market

An impressive panel of national housing experts came down to Sarasota on Wednesday to participate in a forum at New College of Florida examining what's next for the market, as I reported in my story today.

The group -- comprised of economists representing banks, home builders, mortgage institutions and even a couple housing market journalists -- discussed a myriad of issues impacting the industry, which still carries a heavy presence in Southwest Florida.

There was some good news. There was some bad.

Most agreed on a similar prediction of about 2.5 percent growth during the next two to three years, but nobody knows for sure.

As one economist put it, Southwest Florida's market fell so low, it really has nowhere to go but up.

"The toughest part of this whole cycle is everyone is paying attention to every single number," said David Crowe, chief economist and senior vice president for the National Association of Home Builders. "Everyone wishes it was better, and for housing, it's been a depression not a recession."

Those predictions will be put to the test today, when housing figures for the month of March are released at the national, state and local levels.

I will have a post up at Bradenton.com as soon as the numbers come out this morning, with a more developed story for tomorrow's paper.
(UPDATE 12:51 p.m. -- You can read about the latest numbers here.)

It will be interesting to see how sales and prices in Manatee reacted to what was largely a strong peak tourism season. Any early morning predictions?

For the latest business updates, you can also follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman

Preparing for summer season

Manatee County saw the most visitors in at least four years book a vacation during the first quarter of 2012, as I reported in my story today.

The 170,200 visitors that came to the county between Jan. 1 and March 31 was up 10.5 percent from the same time in 2011. Those trips infused a total of $261.1 million into the local economy, including $165.3 million  in direct expenditures, according to the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

During the first three months of the year, hotel occupancy and average daily rates also increased.

Industry stakeholders will tell you these numbers are largely good news because it means the area had a successful winter tourism season, which officially ended Easter Sunday.

But that doesn't mean the visitor's bureau has forgotten about summer and fall either.

The organization is actively working to draw new tourists to Manatee through a slew of marketing, advertising and social media campaigns on eight different platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.

The agency recently purchased a full page color ad in the Sunday magazine insert of the Boston Globe, which carries the potential to reach more than 1 million New England households. But the publication gave the CVB another two-page double truck ad for free (a $67,000 value) just for the business -- leaving Bradenton with a three-page spread on the inside cover.

The visitor's bureau also is planning several pages of advertisements in Florida Trend, and maximizing the potential of the GOP Convention, which is coming to Tampa in late August, through a billboard campaign.

The latest investment was a $25,000 allocation on Monday to help bring a new environmental conference to Anna Maria Island during three days in October. The event has the potential to draw 125 visitors to coastal Manatee, organizers said.

You can read all about the conference in my story today, and for more business updates, follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman

It's all about the customers

It's interesting to see how vastly different companies share the same underlying goal -- customer satisfaction -- and how they go about achieving it.

For an executive running the New York Stock Exchange, that means ensuring companies and traders alike are satisfied with the market.

For a small dog groomer on Anna Maria Island, it means ensuring wealthy pet owners are happy with their pup's new hairdo.

The two operations couldn't be father apart on the business spectrum, yet during interviews with both sides this week, it's amazing how many of the same objectives they shared. The bottom line: for either business to succeed, they first had to ensure the customers were happy -- whether it be canines or investors..

You can read about both operations in the Bradenton Herald or at Bradenton.com starting Saturday with my small business profile of AMI Beach Doggies, a dog grooming boutique in Bradenton Beach.

My exclusive interview with former Stock Exchange President Bill Johnston is slated to appear Monday in the business section and also on our website. The Johnston story is the first in a scattered series of Q&As we're putting together with prominent business executives who have retired to the Bradenton area.

In what ways do you cater to your customers? Would your business succeed without them? And do you think those same techniques would work for a dog groomer or Wall Street executive? Please share you ideas in the comments section below.

For the latest business updates, follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman

Life after Walmart

For a small Bradenton shelf manufacturer, there's always next time.

Despite making a product that received nothing but positive feedback, Look at Life Easy Products wasn't among the ten finalists chosen in a contest to land on the shelves of Walmart's 3,868 stores nationwide.

From a small warehouse just off S.R. 64, the family company produces a specialty shelf designed to fit perfectly into a shower's towel rack and hold toiletry products -- ideal for showers without built-in shelves or for the elderly who have a hard time bending down to get their bathing supplies.

The business was among 4,000 across the country to enter Walmart's contest via video submission. The ten finalists included an acne medication, eyeglass repair kit, T-shit, religious magazine and pepper salt made from veterans.

The final round of voting will run from April 11 to April 24, after which the top three contestants and a grand prize winner will be revealed. People can vote for a product via their Facebook account or text message.

As for Look at Life Easy Products, the shelves can still be purchased through the company's website, Amizon.com, eBay or Ace Hardware on Manatee Avenue. The shelves retail at $19.99.

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Gov. Rick Scott is in Sarasota today for a roundtable meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and area business leaders. After that, he will tour the facility of Ring Power Inc.


Check Bradenton.com throughout the day for updates and follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman for the latest.

Chamber goes mobile

Looking to find information on a Manatee County Chamber of Commerce member? There's an app for that.

The chamber launched its new smart phone app to the community today at its Coffee Club networking event at Pirate City, which was hosted to introduce the 2012 Bradenton Marauders minor league team.

The free app was designed to provide quick access to more than 2,000 business members, including a search feature, a Google map business locator, coupons, and chamber event calendar.

The mobile app can be downloaded by visiting the Manatee Chamber's website through a smartphone web browser, then clicking on the "Preferred Business Directory" link at the top right of the page. The app is not yet available in Apple's App Store.

"We are so excited about our app," Jacki Dezelski, vice president of Community Development for the Manatee Chamber, said in a statement. "It's designed to keep more business local and help consumers find the products and service they need from the convenience of their smart phone."

On the topic of smart phone apps, the Bradenton Herald launched its very own new smart phone app earlier this year, which features all of the latest stories you'll find everyday in paper or at Bradenton.com. It can downloaded for free in the App Store or Android Market.

Follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman for the latest business updates from your smart phone.