Gordmans Takes Its Discount Retail Model Public
A Midwestern discount retailer far from Wall Street is being watched by investors this week, as Gordmans Stores Inc. prepares to launch its initial public offering of stock.
The 68-store chain is nowhere to be found in the Northeast, but it has developed a following in the center of the country. It sells discounted clothing and home decor bearing department-store and specialty-store brands, competing against TJX Cos. Inc. and Ross Stores Inc.
Same-store sales and profits rose in the fiscal year ended Jan. 31 and in the 13 weeks that ended May 1. Based in Omaha,bracelets, Neb., Gordmans is aiming to raise as much as $81 million by listing under the symbol GMAN on the Nasdaq.
"I believe this is the best deal of the week,Beads necklace," says Scott Sweet, managing director of research firm IPOBoutique.com. "These stores aren’t being located next to Nordstroms. They’re selling low-priced, high-end clothing,watches, and that is a logical and popular way to shop, especially in the current economic times."
There also is some chatter about Beijing-based Ambow Education Holding Ltd., which aims to raise as much as $128 million by listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AMBO.
The company plays on Chinese families’ growing focus on getting their children into better secondary and post-secondary schools,money clips, as well as on skills that will allow graduates to land better jobs. But the deal isn’t a slam-dunk; Chinese IPOs have produced mixed results among American investors this year, and Ambow is competing in a crowded field, particularly against heavyweight New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc., which went public in 2006.
Two technology stocks are also scheduled to debut: Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors N.V., and IntraLinks Holdings Inc. NXP is seeking to raise as much as $714 million with a Nasdaq listing under the symbol NXPI, while IntraLinks is hoping for $176 million through an NYSE listing under the symbol IL.
IntraLinks is a cloud-computing service that offers businesses a way to collaborate on data and documents online. It controlled an estimated 22.5% share, by revenue, of its niche in the world-wide market last year, according to Gartner, a market analysis firm. NXP focuses on high-performance mixed-signal semiconductors, which combine analog and digital functions.
Both companies may face pricing pressure from investors. NXP and IntraLinks have several years of operating losses and considerable debt relative to their size.
In the case of NXP, the losses date back to 2006 but have been narrowing; it broke even in the first quarter of this year and is expected to book an operating profit in the second quarter. IntraLinks’ operating losses began easing in 2008, but the company warns they could continue in the future and gives no timeline for profitability.
Though semiconductor makers had been issuing positive financial forecasts earlier this year after a severe cyclical downturn last year, there’s a bit of unease among investors as some companies have been scaling back their forecasts, including LSI Corp. and Nvidia Corp. last week. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, which tracks the performance of chip-related stocks and made strong gains earlier this year, has since dropped into negative territory.
Write to Lynn Cowan at lynn.cowan@dowjones.com
Discount Teknomek stainless steel equipment for sc
Throughout the whole of July, the stainless steel manufacturer Teknomek will be offering discounts on a variety of its hygiene-standard stainless steel catering products just in time for the school summer break. Many educational establishments take advantage of the summer months to renovate school facilities including the catering department and Teknomek sells a variety of stainless steel catering products ready to fit and accommodate any professional kitchen.
Teknomek’s top seller for stainless steel catering equipment is the Bain Marie & Heat Gantry top hot cupboard, which is manufactured in stainless steel with painted steel cladding, 4 swivel castors, 2 locking breaks, sliding doors with an internal shelf and gastronorm tray fittings. As well as this,rings, Teknomek offers cold units with refrigerated glass surroundings ideally suited to be fitted in any school canteen.
Furthermore, Teknomek provides top quality products for the front of house including tables, trays and variety of trolleys, such as colour coded service trolleys,pendants, cutlery trolleys, plate trolleys, stainless steel tray trolleys and many more. Also available are heated plate dispensers manufactured in chromium nickel steel that come in double or single sizes,bracelets, accommodating either 120 plates or 60 plates.
Teknomek is Europe’s leading manufacturer of catering stainless steel furniture and equipment, providing high quality and cost-effective stainless steel solutions to industry hygiene requirements for all sectors such as pharmaceutical,Atlas charm bracelet, catering and veterinary.
For further details on Teknomek’s stainless steel catering products check out www.teknomek.co.uk
MERCER COUNTY INTRODUCES DISCOUNT DRUG CARD FOR AL
Mercer County issued the following news release:
New Jersey residents have an ally in the fight against rising healthcare costs. A statewide discount prescription drug card program, called New Jersey Drug Card, is now being sponsored by Mercer County and is free to all residents, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes announced today.
This program will provide discounts on both brand-name and generic medications,cuff Links, and average savings per purchase are estimated to be around 30 percent. There are no restrictions to membership, no income requirements, no age limit and no applications to fill out. The program is not medical insurance, but provides for substantial discounts for services that may not be covered under a person’s regular insurance or Medicare.
"The New Jersey Drug Card can be used by anyone for many of their medical needs,Beads necklace, from prescription drug purchases to eyeglasses and contact lenses to dental care,necklaces," said Hughes as he announced the new program alongside Hamilton Mayor John F. Bencivengo at the Hamilton Township Senior Center. "It really is a tremendously valuable card to own. It can end up saving our residents quite a bit on medical costs, whether or not they already have health insurance."
The New Jersey Drug Card was launched to help the uninsured and underinsured citizens of New Jersey afford their prescription medications. However, the program can also be used by people who have health insurance coverage with no prescription benefits, which is common in many health savings accounts (HSA) and high deductible health plans. Additionally, people who have prescription coverage can use this program for non-formulary or non-covered drugs. The New Jersey Drug Card can also be used by individuals who do not qualify for publicly funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare.
The card can be used anywhere in the country with participating providers. To take advantage of these discounts, all a person has to do is present the discount card to the health provider or pharmacy. Most major pharmacy chains such as CVS, Walgreen’s, K-Mart, Rite-Aid, and Target all accept the card.
There is absolutely no charge for the card or to participate in the program. The program was designed to help everyone reduce high medical costs.
Discounts range from 10 percent to 50 percent and major health service providers, including 55,000 pharmacies, across the country are participating in the program and making discounts available to those who have a card.
Covered are:
* Prescription drugs;
* Hearing exams and hearing aids;
* Vision exams, eyeglasses, contact lenses and Lasik eye surgery;
* Dental care;
* Diabetic supplies; and
* ProSmile
The New Jersey Drug Card is a solution to the confusing maze of discount programs that have appeared in recent years. Many of these programs only cover certain drugs, charge fees, and some have membership restrictions such as age and income requirements. The New Jersey Drug Card provides the residents of New Jersey with a simple solution. The New Jersey Drug Card has an "open formulary" which means that all drugs are included, has "on-the-fly enrollment", which means that no eligibility data is required to process a prescription, and everyone is eligible to participate in the program. Furthermore, the New Jersey Drug Card will not share, sell,key rings, or distribute personal information for any reason. New Jersey residents can download a free card and search drug pricing and participating pharmacies at http://www.nj.gov/counties/mercer/wellnessdiscount/. One card covers all the members in a family.
Because the businesses participating in the program are seeking more business countywide, there is no administrative cost associated with the program aside from printing costs, which can be recouped.
Information brochures and discount cards are also available through County Connection, located in Hamilton Township at Route 33 and Paxson Avenue in the Acme shopping center. Additionally, most Mercer County libraries and senior centers will also carry the cards.
Mercer County receives 50 cents for each prescription filled, money used for community outreach and to print brochures and discount cards. The program is administered by the county Office of Shared Services.
Mercer County is participating in the Shared Service Agreement along with 8 other counties: Bergen, Essex, Gloucester, Monmouth, Passaic, Union, Hudson and Salem. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Score college furniture for cents on the dollar at
Though you might be able to skip the crayons and colored pencils this year, your college student has even bigger back-to-school dreams — new furniture. And whether he is moving into a dorm room or an apartment, he’ll need some basic houseware items.
Big box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target are fine places to start, but there are some even cheaper options.
Look in the Mad Zone sales corner at Williamsburg Pottery, for example. There, we found 7-piece queen-sized comforter sets priced as low as $20. Ollies Bargain Outlet in Hampton includes a mattress section with full-size sets for as little as $239. The queen-size mattress sets cost $279. Big Lots is another discount store you shouldn’t forget, with some of the best prices on TV stands.
Thrift stores, of course, are one of the best places to look for gently used furniture.
Remember,cuff Links, these donation-based stores change inventory daily, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t find that treasure right away. Set aside a day about a week later to check out the new stash at your favorite stores.
Sofa — $75
Second Time Thrift, a new thrift store on Mercury Boulevard in Hampton, has a large inventory of furniture. At least two dozen couches take up the space on the left-hand side of the store, while the remaining space is dedicated to bedroom sets. If you head there right away, you might spot the three-piece queen-sized bedroom set complete with headboard, bed frame and dresser for $399. The set is in excellent condition, with no visible scratches. The rolling desk chairs for $20 are another must-have for college students, even in a dorm room.
Information: Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. 4205 Mercury Blvd., Hampton. 816-8707.
Cedar chest — $70
The Youth Challenge Thrift Store recently found a new home on Jefferson Avenue in Newport News, and store managers have taken pains to make sure their furniture display is one of the best on the Peninsula. From a large clothes armoire in perfect condition ($100) to dressers for $50 and a host of couch options, this should be one of your first stops. The brand new cedar chest would be a great addition to a dorm room,Charm bracelet, as it can serve as both an additional seating area at the end of a bed and a storage area for extra linens and blankets.
Information: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday. 5100 Jefferson Ave., Newport News. 247-6377.
TV-stand and bookcase — $17
Manager Suzy Kennerly says most people don’t know that Habitat Restore on Warwick Boulevard in Newport News is open to the public. Filled with building materials and furniture, this store is like a thrift version of Lowe’s. Much of the furniture is priced well below the competitors’,Bead bracelet, with large wooden desks selling for as little as $24 and matching chairs for $10. The tall TV-stand and bookcase would make a perfect, scratch-free addition to an apartment living room. While you’re there, parents, check out the large lighting section. You might find something for your own house.
Information: Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday,Charm pendant, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 9614 Warwick Blvd., Newport News. 246-4955.
Dishes — 59 cents per pound
There are several Goodwill locations on the Peninsula and most are good places to pop in when you’re looking for furniture. Lesser known is the Goodwill outlet location on Diamond Springs Road in Virginia Beach. All of the merchandise donated to the thrift-store chain moves through the outlet at some point during its sales life. And, if you can find it at the outlet, you’ll shave 50 percent off the Goodwill retail store price. A set of 12 dishes cost $3 at the outlet, for example. The sticker on the back of the dishes noted that it cost $6.25 for the set at a Goodwill retail store. The outlet is also unique in that clothing and houseware items are priced per pound, not per item. The music lover also would be happy with the set of Jensen speakers, complete with a subwoofer and four mini-speakers for $10.
Information: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. 1345 Diamond Springs Road, Virginia Beach. 248-9414.
Paitsel can be reached at 247-4737 or npaitsel@dailypress.com. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/SavvyShopper.
Furniture consignment shops
Now that your college student is moving out, you may have some space for some extra furniture of your own. These furniture consignment shops cater to tastes too expensive for the transient lifestyle of a college student, but they’re perfect options for upscale living on a budget.
Velvet Shoestring. Set up like a retail furniture store, nearly everything in this consignment shop is in perfect condition. Stock changes daily, but a recent trip revealed an impressive display of decorative armoires and china cabinets, as well as lighting fixtures. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. 311 Second St., Williamsburg. 220-9494.
Scavenger’s Paradise. Focused more on home decor than furniture, this upscale consignment shop only accepts items in excellent condition. Look here for decor matching a home styled in dark woods and antiques. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. 7059 Richmond Road, Williamsburg. 565-4125.
Aladdin Consignment and Rugs. Much like the Velvet Shoestring, shoppers’ may never know the items were once used. Sofas and other living room items are the focus in much of the store, but you’ll want to head to the back, where there is a large collection of unusual lamps. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. 7131 Merrimac Trail, Williamsburg. 206-1665.
WIPO ASSIGNS PATENT TO F.S. KOREA INDUSTRIES INC
Publication No. WO/2010/090412 was published on Aug. 12.
Title of the invention: "COSMETIC CASE."
Applicants: F.
S. KOREA INDUSTRIES Inc. [KR/KR]; #1211, Garden Tower Building 446-13 Beon-1-dong, Gangbuk-gu Seoul 142-703 (KR) (All Except US).
HWANG, Jae Kwang [KR/KR]; (KR) (US Only).
Inventors: HWANG, Jae Kwang; (KR).
According to the abstract posted by the World Intellectual Property Organization: "The present invention relates to a cosmetic case,bangles, comprising: a main body on which a plurality of cosmetic storage compartments are arranged with a spacing; and a cover which is rotatably coupled onto the main body and which has a plurality of open/shut portions extending in a radial direction from the center of the rotation of the cover,necklaces, such that the open/shut portions open/shut the respective cosmetic storage compartments in accordance with the degree of rotation of the cover. Thus,tiffany, the cosmetic case of the present invention enables cosmetics to be kept and carried in a convenient manner while storing cosmetics having different colors or different ingredients separately from one another so that the cosmetics are prevented from being mixed. The cosmetic case of the present invention enables users to easily open/shut the cosmetic storage compartments and to easily keep and use cosmetic brushes."
The patent was filed on Jan. 28, 2010 under Application No. PCT/KR2010/000516.
For further information please visit: http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/ia.jsp?ia=KR2010/000516
For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement,Charm bracelet, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Cosmetics trends in constant evolution and not jus
Makeup for many women is a vital component of their appearance and one they take great pains to apply, even to the point of dolling themselves up during the crowded morning commute, working through the routine starting with a foundation, then eyebrows, mascara and finally lip gloss.
But cosmetics is not just relegated to the world of women.
An increasing number of men are applying makeup to their skin, pruning their eyebrows and more, and cosmetics makers are targeting this market segment.
Following are questions and answers about the history of and trends in makeup in Japan:
What aspects of makeup were the most historically eye-catching?
"Ohaguro" and "hikimayu" would arguably be the top two.
Ohaguro was the practice of women, and some noblemen, dying their teeth black by blending "fushiko" powder and acetic acid with iron. This was common from ancient times until the Edo Period, which ended in 1868.
According to the Japan Society of Aesthetic Dentistry,money clips, ohaguro had the effect of protecting teeth from cavities and periodontitis.
Hikimayu means to shave or pluck eyebrows and draw crescent-shaped ones on the upper forehead with black ink.
In the Nara and Heian periods between the eighth and 12th centuries, middle-class women practiced both ohaguro and hikimayu.
But in the Edo Period,Atlas charm bracelet, middle-class women also dyed their teeth when they married and shaved their eyebrows after they gave birth.
Face powder made from white lead was also common. Women first dissolved it with water and then used a brush to apply it to the face, neck and chest.
Only wealthy women could afford rouge at that time because only a little amount was extracted from rouge flowers, according to the book "Edo 300-nen Josei-bi" ("Women’s Beauty in 300 years of the Edo Period").
What happened to ohaguro?
In 1870,earrings, the government banned the practice among aristocrats as part of modernization, and other upper-class people gradually followed.
What makeup became popular in the modern era?
The Meiji and Taisho eras of modernization saw little innovation. Eye shadow was already around in the 1920s but was more like eyeliner and not for daily use.
The book "Kindai Josei no Bi" ("Beauty of Modern Women") quoted a women’s magazine in 1925 as saying: "Eye shadow is for night use. We recommend not to use it during daytime."
Still, young women called "moga" (modern girls) who followed Hollywood fashions, applied eye shadow both above and under the eyes.
It wasn’t until the 1960s that eye shadow became more common among women, according to "Nihon no Kesho Bunka" ("Makeup Culture in Japan") compiled by cosmetics firm Shiseido Co.
Fake eyelashes also became all the rage then as the tall, thin British model Twiggy with her long lashes gained popularity, the book said.
Has the white, or porcelain, skin look been historically favored?
Not always. According to the book "Okesho Shinai wa Furyo no Hajimari" ("You’ll Become Bad if You Don’t Wear Makeup"), tanned skin became popular with young people briefly in the 1950s, 1970s, and late 1990s, when the economy was sour. The most recent dark-skin fad, coined "ganguro," caught on with high school girls hanging out in Tokyo’s Shibuya district in the mid- to late 1990s.
How do Japanese women maintain white skin?
Many resort to sun screen or a UV-block umbrella. Some also wear long gloves to cover their arms.
In addition, skin whiteners that contain an ingredient to prevent melanin are widely used.
Where do women glean their makeup tips?
Fashion and cosmetics magazines serve as the key guidebooks, offering step-by-step makeup methods with a lot of detailed pictures.
Currently, there are five monthly cosmetic magazines — Biteki, Voce, bea’s up, Bi-story and Maquia — focusing on the latest products and trends.
They boast a combined circulation of 558,518, according to the 2010 survey by Japan Magazine Association.
Are thin eyebrows popular on men?
Not so much as before. According to Shiseido, more men are going for "natural eyebrows," therefore they prefer using special scissors and a comb to cut their eyebrows instead of a razor.
A spokesman for Kai Corp., a major manufacturer of cutlery and cutting tools, said sales of eyebrow trimming kits targeting men between the ages of 15 and 30 have increased four times compared with 2000, when the products debuted.
According to Kai, many young women began thinning their eyebrows around 1995 as part of the look of pop singer Namie Amuro.
The trend spread to young men in the late 1990s. The company claims the reason young men trim their eyebrows is partly because the boundaries in appearance between men and women are blurring.
Thinly shaved eyebrows became popular with high school baseball players, but in 2004 the Japan High School Baseball Federation announced a ban on shaving the eyebrows too thin because of school regulations.
What makeup is particularly unique to Japan?
That would be what kabuki actors don.
The bright colors,watches, established in the Edo Period, emphasize blood vessels and facial muscles. The method is called "kumadori," and the colors and patterns differ depending on an actor’s role.
Red is used for heroic roles, and black and blue are used to portray villains or ghosts. In general, a kabuki actor draws a black liner along the eyes and applies red makeup around them.
The Weekly FYI appears Tuesdays (Wednesday in some areas). Readers are encouraged to send ideas, questions and opinions to National News Desk
Team turning focus to 9-hole matches
The Seymour girls golf team found itself in a range it hadn’t been yet this season.
The Lady Owls shot a season-high 395 in Monday’s Jennings County Invitational at St. Anne’s Golf Course in North Vernon, and their scores had been between 368 and 374 through the first three tournaments of the season.
That’s proof that from course to course and from day to day, the game of golf can get you.
"I knew the scores were going to be higher today because the greens are tough, they are larger, a lot of different elevations," Seymour coach Noelle DeHaven said. "It played tough. You couldn’t put it on the green. It would roll off. I think home-course advantage helped knowing where to place it, and the girls, some of them had trouble."
Whiteland’s players apparently didn’t have too much trouble, having four of five girls break the 100 mark. The Warriors won the invitational with a 358, followed by host Jennings County’s 364 and Columbus East A team’s 389. Seymour was the only other team better than 400, and three other teams ranged from 407 to 477.
Jennings County’s Jessica Beeman finished with a 4-over 76 for medalist honors. Janice Heffernan of Floyd Central had an 80 for second, Melissa Jayne of Whiteland had an 83 for third and Paxton DeHaven of Seymour and Alexa West of Whiteland both had 86s.
Sixteen of the 35 golfers had a 100 or better.
Preston DeHaven had Seymour’s second-best score with a 97, while Hannah Lewis had a 103 and Allison Applewhite and Hope Sutton had 109s.
"She’s not happy with it," DeHaven said of her youngest daughter’s score of 86. "But I like seeing her striking the ball a lot better. She just didn’t score well, so that will come. Preston and Paxton hit the ball really well, just didn’t (show in the) score."
It was the first time playing the course for Paxton and Sutton, both freshmen.
On Friday, the Lady Owls got a preview of the sectional course, Otis Park Golf Club in Bedford, and on Monday, they got a glance at the Hoosier Hills Conference Tournament course, St. Anne’s.
But the courses could change by then, ranging from pin placements to the condition of the fairways, and the weather could be different, too.
Conference and sectional both are in September, so that will give the team plenty of time to prepare and improve.
"We need to get back over here before conference," DeHaven said. "They were all upset during the round that they were playing bad, and I was like,necklaces, ‘This is great before we play conference, get this chance to check it out.’ It’s good to come over here and play it in a tournament."
After four 18-hole invitationals to open the season, the Lady Owls now turn their attention to nine-hole matches. Next Tuesday, they play host to two HHC teams, Bedford North Lawrence and Jennings County.
Results
Jennings County Invitational
At St. Anne’s Golf Course, North Vernon
Team scores: Whiteland 358, Jennings County 364,rings, Columbus East A 389, Seymour 395, Floyd Central 407, Columbus East B 454, New Albany 477
Top 10 individuals: Jessica Beeman (JC) 76,key rings, Janice Heffernan (FC) 80, Melissa Jayne (W) 83, Paxton DeHaven (S) 86, Alexa West (W) 86, Bethany Huber (FC) 92, Sarah Craven (W) 92, Mackenzie Eppley (CE) 93, Erika Smith (CE) 93, Shelby Bryant (JC) 95
Other Seymour: Preston DeHaven 97, Hannah Lewis 103, Allison Applewhite 109,earrings, Hope Sutton 109
Lady Antlers drop match at Burnet
Tivy was unable to notch its second victory of the season after a 3-0 loss at Burnet on Thursday.
The Lady Antlers (1-2) lost 25-18, 25-21 and 25-16 after starting the season Tuesday with a win against Llano and a loss to Leander Rouse.
Junior Casey Cody led the team with nine kills,Charm pendant, and junior Hannah Chambers added seven.
Senior Kristyn Botkin recorded 12 assists and 14 digs. Chambers and junior Kaitlyn Wiederwax each had 13 digs.
Medina undefeated early on
Medina motored through the D’Hanis Tournament on Thursday,Atlas charm bracelet, winning all three matches to stay undefeated.
The Lady Bobcats (4-0) were led by senior Callie duPerier’s 15 kills and five aces and senior Renee Mazurek’s 13 assists in a 2-1 victory against Sabinal.
After Medina won a close 25-22 game, Sabinal fought back to win a narrow game of its own, 25-23. The Lady Bobcats pulled away in the third and final game with a 25-12 final.
Kyla Richardson added six blocks while Kendall Richardson had four digs.
Medina faced D’Hanis’ junior varsity team, a last-minute replacement, in its second match of the tournament and won easily, 25-0,tiffany, 25-8.
Coach Lovey Sockol and her team took care of Brackettville Brackett next with a 2-0 victory, winning 25-17, 25-13.
duPerier led the team with 10 kills and Mazurek had seven assists. Courtney Gillaspy tallied four digs while Ashley Heinen had two aces.
Medina begins bracket play at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Comfort falls in thriller
Comfort lost a close match that went the distance against Hondo on Thursday at Comfort Gym.
The Deer (1-1) fell behind after losing 25-14 and 25-19, but they battled back to win the third game,necklaces, 25-22, and the fourth game, 25-16.
In the final fifth set, Hondo pulled away late with a 15-13 win.
Comfort senior Ricki Jean Myers led the team with 21 kills and 24 digs. Junior Rebecca Gaines had 28 assists while senior Bernice Carlos added 20 digs.
Tips for getting stains out of clothing
It’s scorching hot, but it’s also a good time to have those end-of-summer get-togethers and cookouts.
That means unexpected spills,Charm pendant, dribbles and stains. So before that barbecue sauce ruins your hubby’s favorite linen shirt,Atlas charm bracelet, The Clothing Doctor, Steve Boorstein, has some tips. The expert clothing restorer and dry cleaner shared these laundry disaster fix-its in the summer issue of The Nest magazine:
Ketchup and mustard: Rinse stain with cool water and blot with a dry white cloth. Next,watches, tap a stain fighter into the fabric with your fingers and if the stain isn’t gone within five minutes, toss it in the wash. Mustard can be more stubborn; you may need to soak it in warm water with a dab of color-safe bleach.
Hamburger grease: Pretreat at home with glycerin,bangles, found at your local drugstore, which will help lubricate, break up and release the stain. Then head to the dry cleaners (even if it’s on cotton) because food oils need very hot water to come out, and most washers don’t get hot enough.
Berries: Rinse with cold water immediately before treating with a stain remover. Then launder it as usual, but if a stain remains, use color-safe bleach.
Barbecue sauce: If the sauce is water-based and not oil-based, treat with a stain remover or even a diluted amount of grease-fighting liquid dish detergent and wash the same day.
Sangria: Rinse with cool water immediately and then blot with a dry white cloth. Treat spot with a stain remover and wash
in warm water. Air dry and if needed treat with color-safe bleach as above.
Retailers bank on sales tax holiday
Fight the crowds or save money? That is the question.
Area retailers are banking on the latter when North Carolina’s sales tax holiday kicks in this weekend. In fact,necklaces, several are offering special sales to lure shoppers into their stores.
Alamance Crossing retailers said Wednesdaytheyexpectedbusinessto be brisk from Friday through Sunday, which marks a period when shoppers can save money by purchasing items like clothing, school supplies and computers, and pay no sales tax.
"A lot of people will be doing their back-to-school shopping," Talbots manager Nakia Reese said.
While some shoppers will make a point to shop during the sales tax holiday to cash in some savings, several shoppers at Alamance Crossing said they had already done their back-toschool shopping and didn’t plan to shop at all this weekend.
Greensboro resident Tamara Kurtz stopped at Belk onWednesday to buy a uniform for her daughter. Kurtz said she finished her back-to-school shopping Tuesday.
"I don’t shop during the sales taxfree weekend because I don’t want to deal with the crowds," Kurtz said. "It’s better for me if I do all of my shopping early."
One retail employee at Alamance Crossing said she believes the state’s tax holiday should be held closer to the start of public schools because students and their parents really don’t know what they are going to need until after the start of September.
The sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday and runs through 11:59 p.m. Sunday. During the sales tax holiday period, retail sales of specified merchandise are exempt from state and local sales and use tax. This marks the state’s ninth sales tax holiday.
The North Carolina General Assembly created it in 2002 and since then has made minor changes to the legislation that governs the three-day holiday from sales tax.
Kurtz said one reason she avoids the sales tax holiday is because it’s hard to know what merchandise is included as part of the holiday.
"The list has changed a couple of times,cuff Links," Kurtz said.
According to state officials, the sales tax holiday weekend is one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Retailers’ participation in the sales tax holiday is mandated.
Clothing, footwear and school supplies of $100 or less per item,watches, school instructional materials of $300 or less per item, sports and recreational equipment of $50 or less per item,key rings, computers of $3,500 or less per item and computer supplies of $250 or less per item will be exempt from sales tax during the holiday.