Ignoring transportation costs, my recycling program is almost flawless. It’s a multistep process, but in the end it should make everything disappear.
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Category Archives: Business Beat
Turning Aluminum into Green
Posted in Business Beat, Economy
West Hills Inflatable
As cute as the car?
Even when I’m clueless about the specific product being advertised, I always stop to take pictures of giant rooftop inflatables. Case in point: the hamster (or Hamstar as Kia spells it) shown in the photo. With a quick online search though, I learned more about a car, and the campaign to sell it, that’s tied to a hip rodent.
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Posted in Business Beat, Cars
V-Bucks
Reminds me of the trunk of a 1959 Chevrolet
Tallbucks, posted last month, showed a picture of the new Starbucks that’s under construction in the Walgreens parking lot at the intersection of Kitsap Way and National Avenue in Bremerton. A better title would have been V-Bucks (see construction photo taken last weekend).
At least we now know what the architect had in mind for the metal posts that extend up from the masonry pillars on the building’s north and south sides—they support huge beams that in turn support the building’s V-shaped roof. In addition to attracting attention, the roof might be a great place to store extra cartons of venti cups.
Tallbucks
Are they building a venti?
Do we really need another coffee place on Kitsap Way in Bremerton? That was my first thought when I read that a Starbucks will be located in the Walgreens parking lot at the intersection of Kitsap Way and National Avenue. As the new building began to take shape this week (see photo), another question arose: does it need to be so tall?
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Market Price
This sign can be simplified.
The Mud Bay blog should know better than to make predictions or write about a trend. In Springing Ahead I observed that the slow torture of steadily climbing gas prices started early this year. Forget slow torture. This year it’s more like waterboarding. The price for a gallon of regular hit 4 bucks today at my local Shell station (see photo)—up 46 cents per gallon since February 11th.
The oil companies ignored my earlier suggestion about just making one big price increase in mid-April. That’s OK as I’m offering a new suggestion to save them some work. Instead of posting a new price every couple of days why not just put “Market Price” on the sign? That’s what some seafood restaurants do when they don’t want to reprint the menu every time the price for lobster or fresh fish changes. I mean, at this point do you really care what the sign says? The tank of gas you buy today is going on a credit card. By the time you get your next statement, today’s price could well be a bargain.
Posted in Business Beat, Economy
Cheeseburger Deal
Almost a free lunch
The coupon (see illustration) came in the mail this week with a pile of advertising circulars. “This can’t be right,” I thought, “Surely it’s the drink that’s free and not the sandwich.” I stand corrected. After all, who am I to questions “Jack”? In fast food circles many consider him to be a marketing and culinary genius.
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Posted in Business Beat
Dancing Man in Silverdale
Just in time for President’s Day
First Silverdale took much of Bremerton’s retail business away. Now they are copying our advertising ideas. Today I noticed a new dancing man (see photo) boogying for business in front of Mattress Depot on Silverdale Way across from Arby’s. Judging by the dancing man’s enthusiastic moves and the like-new condition of his svelte balloon body, I don’t think he’s been on the job for long.
Silverdale is by far the biggest retail center in Kitsap County. And it’s growing. But a business needs to do more than just open its doors there to make money. With at least three other mattress stores in Silverdale—one of which advertises itself with a giant cow—Mattress Depot has plenty of competition. Plus it’s in a retail sector where success is based almost entirely on marketing. The dancing man is going to attract the attention of some passing motorists. Whether they will return later for a mattress upgrade is another question.
For the record I bought my last new mattress at Arnold’s Home Furnishings in Bremerton. A dancing man was not involved. You would probably see the pope in a tank top before you saw a dancing man at Arnold’s.
Springing Ahead
A price that's oh so 6 days ago
Officially, spring isn’t due in rainy Western Washington for more than a month, but you might think it is already here if your only data point is the cost to fill your gas tank. Along with all of the welcome things that are coming soon like longer days and warmer weather, there’s the slow torture of steadily climbing gas prices. My local Shell station (see photo), starting a bit early this year, hiked its prices four times this week. As of today, it is charging $3.619 for a gallon of regular, up $.08 since last Saturday.
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Posted in Business Beat, Economy
Keep My Truck for as Long as You Want
Yesterday’s snow storm, which doubled down this morning with several hours of freezing rain, is a blessing for the region’s auto body shops. Snow and ice cause wrecks. Ironically, my 1999 Toyota Tacoma is at Bremerton’s Trew Auto Body this week for repair from a non-snow-related accident. I’m in no hurry to get it back. Trew can put some of the storm’s victims ahead of it as far as I’m concerned.
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Posted in Business Beat, Cars, Weather
The Worst Day of Phishing
A time-honored adage says that the worst day of fishing is better than the best day at work. But judging from an email message I received recently, I’m wondering if its authors should have spent more time in the office polishing their lure before heading out to cast their phishing line.
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Posted in Business Beat
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