Tuesday evening found as at the October Duluth Merchants Association meeting hosted by DMA member Atlanta Flooring Design Centers. We look forward to this once a year treat, where staff members always prepare a wonderful feast of food and hospitality. This year was no exception: we were greeted with homemade barbeque, beans, coleslaw and tantalizing deserts awaited us as we socialized and networked with members, staff and guests.
Owner Donny Phillips shared with fellow DMA members a brief history of his business. From small beginnings on May 17 1985, in what is now the dining room of the Family Restaurant in Duluth, Atlanta Flooring Design Center has grown to be a residential and commercial business with a second branch office located in Charlotte, NC.
With the networking opportunities afforded him by DMA, Donny gave tribute to DMA as both a pillar and a keystone to their business success. Donny sets a great example of being able to network, promote and market his business footprint throughout Gwinnett and beyond in spite of a not so great economy.
And success for Atlanta Flooring Design Centers just seems inevitable, with their strong community ties, excellent staff and a mission statement of “To listen to customer needs, and professionally provide service and material at a great value. Honoring God and always treating people as we would like to be treated.”
Networking was the focus for this DMA meeting as well, with business cards being cheerfully exchanged for business leads and door prizes. We welcomed our several guests, and allowed each of them to give us a brief introduction to their business and services.
We listened as Kathryn Willis (who we all agreed “captures the true spirit of community!)” summarized the successful outcome to this year’s Duluth Fall Festival. Even the weather was picture perfect until end of day Sunday just as the volunteers began their cleanup efforts.
Chris McGahee, economic development manager for the City of Duluth, provided us with excellent news on recent business activities around town. It seems that “thinking outside the box” has resulted in successful business solutions. LA Fitness was able to creatively utilize shopping center retail space on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, and several vacant manufacturing facilities are being subdivided into smaller more usable spaces for several businesses opening soon.
As we closed the meeting, DMA member Sunny Ramsay reminded everyone that Gwinnett Medical Center will be hosting the Nov. 13meeting at their new Bariatric Center on their Glancy Campus. The Bariatric Center focuses on a “360-degree approach to battling obesity,” a huge health problem in the U.S. today. In a previous blog “Eat to Your Hearts Content” we reported to you that approximately one third of Americans are obese, so we are looking forward to hearing some healthy solutions! Come network with us next month–visitors are welcome!
Positively yours, Sheri and Bill
DMA Member News 