Spring 2014 by Retail Merchants Association

Spring 2014

Virginia Retail Federation, LLC

Partnering for Retail Advocacy

for going above and beyond...

April is National Donate Life Month Each year, during the month of April—National Donate Life month—Retail Merchants and Donate Life Virginia come together to increase awareness of the need for organ and tissue donors. RMA’s program, Retailers4Life, invites members to get behind the cause and encourage new donor registrations. One person can potentially save 9 lives through organ and tissue donation!

their stores with the blue and green campaign colors. This year creative members utilized merchandise colors, personal stories, and visual props in the Retailers4Life Contest. Several members adorned their entire stores with blue and green displays! Those entering the Retailers4Life contest submitted photos of their displays. The photos were shared through RMA’s social media. This

year’s winner was Free Agents Marketing, which received a $100 gift certificate to The Crossings Restaurant at the Westin Richmond Hotel and a networking lobby table at the May 2nd RMA First Friday Forum ($100 value)! If you would like to get your business involved in this competition next year, mark your calendar for April, 2015, and join us in celebrating National Donate Life Month.

The spirit of the month is further promoted through the annual Retailers4Life contest. With this tradition, RMA members decorate

In This Issue... 1

April is National Donate Life Month Good News Travels Fast

Letter to Members

Legislative Reception Recap

The RMA Scene

Good News Travels Fast Continued

Remembering Pat Patrick

VRF General Assembly Update Henrico Meals Tax

Welcome New Members!

10 Welcome New Members Continued 11 RMA Event Calendar

Good News Travels Fast... and Far! Want to make your news travel even faster and farther? RMA can help! One of the most popular member benefits is RMA’s posting of member news on our social media channels. In other words, we tweet, post, link and blog on your behalf. Social media now sits as the number one destination on the internet. It’s a place where everyone can

connect and build relationships. Here at RMA we have active social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and our own RMA Blog. We use these channels to share our news and that of our members. Our postings reach a wide audience of RMA members continued on page 6

STAFF CORNER

Dear RMA members,

April is designated as National Donate Life Month. Local and national campaigns elevate the importance of organ and tissue donation encouraging thousands of additional donors to sign up each April. Since 2008, Retail Merchants Association members have joined RMA’s Retailers4Life campaign supporting the Donate Life Partnership. Donate Life is comprised of United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS – with national headquarters in Richmond, VA), Donate Life America, LifeNet Health, and Old Dominion Eye Foundation. Our collective efforts increase awareness, encourage organ donation and save lives across the Commonwealth of Virginia and our nation. Organ donation and transplantation saves lives. One organ donor can save 9 lives, restore sight to two people and enhance the lives of 50 others. Eighteen Americans die each week waiting for a life-saving organ transplant that doesn’t arrive in time. Currently, more than 113,000 Americans are waiting for a life-saving transplant. As part of Retailers4Life, many RMA members offer their business locations as places where customers and employees can further their education about the importance of organ donation, as well as sign up to become organ donors. There is no cost to register as an organ donor and you don’t have to wait until you renew your driver’s license with DMV! At both the March and April First Friday Forums, RMA members heard from individuals who experienced the benefits of organ donation. While April is National Donate Life month, education and support for organ donation can happen all year long. Please contact me in regards to offering sign-up information to your employees and customers. RMA member companies that participate in this program can be found on the website at www.Retailers4Life.com. Preston Perrin Director of Logistics & Operations pperrin@retailmerchants.com | 804.662.5504

VISION STATEMENT

Creating vibrant retail communities together.

MISSION STATEMENT:

We help local retailers thrive.

CORE VALUES 1 We are loyal to our members, always building lasting relationships. 2 We are passionate entrepreneurial community leaders. 3 We act with honesty, integrity, accountability and professionalism. 4 We are innovators who drive change, creativity, collaboration and connectivity. 5 We expect excellence in ourselves and our work. 6 We immerse ourselves in the retail industry and our professions; and we share what we learn. 2 | Retail Partners | RetailMerchants.com | ThinkShopBuyLocal.com | Spring 2014

VIRGINIA RETAIL FEDERATION

2014 Virginia Retail Federation Legislative Reception This year’s VRF Legislative Reception was well attended by many Virginia Legislators and RMA members who mingled together at the Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown. Held on January 20, 2014, the reception’s bustling atmosphere was enlivened by a jazz band,

delicious hors’ d’oeuvres, and complimentary beverages. Governor Terry McAuliffe greeted attendees and gave a short speech to the crowd, emphasizing his support for the success of Virginia retailers.

A special thank you to our sponsors: CAPITOL SPONSOR

Governor Terry McAuliffe addressing the audience at the 2014 VRF Legislative Reception

The Retail Partners Newsletter is published four times annually. Editorial Offices Retail Merchants Association 5101 Monument Ave Richmond, VA 23230 804.662.5518 Publisher Jenna Mosman jmosman@retailmerchants.com Editor Kate Fraser-Orr kfraserorr@retailmerchants.com Contributing Writers Mary Huffard Kegley Megan Way Nancy Thomas Preston Perrin Ad Sales Julie Hill - P: 804.673.5249 jchill@retailmerchants.com

HOST SPONSOR

ROTUNDA SPONSOR

BELL TOWER SPONSOR

FRIEND OF THE VRF PAC

David Bailey & Associates

Commonwealth Cleaners

SIGN SPONSOR

Franco’s Fine Clothier

SignScapes

Good Foods Grocery

PHOTOGRAPHY SPONSOR

Infotel

Robert Thomas Photography

Strange’s Florest

Diana Kent (RMA) & Randy Bohn (Pedal Power Bicycles) 2 Ashley Ray (Emergent Social Solutions), Tamera Wilkins Harris (Richmond Region Tourism) & Mary Lewis (All In One Tours & Receptive SVS) 3 Connect@ Custom Kitchens guests enjoying conversation and hors d’oeuvres 4 Dr. Lisa Freiman (VCU Institute for Contemporary Art) & Nancy Thomas (RMA) 5 Mindy Messina (WSI Evolution Digital Marketing), Carolyn Clements (Ball Office Products) & Lindsey Barden (Rappaport Co.) 6 Raul Cantu (Nacho Mama’s) & Barry Moore (Haley Buick GMC) 7 “Connect It Up” at Center of the Universe Brewing Co. A joint venture between RMA and Richmond Region Tourism 8 Lisa Schauffner (UNOS) 9 Alison White (UPS) & Darryl Flick (O’Virginia) 10 First Friday Forum attendees networking before the program 11 Jon Zayicek (Sera-Brynn), Susan Franck & John Brightly (Assura Inc.) 12 Ray Mattes (The Retail Alliance), Lt. Governor Ralph Northam & Nancy Thomas (RMA) 13 Sarah Paxton, Andy Thornton (La DIFFERENCE) & Stephen Story (James River Transportation) 14 Dr. Tara Dall from Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. (Speaking at the February First Friday Forum) 15 “Connect It Up” at Center of the Universe Brewing Co. A joint venture between RMA and Richmond Region Tourism 16 Len East (RMA) & Lee Kallman (Richmond 2015) 17 Jack Berry (Richmond Region Tourism) & Chris Ray (Center of the Universe Brewing Co.) at the joint “Connect It Up” 18 Stephanie Smith (Papa Johns Pizza), Julie Hill (RMA) & Jay Brimmer (Sir Speedy Printing and Marketing) 19 Mary Warren (RMA), Sheila Stells & Margaret Bensen (Virginia Eye Institute)

4 | Retail Partners | RetailMerchants.com | ThinkShopBuyLocal.com | Spring 2014

2012 DISTINGUISHED RETAILER OF THETHE YEAR RMA AWARD CEREMONY SCENE 11

14 12

...Continued from page 1

and the greater Richmond community. Through RMA’s combined social media efforts, news can reach over 30,000 people in any given month! This benefit is included in your RMA membership at no extra cost!

How can you take advantage of this? It’s easy. Send your news and pictures to Megan Way to mway@retailmerchants.com or call her at 804.288.8389.

RMA is here to champion the success of local retailers, and our social media efforts are just another outlet to help.

Be sure you’re connected:

Megan Way, RMA’s Marketing & Communications Assistant, works directly with members in helping them spread their news. Let Megan help share your news: Tell the community about a new member joining your team, an in-store event, an anniversary, a new product line.… You name it! Megan will use her keyboard as a megaphone to propel your news and help you reach a broader audience.

Take advantage of exclusive memberonly benefits: special pricing discounts and access to free consultations with RMA Endorsed Vendors

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Think.Shop.Buy.Local Facebook, Twitter

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RVA ShopTalk Facebook, Twitter Virginia Retail Federation Facebook, Twitter

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Joe Labella 804.355.3430

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John Scott 804.290.1122

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scott.johnston@worldpay.us 6 | Retail Partners | RetailMerchants.com | ThinkShopBuyLocal.com | Spring 2014

RMA IN RVA REMEMBERING PAT PATRICK The Richmond community lost a good friend and business man on February 20, 2014. Pat Patrick, founder of the Patrick Auto Group and longtime RMA member lived “knee-deep in grace” as his beautiful obituary stated. Retail Merchants was the beneficiary of that grace on multiple levels. Patrick Auto Group became a member of RMA in 1964 and Pat joined the board of directors in 1993, chairing the Finance Committee for many years. He was named The Distinguished Retailer of the Year in 2007. The list of awards and accolades goes on and on, but what Pat gave to this community was his untiring commitment of his time, resources and talent. His greatest strength was helping other business people with the everyday challenges of running a business, and that was not limited to the car industry. Pat’s keen business sense, his financial acumen, and of course, his wonderful sense of humor were appreciated by many who sought his confidence and good guidance. As Phyllis Patrick, his wife of 48 years said, “Pat was comfortable with all walks of people and respected everyone.”

You would think being on the cover of Time Magazine as Quality Dealer of the Year in 2004 would make him overly confident, but it had just the opposite effect. Pat, in his special way, showed the Richmond community what mattered were the gifts he felt he was given; friends, family and a great life. The members and staff of RMA were blessed to have had Pat Patrick in their lives. The Patrick Auto Group goes on with the leadership of Pat’s two sons, Michael Patrick, of Mechanicsville who runs the Patrick Buick GMC, and Trey Patrick of Glen Allen who operates the KIA dealership. In addition to his wife, Phyllis, and his sons, Pat is also survived by his daughter, Stacey Patrick Giles of Mechanicsville, and seven grandchildren. We will continue to hold Pat and his family in our hearts and count ourselves lucky to have called him “Friend.”

Tenant Tenant •• Landlord Landlord Commercial Commercial Real Real Estate Estate Representation Representation

Virginia Virginia Market Market Richmond Richmond II Charlottesville Charlottesville II Roanoke Roanoke Lynchburg Lynchburg II Hampton Hampton Roads Roads

How How Can Can We We Work Work Together? Together?

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VIRGINIA RETAIL FEDERATION 2014 Virginia General Assembly Update The 2014 Virginia General Assembly resulted in 2888 pieces of legislation being introduced. The Virginia Retail Federation (VRF), represented by Mary Huffard Kegley and Kate Baker, was present for the entirety to share your retail business message with decisionmakers. VRF advocates in partnership with Retail Merchants Association and Retail Alliance to represent the business interests of the retail industry at the local, State, and Federal levels of government. The 2014 Session was eventful, welcoming a newly-elected Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Cabinet officials. The Commonwealth’s biennial budget dominated the Session’s considerations. As of press time for Retail Partners, the budget is not yet finalized. A large part of the ongoing budget conversation includes Governor McAuliffe’s proposal to include “Marketplace Virginia/Closing the Coverage Gap” into the final budget. As of the Session’s adjournment on March 8, 2014, “Marketplace Virginia,” was included in the Senate’s budget proposal but not in the House of Delegates’ budget proposal.

Many issues were introduced which could impact the retail business, and VRF was present to let legislators know how their proposals affect your ability to successfully operate a business, support your employees, and contribute to your community. Please remember to subscribe to VRF’s legislative updates “The Retail Advocate” at www.virginiaretailfederation.com. A Sample of 2014’s Retail Related Legislative issues: • Maintaining the current felony larceny threshold at $200 • Opposing a consumer tax on plastic and paper bags • Supporting a tax restructure plan to eliminate the BPOL, Machinery and Tools, and Merchants’ and Capital local taxes • Supporting patent reform • Monitoring regulations for alcoholic beverage control • Workers Compensation regulations

For additional VRF information, contact: Mary Huffard Kegley mhkegley@virginiaretailfederation.com 804.662.5505 Kate Baker kbaker@virginiaretailfederation.com 757.455.9305

2014 HENRICO FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 2014

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We give every client the ﬁnest in design, installation and service. It’s a promise we kept for over 50 years – from our family to yours.

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Henrico County voters approved a meals tax referendum during the November, 2013, election, which will become effective June 1, 2014. Henrico County businesses that serve prepared meals will be required to collect the meals tax beginning June 1. The County’s Department of Finance prepared a package of information educating businesses of what items are taxable, and what items are not taxable, as well as guidelines, forms for registration, and a schedule of training sessions. The County’s website for information is: http://www.co.henrico.va.us/ finance/meals-tax-information/ The County’s contact information is: Susan Layne 804.501.7354 Steve Klos 804.501.7329

8 | Retail Partners | RetailMerchants.com | ThinkShopBuyLocal.com | Spring 2014

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS New Members at the January First Friday Forum Back row, left to right: Michael Hughes (Holiday Barn Pet Resorts), Matthew Thompson (Morgan Marrow Company), Will Martin (Essex Bank) & Chester Gilmore (Essex Bank) Front Row, left to right: Martha Prideaux & Tina Pack (Holiday Barn Pet Resort), Nichole Andrews & Robin White (Essex Bank)

New Members at the February First Friday Forum Back row, left to right: Fernando Winnagan (American Tap Room), Susan Franck (Assura, Inc.), Warren Yeager (WSI Evolution Digital Marketing), Randy Bohn (Pedal Power Bicycles), Landon Combs (Regus) & Tolson Musick (Carri Collection) Front Row, left to right: Mindy Messina (WSI Evolution Digital Marketing), Adrienne Hal, Alisa Dick, Brittany Lane & Kathy Williams (AAA), Terri Tatum (Whispers of Time Consignment), Brittnie Ridgway (Regus) & Lynette Musick (Carri Collection)

New Members at the March First Friday Forum Back row, left to right: Lyndon Evans (Square One Screening LLC), Jeb Hockman & Admiral John Hekman (Virginia War Memorial Foundation) & Jay Brimmer (Sir Speedy Printing & Marketing) Middle row: (RideFinders)

Cherika

Ruffin

Front row, left to right: Von Tisdale (RideFinders), Nakita Rowell-Stevens (Tech24), Bonita Comer (Onyx Security)

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

RMA’s Newest Members AAA Mid-Atlantic Acorn Sales, Inc. Appliances on Lakeside Assura, Inc. Big Al’s Sports Bar & Grill Bliss Bridal Consignment Boutique Business Owner Exit Strategies C&F Bank Carri Collection Center of Wellness Center of the Universe Brewing Company Chesterfield Center for the Arts Crossroads Art Center Deep Run Roadhouse

FPO

Dodson Commercial Essex Bank Fleet Feet Sports Heartland Payment Systems HR Business Solutions Jefferson Lakeside Country Club Keller Williams Realty Laker-Beacon Group LegalShield Independent Associate Money Mailer Morrissey’s Catering MSB Coach New Way Fitness Onyx Security OpenGate Marketing Communications Pedal Power Bicycles Regus RideFinders Royal Chevrolet RSVP Home and Living Magazine RVA Card LLP Sera-Brynn Sir Speedy Printing and Marketing Spirited Art Richmond Square One Screening Stephen Gould Corporation Tech 24 Tom Leonard’s Farmers Market University of Richmond School of Professional & Continuing Studies Virginia Eye Institute Virginia War Memorial Foundation Whispers of Time WSI Evolution Digital Marketing

10 | Retail Partners | RetailMerchants.com | ThinkShopBuyLocal.com | Spring 2014

June 6

First Friday Forum

Join us for June’s First Friday Forum with Jack Berry, Executive Director of Venture Richmond. Jack will talk about the “Upswing of Downtown” including the growth of the downtown Richmond residential scene.

June 12

Event Title Sponsor

Member Appreciation Picnic and VRF Auction

We want to show our members our appreciation, so we’re throwing a picnic! Come out for all-American fare and beverages. This free family fun event will have activities for the kids and a silent auction, benefiting the VRF Political Action Committee.

July 15

Member Power Hour

You’re invited to come in for coffee, snacks, good conversation, new connections, and an overview of RMA. This is a great opportunity to see and learn how your membership can help improve your business, its profitability, and save money. You will also see how to take full advantage of RMA benefits and services. And of course, there will be door prizes.

July 16

Connect@ Nacho Mama’s

Come connect with fellow RMA members at the signature Connect@ networking event to be held at Nacho Mama’s Boulevard Bar & Grill! Enjoy good company and great fare at this Happy Hour event.

Series Sponsors

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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID RICHMOND, VA PERMIT #2254 Retail Merchants Association | 5101 Monument Avenue | Richmond, VA 23230 Phone (804) 662-5500 | Toll free (866) 750-2532 | www.RetailMerchants.com Facebook.com/RetailMerchants Facebook.com/RVAShopTalk Facebook.com/ThinkShopBuyLocal Facebook.com/VirginiaRetailFederation Twitter.com/RetailMerchants Twitter.com/RVAShopTalk Twitter.com/ShopLocalRVA Twitter.com/VARetailFed Designed by:

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