Wilmington Archives • Our Town America, Inc.

P.T.’s Grille Wins the Wilmington Small Business Award for Resilience

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

P.T.'s Grille Winner of Wilmington, NC Small Business Resilience Award by Our Town America

Spectrum News | Wilmington, NC – Aaron Hyatt has worked his way up in the P.T.’s Olde Fashioned Grille family from manager all the way to owner, but this past year has put his business to the test. The restaurant is one of the most popular in the Cape Fear area, but Hyatt is quick to note that doesn’t make them immune to the hardships everyone is facing. “There was a time when we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to get meat, I think we all got scared then that we might have to shut down,” says Hyatt. That’s why Our Town America, a national marketing franchise that specializes in helping small and local businesses gain new customers, created the Small Business Resilience Award. Presented to just one business in each community, this annual award honors small businesses for overcoming the many triumphs of the previous calendar year. This year, however, holds extra merit due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the many challenges it brought. P.T.’s Olde Fashioned Grille was nominated, then won the popular vote with an overwhelming majority! Local community members were eager to vote for P.T.’s as they adapted to the pandemic and consistently maintained their quality of service, while ensuring customers and staff felt safe. Hyatt says the award makes him feel like everything he and his employees have been through has been worth it. “It’s an honor from the community that acknowledges the hard work of the past months and makes all those bad days feel worth it,” he says. “It shows that our hard work and adapting with this new work style hasn’t gone unnoticed, so it makes you feel good,” says Hyatt. Unfortunately, he says they’re not out of the woods yet though. Business is still down 15-20% each month and he expects it will take another six months at the minimum to recover. Hyatt says he’s fortunate that he’s been able to keep all of his employees during the pandemic, but without their regular customers he says they would all be looking for new jobs. Hyatt hopes that friendly faces, good burgers and proven service can help people take a break from everything going on in the world outside. Hyatt and local Our Town America owner, Bassam Safi, met with Spectrum News to discuss winning the Wilmington Small Business Resilience Award. Click here for information on how to be nominated for the Our Town America Small Business Resilience Award. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local Wilmington business looking to reach new or current customers, contact Bassam Safi at 910-352-5776‬. If your business is located outside of the Wilmington area, please contact our corporate office at 1-800-497-8360 to be connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Welcoming New Customers by Mail allows for Sustainability, says Business Owner

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Local Business Marketing Method Get More Customers Our Town America

WECT News | Wilmington, NC (Sept 2020) – The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted businesses for more than 6 months now. Some have struggled, but have been able to keep their doors open, while others have had to close for good. In an effort to stay afloat, business owners are trying new things to gain new customers. WECT News met with Chris Levesque of Whiskey Trail Sports Pub and Bassam Safi of Our Town America to discuss a marketing method they strongly believe business owners should consider when looking to bring in new customers. The Our Town America New Mover Marketing program, while it’s been around for 49 years, has proved to deliver new customers to businesses during these uncertain economic times by way of one-time housewarming deals to area businesses. Levesque, Whiskey Trail owner, has been on board with Our Town America for 4 years now offering a $20 gift certificate to new movers in his area. “It familiarizes people that are new to the area with the businesses right around them,” says Levesque. The idea is that as long as new customers have a good experience at the business, they’ll become repeat customers. “Welcoming people is a hidden way of advertising, but it’s actually a way to build a relationship,” says Safi – the local Our Town America franchise owner. “It’s a soft approach to say, ‘Come in! We welcome you. Here’s my gift to you.’ You can get to know them and call them by name. That’s huge,” he says. Levesque says that Our Town America is working for his restaurant and he can tell as he sees the same faces ordering food. “That’s what’s getting us through these times right now. People keep coming back, getting to-go food, or dining outside – doing whatever they feel comfortable doing. But they keep coming back – that’s the whole goal of this thing. And, right now, that’s extremely crucial,” the restaurant owner says. Levesque and business owners across the nation are welcoming every bit of help in these uncertain economic times. Safi suggests the tips below to help businesses make it through. Full WECT News interview below for more information. Buy a gift card or start a tab. Buy gift cards now that you can use later. Pay $100 upfront for future purchases and ask the restaurant to withdraw from your tab when you eat there. Holiday shop now. Some local shops may not make it to the holidays without our help. Buy your holiday gifts now to give them a boost! Tip well. Many servers, baristas, and delivery people have been out of work at some point this year. If you can afford it, leave a big tip and make someone’s day. Schedule and pay for future services. Some salons and massage parlors will allow you to pay for services in advance. Pay for haircuts for the rest of the year now and have the salon withdraw from your account as you go. Leave a positive review online. Many people are looking for safe places to eat and shop right now. Leave a positive review of your favorite restaurants and local shops to tell your community how they’re keeping customers safe and healthy during the pandemic. Mentioning outdoor seating is a plus! Redeem your New Mover Gift Certificates. If you’re a new mover who recently received your Our Town America Welcome Package, be sure to redeem your Gift Certificates from your local businesses. The businesses included in our Welcome Packages reach out to new movers each month as they want to welcome residents, like yourself, to your new neighborhood! Return the favor by patronizing these businesses – whether in-store, curbside or delivery. Remember: For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community. Both Our Town America of Wilmington and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Both local business owners and consumers will benefit from banding together to strengthen local economies. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days of the year. If you’re a local business in North Carolina looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Bassam Safi at ‭910-352-5776‬ or bsafi@ourtown.net. If your business is located elsewhere in the U.S., you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Current Housing Market and Coronavirus Moving Survey Findings | NBC Raleigh

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

North Carolina Moving Homes Coronavirus Survey Our Town America

NBC WRAL News | Raleigh, NC (June 2020) – As the United States begins reopening amidst the busy summer moving season, Our Town America of The Triangle franchise owner, Sally Hanson, joins WRAL to discuss the current housing market. A recent survey commissioned by the Our Town America franchise shows that many people are considering moving due to Coronavirus, as well as other reasons. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, more than 40% would consider moving now. Some people are looking to move out of hot spot states altogether, while others are looking to flee major cities and move into more suburban areas. South Atlantic states rank as the top areas people would move to. Many people want to live in warmer climates to lessen the chance of contracting the Coronavirus, others want their children to attend different schools, and many are seeking areas that are rich in parks & greenways – such as The Triangle of North Carolina. Many areas in North Carolina are highly sought after due to their excellent cost of living and job availability. Many people also have more time at home to fix outstanding home repair issues, put their house on the market and search online for a new place to call home. Nationwide, it’s expected that moving rates will rise due to extremely low interest rates and changes in finances for many Americans. Hanson stated that many of her partnered local business owners are looking forward to getting back to ‘normal,’ consumers are eager to support local businesses and, as mentioned, looking to move into new homes for various reasons. Hanson expects and hopes to see the economy strengthen in the coming months. Both Our Town America of The Triangle and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want both consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Pandemic or not, it’s a win-win when small business owners and local consumers ban together to strengthen the local economy. Click below to see the full NBC News clip ft. Sally Hanson. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local business in The Triangle area looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Sally Hanson at 919-349-7611 or shanson@ourtown.net. If your business is located elsewhere, you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]