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Jimmy John's - Liberated

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Jimmy John's jumping on (right behind Google Chicago ) the liberation train. I like the visual, but not sure I can make the connection on their bread.  Is being draped in various salted cured meats followed by getting stuffed into my piehole being "liberated"?

111 N. Addison, Elmhurst: A Big Opportunity

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On Addison Street in Downtown Elmhurst, there is this really pretty building.  Limestone front, crisp black awnings, iron railings. Since I've been walking past it, a firm named Armstrong Aerospace has occupied the ground floor and what appears to be the second floor.  From what I've been told at some point there was a really neat authentically Italian coffee shop in the ground floor that apparently didn't have that big of a following. Either the aerospace business is booming (and the firm had to move to bigger digs) or busting (and they're downsizing their space), but one thing is certain:  Downtown Elmhurst now has ANOTHER vacancy and opportunity to re-think Addison Street.  Coupled with the closing of the Magic Shop on the corner of 1st and Addison, and the former Papa John's storefront on York , there are 3 VERY high profile storefronts that will be filled with new operations.  What we don't (frankly) need is another salon! The Downtown hold...

Autograph Hounds

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So glad the Marriott in Cleveland posted these signs in the lobby before I arrived. I made it to the elevators without much trouble.

"Eight Dollars Worth of Jarlsberg"

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So that's what $8.00 worth of Jarlsberg looks like, huh? Actually, it is just shy of $7, but you get the picture.  Nat and I were wondering around Whole Foods last week and the cheese monger was where I lingered the longest - as usual.  I didn't buy this cheese and in fact, I don't think I've ever had Jarlsberg ever. For those of you who don't get the reference, see here .  And...yes....I'm lame for liking that movie!

Google "Keeps the Lights On" for Pure Michigan

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There's a really nice story in Today's Detroit Free Press about how the Pure Michigan ads are moving online as a result of state budget cuts .  You all know the Pure Michigan Ads, right?  The Tim Allen ones? Well...the State of Michigan - like most other states - is totally out of money.  They've decided to look at the ways they can cut spending and one of the options was to "go dark" on these ads.  But...they only decided to "go dark" on broadcast. They're alive and well not only on YouTube, but more importantly on search advertising.  Head to Google and search "apple picking" or "fall color tour" or "cider mill" or "pumpkin farm".  They're savvy marketers and know that they can run their ads against those terms and have a huge amount of impact on tourists.  Sure...search ads aren't as evocative as the Tim Allen ones. But...when you need to "do more with less", the search ads are a p...

So Long Papa John's Pizza - Downtown Elmhurst...

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We hardly knew ya!  We'll....actually, we didn't know you. Yesterday when Nat and I were walking home, we noticed that the Papa John's on York Road closed it's doors.  I was always surprised to see it operating in town - what with the 10-12 competitors within a .5 mile radius.  Must have been the Elmhurst College kids who were keeping it afloat?   We've been in town just about 2 years and it had been here for at least that long.  Equation Boy/Man wasn't sure when it opened Not sure if it is a sign of general economic malaise or a bad omen for Downtown Elmhurst or maybe it was just a natural business move when you sell shitty pizza?

Gone Google Ad

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I was at my in-laws place last night and my father-in-law subscribes to the Harvard Business Review.  Having a terribly short attention span, I didn't read even ONE of the articles inside - even though they're all probably terrific and useful. Instead, I was caught up by the back cover and the "Gone Google" ad. Nice placement, I think!