Date: December 1, 2003
Vol. VII, No. 23

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COMMENTARY: THIS IS A BOOMING ECONOMY?

Did I miss something? The feds said the GNP grew 8.2% in the third quarter, the strongest quarterly advance in almost 20 years. Judging from the chain's reports listed below (with Michaels an exception) and comments from independents, I don't see a booming economy.

Part of the problem is something we mentioned a few issues ago. We quoted a long-time veteran of the industry who said other retailers are beginning to pick off pieces of our industry. I saw that on tv recently, when Lowe's began running commercials touting this glorified hardware store as the place "for all your holiday decorations."

Wait a minute! Aren't holiday decorations supposed to be OUR bailiwick?

The chains closed out their fall/Halloween merchandise early, accepting lower margins. If they do that again for Christmas goods, that could be further evidence that what was once ours is not ours exclusively anymore.

Seasonal goods are just one example. LOTS of types of stores are selling scrapbook supplies, framed art, and other categories of "ours."

Business-Wise. Independent Bob Ferguson and Mike Hartnett discuss the changing nature of the industry.

Category Reports. Gift market trends for the coming year.

Designing Perspectives. One of the hottest non-paper categories: making purses.

(Note: If you surf to any of the columns above and you see the "old" column, click on your "Reload" or "Refresh" button.)

CHRISTMAS: TOO EARLY TO TELL

Shoppers jammed the stores over the Thanksgiving weekend, but retailers have learned not to take that as a guarantee it will be a strong Christmas season. Black Friday was a great day last year, but then sales dropped, resulting in one of the worst Christmas seasons in recent memory.

Besides, Black Friday, called that because at one time it was the day when retailers' yearly finances finally went into the black, is now only the fourth busiest shopping day; the Saturday before Christmas now takes top honors.

The National Retail Federation is still projecting holiday sales to increase 5.7%, but a survey sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America revealed that 34% of shoppers plan to spend less this season, up from 21% last year.

Some trends: Heavy discounting early to draw crowds to the early-morning store hours ... Gathering outside Wal-Mart and other stores at 4 am is becoming a new American tradition ... Because of last year's lousy season, retailers are averaging 7% less inventory this year, the Associated Press reported ... Some department stores are trying to reduce their markdowns by offering better customer service and/or exclusive merchandise ... Led by Wal-Mart, discounting in the toy industry is rampant ... Customer service is probably suffering, though; The Los Angeles Times reported retailers didn't hire as much seasonal help as in past years.

As for our industry, we have more competition from "non-craft" and "non-scrapbooking" stores than ever. But with one additional shopping day in 2003, it shouldn't be too hard to surpass last year's poor season.

MICHAELS: A RECORD QUARTER

Net income for the quarter ended Nov. 1 rose 18% to $38.2 million ($0.54 diluted earnings/share). Earnings benefitted from a tax cut, which improved earnings by $0.05. The tax rate declined from about 41% to about 34.7%. That allowed Michaels to beat, rather than meet, the expectations of analysts polled by Thomson First Call, TheStreet.com reported. Total sales increased 7% to $755.2 million and same-store sales were up 2%.

Best departments: apparel, seasonal, framing, and kids; best regions: Northeast, North, and Southeast. Gross margins dipped, due to accelerated markdowns on fall merchandise.

Net income for the nine months is up 28% to $83.3 million ($1.19) on sales of $2.028 billion, an 8% increase. Same-store sales are up 2%.

A pleased CEO Michael Rouleau said, "Our stores are in great shape, and we have never been better prepared for the Holiday season." He continued previous earnings estimates of $1.28 - $1.32 for the quarter and $2.45 - $2.50 for the year.

The perpetual inventory and auto replenishment programs now cover 80% of the stores and 39% of the SKU's in those stores. The results: in-stock levels have risen from 85% to 95%, which have increased same-store sales 1-2%.

During the quarter, Michaels opened 25 and relocated seven Michaels stores, opened three Village Crafts stores, one Aaron Brothers store, one ReCollections store, and one Star Wholesale store. The current count is 798 Michaels, 11 Village Crafts, 158 Aaron Brothers, and two ReCollections stores, plus two Star Wholesale operations.

RAG SHOPS SLIPS FOR THE YEAR, QUARTER

The net loss for the year was $705,000 ($0.15/per diluted share) compared to a profit of $290,000 ($.06) the previous year. The decrease is due to a decline in same-store sales, an increase in cost of sales, and increases in selling, general and administrative expenses. Annual sales rose to $115.5 million from $110.7 million, but same-store sales declined 0.4%.

The fourth quarter, historically a loser, showed a loss of $1.1 million ($0.22/diluted share), a slight improvement over the loss of $1.3 million ($0.27) a year ago. Overall sales declined from $23.7 million to $23.6 million, and same-store sales were down 4.3%. Execs attributed that to changes in ad programs that didn't produce the anticipate results, and "a shortage of summer transitional merchandise due to better than expected seasonal sales in the preceding quarter."

President Jeff Gerstel blamed the loss on lackluster sales and higher costs. Craft sales were good, but fabric and floral sales were soft, he said. He promises changes in product mix, advertising, personnel, and planning which should improve results next year.

The company opened two stores, expanded two, and closed two in the fiscal year. It plans to open two stores, relocate three, and close two this year. The current store count is 68.

THE ART STORES FILE CHAPTER 11

The Art Stores has filed for Chap. 11 bankruptcy protection and VPs Sandy Smith and Jim Mizouni have resigned. The 15-store chain headquartered in Milford, MA operates stores in Chicago, New York, and other major cities. MacPherson's is a major creditor and the company's Stu Beattie is chair of the creditor's committee.

Word is that The Art Stores may close three stores, but the reorganization plan looks good. MacPherson's President Frank Stapleton told CLN, "We have a lot of confidence in the core concept and retail plan of the Art Stores. We are confident that they will emerge from the bankruptcy with a solid blueprint for making peace with creditors and future growth."

HIA ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

Aleene Jackson will receive the Lifetime Member Award for her service and involvement in the craft & hobby industry. The founder of Aleene's (Aleene's Tacky Glue, now owned by Duncan), Aleene is truly one of our pioneers, leading the way in television, and in countless other ways, such as her Craft Caravan, which helped put the industry on the map many years ago.

Cari Clement, Director of Marketing for Bond America division of Caron International and editor of Ultimate Knitting magazine, has earned a Special Recognition Award for establishing a women’s economic cooperative for turning knitting into an income-generating activity in Africa. (See article below for more details about the program.)

Andrea Grossman receives the President’s Award for founding Mrs. Grossman’s Paper Company, considered the industry's largest vendor of stickers. The company will celebrate its 25^th anniversary 2004 and donates millions of stickers to pediatric hospitals, institutions, and agencies dealing with kids.

The recipients were chosen by the Awards Committee chaired by Howard Hoffman (Toner Plastics). The awards will be presented at the annual business meeting and at the banquet during the HIA show in Dallas in February.

KNITTING COMES TO THE GRAMMIES.

In July, Cari Clement from the Bond America division of Caron International traveled to Rwanda and trained more than 100 women refugees to knit on Bond's Ultimate Sweater Machines donated by the company. The results of that trip are being felt around the globe – all the way to the Grammy award ceremony.

Each Grammy winner receives a gift bag, and this year the bags will include scarves knitted by Rwandan refugees. Each scarf will have a tag with a photo of the knitter and her story.

The knitters are now making sweaters and baby items for re-sale using yarn donated by members of the Craft Yarn Council of America. The project is becoming so successful at the refugee camps that the refugees are even considering building a "knitting center" just for producing finished knitted goods.

But the "real" money comes in knitting high-end products for re-sale in the U.S. and Europe. To that end, next month Clement will return to Rwanda to begin the production of the scarves, made from mohair from South Africa, for both the Grammy bags and for re-sale in the U.S. through Eziba stores, catalog, and online store (www.eziba.com), bringing into fruition an income-generating skill for women with little or no income and tragic pasts. For more info, visit www.bond-america.com and www.usaforunhcr.org.

JO-ANN’S: PROFITS UP, BUT ....

Jo-Ann’s had good news and bad news for investors in its third quarter report: The $0.54/share earnings surpassed the average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call by seven cents, reported CBS MarketWatch. But the company lowered expectations for the fourth quarter and next year, which caused the stock to drop and hit a 52-week low before rebounding. Wachovia Securities then cut its rating on Jo-Ann’s to underperform from market perform, but Standard & Poor’s said it wouldn’t lower its credit rating because of the lower earnings guidance.

For the quarter, net income jumped 34.8% to $12.0 million ($0.54/diluted share), net sales rose 4.0% to $447.5 million, and same-store sales increased 4.2%, although the latter figure was helped by a non-comparable promo in August celebrating the company's 60th anniversary.

Gross margins improved to 48.1% from 45.9% due to a less discounting and clearance activity, and better shrink rates. Selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percent of sales were slightly higher primarily due to promoting the anniversary sale and higher distribution costs.

For the fiscal year, net sales are up 2.2% to $1.181 billion and same-store sales have risen 3.1%, but operating profits are down to $36.4 million from $51.7 million. There were $6.8 million in costs associated with the share reclassification proposal, the repurchase of subordinated debt, and $4 million in store pre-opening and closing costs.

In the third quarter, Jo-Ann’s opened three superstores and one larger traditional store, converted two larger traditional stores to the superstore format and closed 11 stores. This quarter, Jo-Ann’s expects to open five stores (four superstores) and close 10 traditional stores. The current store count is 815 traditional stores and 87 superstores. Now the bad news:

Execs estimate fourth-quarter same-store sales will rise less than expected, 2-3%, and gross margins won’t be as good as once thought. Fall/Halloween sales, plus "moderation in same-store sales growth overall in the industry" are the culprits.

Consequently, Jo-Ann’s reduced its full-year earnings estimate by $0.30 to $1.70 - $1.80/share, and fourth-quarter earnings are now estimated to be $1.05 - $1.15/share, probably lower than last year's $1.15 performance.

Execs also expect the improvement in next year’s earnings will be lower than once thought – 8-10% rather than 10-12%.

Chair/CEO Alan Rosskamm said, "In light of industry trends and our less promotional stance, fourth quarter earnings are expected to be flat to slightly down from last year. We believe our long-term strategy is intact and that 8-10% earnings growth in fiscal 2005 is achievable, as the 20 superstores we opened this year mature and we open 30 additional superstores next year."

HANCOCK: PROFITS SLIP

Net earnings for the third quarter ended Nov. 2 fell 27.6% to $4.2 million ($0.23/diluted share), as sales dipped 0.2% to $112.7 million and same-store sales slid 0.5%. An after-tax gain of $440,000 on the sale of real estate in last year's third quarter, together with a lower LIFO credit this year, hurt earnings by $0.03/share.

For the first three quarters, net earnings are down 9.2% to $9.9 million ($0.53), but sales have risen 2.2% to $316.4 million and same-store sales are up 2.4%.

CEO Larry Kirk said,"Gross margins improved from a year ago, but fixed expense percentages rose in the absence of sales leverage.... In addition, supplemental advertising in the quarter was not productive, and we continue to incur duplicate costs as we transition to our new headquarters-distribution center over the next few months.

"The extended warm weather around the country has not helped the sale of fall and winter goods. In addition, several of our operating districts along the Atlantic coast are only now beginning to return to normal sales levels following Hurricane Isabel. We also experienced interruptions in some key notion products from a major supplier for a few weeks.

"Of greater significance is the generally weaker retailing environment that we are seeing. Our average sale is moderately higher, but traffic counts year-to-date are slightly below 2002," .

"Although sales trends in the fall quarter were below expectations, we feel good about our inventory position at this point in the year. Stock levels are receding from seasonal peaks, and cash flow is very positive. We expect to open 7-10 stores in the fourth quarter for a total of about 30 openings and 25 closings in the full year. Work on the expansion of our new distribution center and headquarters is progressing well, and we expect to complete the transition to the new facilities in mid-2004," Kirk concluded.

During the quarter, Hancock opened six stores and closed five during the quarter. The current store count is 432 stores in 42 states.

HIA EVENTS: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Among the highlights for the HIA show in Dallas, Feb. 5-8:

For Everyone: The keynote presentation by Barbara Bush ... The business meeting ... The awards banquet ... The all-member section breakfast ... The Busperson’s Craft Store tour..

Of Note: Special "Making the Connection" programs to reach the Hispanic market, educators, Japan, and Europe ... Numerous business seminars on marketing, advertising, promotions, merchandising, employees, freight, buying inventory, family businesses, tv, demonstrating ... SuperShops on paper crafts, kids, altered art, etc. ... 130 technique workshops. Attendees should register before Dec. 19th to secure tickets. For a full schedule visit www.hiashow.org, email hiashow@hobby.org, call 201-794-1133, or fax 201-797-0657.

RANDOM (WAL-MART) NEWS, RANDOM THOUGHTS

HOLIDAY. Wal-Mart had its biggest sales day in history the day after Thanksgiving: $1.52 BILLION! But that's only up 6.3%; a year ago the increase was 14.4%

MUST READING. If you sell to, compete against, or shop at Wal-Mart, read the Dec. issue of Fast Company magazine for an excellent article about the discounter's growing influence on America. Or read it here: www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html.

CRAFTS. A vendor told me Wal-Mart had summoned craft vendors to Bentonville and "hollered" at them. I replied, "But doesn't Wal-Mart always do that periodically?" The vendor answered, "I think there are several craft categories that are not living up to expectations and Wal-Mart was giving notice that you better do something to get your sales going or else."

PRICES. As part of its early-bird, Black Friday doorbuster specials, Wal-Mart sold a DVD player for $19.95. That probably drew crowds to the stores, but I wonder what the vendor's profit, or the wages of the Asian workers. And how the vendor will cope after the season is over. Read the Fast Company article (see above) and see what happened to Vlasic pickles.

RFID. Wal-Mart chose three distribution centers and 150 stores in the Texas region to begin using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags in January, 2005, reported Information Week. Additional regional rollouts will continue on a quarterly basis throughout 2005. (Note: As we've reported in previous issues, RFID tags will eventually replace UPC codes.)

END OF AN ERA. Inez June Threet died recently at age 84. Don't recognize the name? She was the first Wal-Mart employee hired by Sam Walton in 1950. She often accompanied Sam during his famous store-inspection tours, Reuters reported. (Comment: Ms. Threet probably died a millionaire. Wal-Mart stock has split 11 times since the company went public.)

HOLIDAYS. A survey conducted for Wal-Mart found that 72% of those polled will display outdoor decorations. The trend will be strongest Northeast and weakest in the West.

EMAIL: FRED'S LESSON: BE UNIQUE

(Note: In our last Business-Wise column, we published a letter from Fred Zerull who liquidated his Ben Franklin Crafts store and turned it into a collection of specialty stores – framing, art, quilting, yarn, and upholstery. Read Fred's letter by clicking on Business-Wise, then "Leaving Crafts For Specialty Stores" in the right-hand column. Here are some of shorter responses:

Good for Fred! And anyone else who has the means to completely change their business to adapt to current paradigms of commerce.

However, I don't see an "en masse" liquidation of general craft stores in the near future. Not every consumer can shell out $69.99/skein of yarn. Location, location – and I think Fred's California location favors his odds. I am far from an industry expert in crafts, but I have grown up in the fine art industry with a minor degree in crafts and the principles are the same.

The category killers in one industry aren't much different than those in another. They all have helped to drive many neighborhood stores out of business and emaciate the ones that can still stand on one leg.

The key to survival, aside from the cash flow control, is differentiation. As long as buyers and retailers insist they must have product X because so-and-so carryies it, they contribute to their own demise. Craft stores have always had one up on fine art stores, because classes were a given. Some art stores are catching up. So, if the general craft store adopts a product that so-and-so isn't carrying, and provides the classes, the product will move. I've seen this happen for the last two decades, at least.

How many dedicated, expert employees can afford to have a job with no benefits, no vacation, and worst of all, no medical? I don't know about you, but I would have to earn at least the high six figures to accept those kinds of terms.

I agree that the craft business of the 90's is gone forever, but isn't that something we can say about almost any business? You bet. We have a Ben Franklin in our area, and I visit often because I like to purchase my dried flowers there. And you can bet I visit their paper section. A year ago, the paper section showed the same old, same old. Sigh. Fred was right. However, this year, surprise of all surprises, I saw some new papers from a different vendor that are not found in every store owned by the proverbial Tom, Dick, and Harry...whaddaya know!!

Retailers: If you expand your vendor Rolodex beyond the vendors with whom you've always done business, you may very well have made the first move toward profitability. – Aimee Kligman, Savoir-Faire, www.victoriapaper.com and http://www.savoir-faire.com

EMAIL: GREAT EMPLOYEES WITHOUT BENEFITS?

It was with great interest that I read Fred's article. I was impressed with the way Fred reinvented his store, finding niches that needed to be filled, etc.

I've got to admit, though, that it really bothered me when he stated he eliminated all employee benefits. I think this is going to hurt in the long run, especially since he's now catering to upscale customers. His staff will have to be extremely knowledgeable and very customer-service oriented. He will find it difficult to attract such employees and have them stay with him for the long haul without offering benefits such as health insurance. Either he's very confident in his ability to lure and keep quality employees, or he's hiding his head in the sand.

And then to read that his business is profitable and he's writing from Maui...well, I'm sure it's his prerogative after many years of hard work, but I would imagine that his employees without paid vacations, much less health insurance, might be a little bitter. – Janis Murray, Timeless Touches, www.timelesstouches.net

EMAIL: EDUCATION IS THE KEY

Once again, your newsletter hit home in a big way. I enjoyed Fred's letter on reinventing retail immensely. This is the message my business partner and I try to send to our independent retail clients – that they must find their "niche" in their individual communities and meet that need with the best service and the biggest smiles.

The component that I see time and time again these days is education: the idea of higher education as a vehicle for the transmission of these skills. When you see major sections of the industry (such as the yarn and needlework categories) offering scholarships and classes at the college level, it's time every segment looks at this potential. If our quickest access to our future consumers is through education, that is where we need to be. Adult ed programs and junior colleges are probably more amenable to offers of resources for programs, and certainly groundwork will include making contacts and some research before everything is in place, but the long-term benefits are a continuing source of crafters who are eager to learn. – Leslie Frederick, Baby Duck Designs (Comment: For more on crafts and schools, see below.)

SURVEY: TEACHERS SAY CRAFTS AID LEARNING

An online survey conducted by the Hobby Industry Assn. at www.teacherplace.org confirms that teachers of grades K-8 believe hands-on craft activities aid student learning.

The majority of K-8 teachers (89%) who participated in the study use hands-on craft projects to teach core subject areas, and most (86%) link those activities to state and national standards. Most crafting projects relate to Science (62%), Language Arts (59%), Math (54%) and History (54%). Paper Crafts (75%) are the most frequently used projects followed by Pictographs/Drawings (68%), Models (65%) and Dioramas (47%).

Ninety-seven percent of educators say hands-on activities also improve motivation and generate a greater interest in the subject matter. Barriers to even more crafts in schools included lack of school funding (68%) and lack of personal resources (58%). As a result, a majority of educators (54%) spend $250+ on craft supplies each year, and many (22%) spend $500+.

The results reinforce the conclusions of a previous HIA study, The Academic Value of Hands-on Craft Projects in Elementary Schools. HIA funds the School, Home and Office Products Assn.'s curriculum publications and publishes projects at www.teacherplace.org.

RANDOM NOTES, RANDOM THOUGHTS

Scrapbooking as therapy: An old friend has recently gone through a tough divorce after a tough marriage. I suggested she try writing; it helps me figure out how I really feel about a subject.

"I have been doing a fair bit of writing when I didn’t feel I could get things out any other way," my friend wrote. "It has been helpful, but recently, I’ve started something else: I’ve started doing scrapbook-type pages with my feelings and emotions – both good and bad. Just started that last week and it seems to be really helpful. I saw my therapist today and showed him the pages; it was great for both of us to see what I was feeling and then talk it through. I’m thinking that once I’m better, I’ll also have a visual account of my journey."

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

CHEERS. Our best wishes to Keith Haines and his wife, Carol, who are retiring the end of this year. Keith has been in the industry 42 years – 23 with Eriksen’s Crafts, 5 with Wal-Mart, and 14 with Colonial Patterns. They'll attend the HIA show to see old friends.

EXPORTS. The euro hit a record high against the dollar on Friday, good news for U.S. vendors exporting to Europe.

JOB OPENING. Southwestern craft/gift/specialty manufacturer is looking for a sales manager. Must work in house, but there will be a moving allowance. Salary + bonus. For more info, call Mike Hartnett at 309-925-5593 or email mike@clnonline.com.

COMPANY FOR SALE. The seller is a designer, importer, and wholesaler of handmade mulberry paper and paper products from Thailand. The company sells to independent scrapbook, high-end gift, art supply, and college stores – and into several international markets. The seller has exclusive relationships with producers in Thailand who could greatly increase production for a buyer with the ability to increase sales. For info, call Chad Burnett at Zirkle & Co., a merger/acquisition intermediary firm, at 801-838-7708, or email cburnett@zirkle.com.

DESIGN. The House That Crafts Built returns to the ACCI show next summer (July 16-18). The exhibit, sponsored by ACCI and the Society of Craft Designers, will include new rooms: a) a bedroom for girls of all ages with a "glam girl" theme; b) a traditional dining room decorated in deep, rich tones for autumn; c) a "blast from the past" kitchen reminiscent of baby boomers’ childhoods; and d) "Grandma’s Porch," decorated for Christmas. SCD's House Committee is chaired by President Tracia Williams. For info on participating in the House That Crafts Built, call Tracia Williams at 407-677-6929 or email traciaw@earthlink.net. For info on SCD, visit www.craftdesigners.org, call 740-452-4541, or email scd@offinger.com. For show info, visit www.accicrafts.org, call 888-360-2224 or email accishow@offinger.com.

SHOPA. Reports from the recent School Home & Office Products Assn. show were, uh, grim. Wrote one exhibitor: "Thursday, the last day, was a real bust for exhibitors. People started packing up by 2 pm. Even the big booths were packing. Not sure what will happen to this show next year. A lot of people were very unhappy with attendance."

PEOPLE. Lynda Musante joined FloraCraft as Interim Marketing Manager. Lynda is president of Nifty Development Corp. and the board of ACCI. She also co-authors the Designing Perspectives columns for CLN. She will coordinate marketing efforts and will assist in product development, PR, design development, etc. She will continue to work out of her Richmond, VA office. Email lsmusante@floracraft.com or call 804-364-6409.

TOYS. Online registration for Toy Fair Feb. 15-19 in New York is available at www.toy-tia.org/AITF, or call 212-675-1540.

BUSINESS PROFILES, NEW PRODUCTS

CLN is bringing back its Business Profile and New Products sections just in time for the all-important winter trade show season.

Business Profiles. CLN will profile one company per issue, which will remain online for at least a year. A Profile is a perfect way for a new company to let itself be known to the industry, or for an established company to enhance its reputation by showing the industry its history, diversity of products, personnel, etc.

New Products. Trade show exhibitors need to have exposure for their new products anywhere they can find it – and CLN can be a key part of your marketing strategy.

To learn how you can be featured in a Company Profile (and there are only five issues left before the HIA show) and/or have your new products featured, call Mike Hartnett at 309-925-5593 or email mike@clnonline.com.

THE CREATIVE NETWORK: JOB OPENINGS

To see a sampling of the current job openings and to contact The Creative Network, click on the "Jobs" button in the left hand column.

THE CLN RETAIL INDEX

A. C. Moore (ACMR). Last*: 21.93 ... Change**: -0.20
Hancock Fabrics (HKF). Last*: 14.20 ... Change**: -0.32
Jo-Ann Stores (JAS). Last*: 20.05 ... Change**: -5.35
Michaels (MIK). Last*: 47.25 ... Change**: -1.40
Rag Shops (RAGS). Last*: 3.39 ... Change**: -0.42
Wal-Mart (WMT). Last*: 55.64 ... Change**: +0.70
CLN Retail Index. Last*: 162.46 ... Change**: -3.6%
Dow Jones Index. Last*: 9,782.46 ... Change**: +1.4%
*Nov. 28 ** from Nov. 14 Prices are exclusive of dividends

MANAGEMENT AT ITS BEST

The new CEO is determined to rid the company of all slackers. On a tour of the facilities, he sees a guy leaning on a wall. The room is full of workers and the CEO wants to let them know he means business, so he walks up to the guy and asks, "How much money do you make a week?"

Surprised, the young fellow looks at him and replies, "I make $300.00 a week. Why?"

The CEO then hands the guy $600 in cash and screams, "Here's two weeks' pay, now GET OUT and don't come back!"

Feeling pretty good about his first firing, the CEO looks around the room and asks, "Does anyone want to tell me what that goof-off did here?"

With a sheepish grin, one of the other workers mutters, "Yeah, he's the pizza delivery guy."

REMINDERS

1. For more information on how your business can be the subject of a "Business Profile" or have products/photos included in the "CLN's Online Product Preview", call Mike Hartnett at 309-925-5593 or email mike@clnonline.com.

2. Paid subscribers are invited to have their website evaluated by Lynn Carlisle of Carlisle Communications. She'll check the site and provide a confidential assessment and suggestions for improvement. Just email mike@clnonline.com or ljc@carlislecommunications.com.

3. If you want a hard-copy of this issue, click on "Printer Friendly version".

4. If your company is a paid subscriber, everyone in the main office is welcome to register, free. Just click on "Current Subscribers Click Here To Register."

5. If you want to recommend CLN to a friend, use the "Tell Your Friends" box on the home page.

6. Creative Leisure News is published on the first and third Mondays of each month. Your next issue will be Monday, December 15.

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