Lindsays to close Chester Laundromat;
Artisanal online shop expands with PR arm;
Email marketing workshop to be held in Chester;
Register now for free business succession workshop

After 20 years, Lindsays to close Chester Laundromat

After more than 20 years in operation, the Chester Laundromat will be closing its doors on Monday, March 27, owners Bill and Nancy Lindsay told The Chester Telegraph on Saturday.

While the long-time Chester residents, now in their 70s, will retire from business, they will continue to volunteer at the Chester-Andover Family Center and deliver food for Meals on Wheels.

And, added Nancy Lindsay, Bill will continue to be involved in town government, although he no longer sits on the Select Board.

“It’s nice to have something that we are not required to do seven days a week … It’s time to have some time to ourselves,” she said.

The Lindsays are selling off the equipment in the laundromat, located at 288 Depot St., and will be selling the 2,298-square-foot building “clean.”

Artisanal online shop expands with public relations

Atelier Annex, owned by Chester resident and artist Katherine Henry, is expanding from a gallery and online shop for a selection of New England based artisans to a promotional vehicle for a broader spectrum of artisanal goods. Public relations and marketing services are now offered as well as representation to targeted retailers across the U.S.

To usher in these changes Atelier Annex has hired a new director, Christine Fugate, who brings many years of organizational and writing skills to the job, as well as a sharp eye for detail and warm professionalism. Based in Chicago, Fugate will be working with the company’s to-the-trade clients, guiding and coordinating PR, marketing and sales.

Atelier Annex began providing administrative services to artists and arts organizations in the mid-1980s. It eventually gave its name to the gallery Henry and her husband,  Harry Hudson operated on The Green in Chester. When they opted to return to their studios full time, Atelier Annex was reinvented once again to promote and sell a collection of artisanal homewares online.

Atelier Annex’s online store will be known as Particular Content, and will launch on its website on March 15, 2017.

Free email marketing workshop

Insights, LLC hosts a free Constant Contact Email Marketing Training with a session on branding 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 in the Newsbank Conference Center at 352 Main St. in Chester.

At this hands-on training, attendees learn the basics of building a professional, engaging email using Constant Contact’s new platform. Training includes content, subject lines and “call to action” best practices.

The workshop is free but people are encouraged to reserve a seat ahead of time. Register at this website.

Business succession workshop scheduled for May

An introduction to business ownership succession planning will be offered from 2 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2  at The Hartness House Inn, 30 Orchard St. in Springfield.  Attendees will receive a copy of An Owner’s Guide to Business Succession Planning. There is no cost for this event, but registration is required.

Learn the basics of how to choose a path for ownership succession in your business. We will take a close look at four ways of selling a business: to an outsider, to family members, to managers or to the larger group of employees. While there will be technical details, including an overview of the business valuation process, the focus will be on stories about each path, told via video by owners who have been involved in the sale of Vermont businesses. Lead presenter will be accountant Jeffrey Graham of Graham & Graham, P.C. with Don Jamison of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center.

Special guest will be Steve Birge, co-founder of Black River Produce, who recently completed the succession process.

Attendance is limited to business owners and key managers.

To register, please contact Springfield Regional Development Corp. at 802-885-3061.