pA:12, v7.26 — Business News & Trends

Business News & Trends

Mountain Views News Saturday, June 29, 2013

MVNews this week: Page A:12

A12

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

Mountain Views News Saturday, June 29, 2013

BUSINESS TODAY

The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques

By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA

TIME TO SHOW OFF

FAMILY AFFAIR MUSIC

If you’ve followed advice given here about sprucing up your home's exterior, well done! Now let’s
focus attention on the next thing potential buyers will see - the front door and the interior. Now is
the time for spring-cleaning and to show off your home's best features.

Repaint that front door and touch up around the entry. Make it warm and welcoming with updated
light fixtures at the entrance and foyer. Speaking of entries, check your windows and doors for
energy efficiency. If they're not airtight, an investment in new windows and insulation will pay off
handsomely and impress buyers.

Freshly repainted walls won’t hurt either, and you can achieve a bright, clean look with light yellow
or cream on the walls and contrasting white woodwork. Buff up your wood floors, clean your area
rugs or carpets, and replace any worn carpeting before your first showing.

Buyers look carefully at bathrooms, so be sure to remove any spots of mildew, replace caulking, and
consider a small investment in a new sink and vanity to really make things sparkle.

The icing on the cake is to offer buyers a "home warranty" on the appliances in your house, allowing
them a full year of service on anything that happens to go wrong. Your pride of ownership and their
peace of mind should combine to produce a sale!

Don’t toss your retro-era stereo with the turntable just yet! Vinyl records are making a comeback as
a growing number of recording artists release new songs in the “old school” format along with MP3
and other digital versions. It’s surprising to find a local business that carries an inventory of newly-
released and hard-to-find retro 45’s and LP albums. They also have record players in stock to ensure
that customers have the proper tools to spin the sounds after they leave the store.

Anyone who enjoys listening to or creating music will appreciate the rare mix of inventory at Family
Affair Music on Myrtle Avenue. Located in the pedestrian-friendly epicenter of Monrovia, this
independently-owned establishment is a rarity.

Monrovia native, Don Collins, carries a large inventory of new and used 45’s and 33½ LP’s (aka
“albums”), as well as a smaller selection of 8-Track tapes for music lovers and collectors interested
in a nostalgic stroll back in time. He carries a sizeable inventory of used CD’s, stating, “CD’s of older
artists sell well, better than the albums.”

A choice of records from the 50’s are among an inventory of approximately 15,000, 45’s, old and
new, with a long list of songs recorded throughout the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. The majority of the 45’s are
rock, soul and country. Customers with an interest in retro vinyl albums should come prepared to
spend time browsing the collection of some 20,000 pre-owned albums that span the genres of rock,
soul, classical, jazz, reggae, movie soundtracks and children’s music.

Described as “A Complete Music Store,” the store is stocked with everything needed to make
your own music. The store has a selection of guitars, violins, harmonicas, a variety of percussion
instruments, carrying cases, songbooks, sheet music and more. If you have a collection of old tunes
on albums, cassettes or 78’s, Family Affair Music is the place to have them transferred to CD.

Collins’ family purchased the store from the prior owner in 1972 just as big discount stores were
starting to make it very difficult for independent record stores to survive. The name of the store was
inspired by Sly & The Family Stone, a popular band that had a string of hit records from the late 60’s
through the early 70’s. “Family Affair” became a top selling single shortly after being released in
1971 on an album entitled, “There’s A Riot Goin’ On”. Forty-one years later, Family Affair Music is
still in business and holds the historic distinction as the very first African-American owned retail
store on Myrtle Avenue in Monrovia.

This military veteran was stationed in Europe after being drafted into the Army while attending
college in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He returned home, delving into careers in real estate and waste
management. When asked what drew him to the business of owning a music store, he stated, “It was
an opportunity, a heartfelt type of thing,” and clearly it’s his passion. When people enter the doors,
some reminisce when they see actual records that spun on record players when they were children,
while more tech-savvy young adults stop by to pick up a new release on vinyl by a current artist. It’s
not readily apparent that there is also a “reel-to-reel” tape machine inside the store, which was an
impressive status symbol for serious music lovers for more than a decade after RCA introduced a
version for home use in 1958. With instruments to make music, and an eclectic mix of old and new
media to listen to music, this is a destination fit for a visit by old and young, making it a true Family
Affair for a broad community of music lovers.

Family Affair Music is located at 510 S. Myrtle in Old Town Monrovia. Hours: 11am-7pm on
Mon-Thurs; Fridays from 11am – 9pm (longer hours during Family Festival); Saturdays from 10am
– 6pm; Closed Sundays. (626) 358-2280.

Don Collins - Owner Photo courtesy Marcielle Brandler

Instagram and Vine: Short videos for
Social Media

Sharing video clips on social channels is a great way to deliver content that’s difficult to put into
words. Vine and Instagram are the top mobile apps that allow you to create mini videos that can be
shared on sites like Twitter and Facebook. They are easy to make and there is no editing required.
Basically, you record as you press the screen on your smart phone. The camera only records while
the screen is being pressed so you can take different clips and then the app will put them together.

Videos created with Vine have a maximum length of 6 seconds and they loop. Instagram videos
offer 15 seconds. Vine and Instagram are also social sites. You can follow others and you can hashtag
content, for example, there are a lot of #howto tags on Vine.

Here are 5 things to consider with these short videos:

1. Show behind the scenes. Give your audience a glimpse of what is behind the scenes and a
slice of your workplace culture.
2. Have fun and be creative. Figure out a way to bring in the personality of your brand. If you
have product, show how it looks in different settings. Share the life-style of the people who use your
product. If you provide a service, show how a boring process can be exciting.
3. Tease. Tease your new products with sneak peaks and coming soon videos.
4. How to process. Show your audience how to use your product and what it does for them
(show emotion and satisfaction). End the clip with a downloadable coupon.
5. Report from a live event. Let people know what you are up to at a certain moment in time.
You might report from a launch party of special event so people who are not there can get a feel for it.

About MJ: MJ and her brother David own HUTdogs, a creative services business that specializes in
Internet Marketing strategies. They are known for providing valuable information at their Social
Media and Email Marketing classes. “Like” them on Facebook for trending news in social media,
internet marketing and other helpful tips, www.facebook.com/hutdogs.

We’d like to hear from you!

What’s on YOUR Mind?