FloridaFuture
August 2nd, 2007, 02:31 AM
Plant City Hopes To Win IKEA Contest
http://snap.tbo.com/images/photos/100038/2007/07/31/gallery/1682417.jpg
JIM REED
Photo of downtown Plant City at the intersection of Collins and Reynolds Streets.
By JAN HOLLINGSWORTH, The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 1, 2007
Photo Gallery
PLANT CITY - Seven of Plant City's downtown merchants believe they have what it takes to win a national contest sponsored by Ikea, a global furniture retailer expanding into Central Florida.
Ikea, a Swedish company that has announced plans to open stores in Tampa and Orlando, is sponsoring a $50,000 main street makeover for the town that produces the most compelling video of a vision for its future.
'Small Businesses, Big Dreams' is more than just a contest, said Heather Davis, owner of Espress Yourself Coffee 101, one of Plant City's newest additions to the downtown historical district.
'It's a neat way for the businesses downtown to get together and work on a project for something positive,' Davis said. 'And hopefully we'll win.
The coffee shop, the Camellia Rose Tea Room & Gifts, the Sub Club, Focus Magazine, Patricia's Antiques, Plant City Photo Archives and The Corner Store, a whole-foods market set to open on Reynolds Street, are splitting the $500 cost of the video entry produced by Tim Taylor, head of Taylormade Video Productions in Tampa.
The video features Plant City icon Al Berry talking about the old days with Jodi Smith, physician development specialist for South Florida Baptist Hospital. The camera follows the pair on a walking tour of downtown Plant City.
'Al had a framework for what he was going to say, but he would kind of muse about the way things used to be and what these stores used to be,' Taylor said.
Gil Gott at the photo archives supplied vintage snapshots of the businesses to be juxtaposed with their modern incarnations. Each shopkeeper took a turn sharing their vision for Plant City, a key component of the contest rules.
'Our vision is that even though we're growing, we're keeping our small town feel and a rich history,' Davis said.
Taylor labored to capture that vision by blending the old pictures into the current business owner's remarks.
'Through the whole video, it's what it used to be, what it is now. I think it really works,' he said.
The biggest problem is keeping it under the maximum three minutes allowed.
'I really wanted to showcase the businesses more,' he said. 'But I didn't have time.'
A panel of judges, including representatives of Ikea, will settle Thursday on 10 finalists based on the following criteria:
• How creatively and effectively the businesses are promoted. (40 percent)
• How creatively and effectively the entry depicts the businesses' vision (40 percent)
• Overall creativity (20 percent)
The finalists will be posted Friday through Aug. 22 on the Ikea Web site, where the public can vote for their favorite video.
The judges will then rejudge the entries, accounting for 70 percent of the final score.
The grand-prize winner will be notified Aug. 27 by telephone. If the winner misses two attempted calls - no messages will be left - they forfeit the prize, which will go to an alternate winner.
The $50,000 Main Street Makeover grand prize includes the use of Ikea designers and furnishings to help transform the physical space of up to 10 businesses on the winner's main street plus a check for $5,000.
Second prize is a $5,000 Ikea gift certificate to be split among the entry's businesses, and third prize is a gift certificate worth $3,000.
More than four-dozen entries - from Monticello, Ill., and Princeton, N.J., to Carlton, Ore., and Danville, Calif. - were posted on the Ikea Web site. One other Florida town, Ocoee, also entered the contest.
Taylor said he viewed some of the entries early in the project.
'I wanted to get an idea how other people are doing it,' he said. 'At the same time, we want to have our own kind of take on it.'
Davis believes Plant City stands a good chance against the competition.
'We're right in the middle of two proposed Ikea stores in Tampa and Orlando,' she said. 'That should be a factor.'
Tampa's 350,000-square-foot mega store will be on Adamo Drive near North 22nd Street.
Plant City's entry video can be viewed at http://ikea .shycast.com/contestant/134/.
SMALL BUSINESSES, BIG DREAMS
View Plant City's video entry in the Ikea $50,000 Main Street Makeover contest at http://ikea.shycast.com/ contestant/134/.
The public may vote on their favorite video. The votes and those of a panel of judges will determine the grand prize winner Aug. 27.
Reporter Jan Hollingsworth can be reached at (813) 865-4436 or jhollingsworth@tampatrib.com.
Photo Gallery - http://snap.tbo.com/pages/gallery.php?gallery=315484
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/aug/01/pc-downtown-eyes-the-prize/?news-breaking
http://snap.tbo.com/images/photos/100038/2007/07/31/gallery/1682417.jpg
JIM REED
Photo of downtown Plant City at the intersection of Collins and Reynolds Streets.
By JAN HOLLINGSWORTH, The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 1, 2007
Photo Gallery
PLANT CITY - Seven of Plant City's downtown merchants believe they have what it takes to win a national contest sponsored by Ikea, a global furniture retailer expanding into Central Florida.
Ikea, a Swedish company that has announced plans to open stores in Tampa and Orlando, is sponsoring a $50,000 main street makeover for the town that produces the most compelling video of a vision for its future.
'Small Businesses, Big Dreams' is more than just a contest, said Heather Davis, owner of Espress Yourself Coffee 101, one of Plant City's newest additions to the downtown historical district.
'It's a neat way for the businesses downtown to get together and work on a project for something positive,' Davis said. 'And hopefully we'll win.
The coffee shop, the Camellia Rose Tea Room & Gifts, the Sub Club, Focus Magazine, Patricia's Antiques, Plant City Photo Archives and The Corner Store, a whole-foods market set to open on Reynolds Street, are splitting the $500 cost of the video entry produced by Tim Taylor, head of Taylormade Video Productions in Tampa.
The video features Plant City icon Al Berry talking about the old days with Jodi Smith, physician development specialist for South Florida Baptist Hospital. The camera follows the pair on a walking tour of downtown Plant City.
'Al had a framework for what he was going to say, but he would kind of muse about the way things used to be and what these stores used to be,' Taylor said.
Gil Gott at the photo archives supplied vintage snapshots of the businesses to be juxtaposed with their modern incarnations. Each shopkeeper took a turn sharing their vision for Plant City, a key component of the contest rules.
'Our vision is that even though we're growing, we're keeping our small town feel and a rich history,' Davis said.
Taylor labored to capture that vision by blending the old pictures into the current business owner's remarks.
'Through the whole video, it's what it used to be, what it is now. I think it really works,' he said.
The biggest problem is keeping it under the maximum three minutes allowed.
'I really wanted to showcase the businesses more,' he said. 'But I didn't have time.'
A panel of judges, including representatives of Ikea, will settle Thursday on 10 finalists based on the following criteria:
• How creatively and effectively the businesses are promoted. (40 percent)
• How creatively and effectively the entry depicts the businesses' vision (40 percent)
• Overall creativity (20 percent)
The finalists will be posted Friday through Aug. 22 on the Ikea Web site, where the public can vote for their favorite video.
The judges will then rejudge the entries, accounting for 70 percent of the final score.
The grand-prize winner will be notified Aug. 27 by telephone. If the winner misses two attempted calls - no messages will be left - they forfeit the prize, which will go to an alternate winner.
The $50,000 Main Street Makeover grand prize includes the use of Ikea designers and furnishings to help transform the physical space of up to 10 businesses on the winner's main street plus a check for $5,000.
Second prize is a $5,000 Ikea gift certificate to be split among the entry's businesses, and third prize is a gift certificate worth $3,000.
More than four-dozen entries - from Monticello, Ill., and Princeton, N.J., to Carlton, Ore., and Danville, Calif. - were posted on the Ikea Web site. One other Florida town, Ocoee, also entered the contest.
Taylor said he viewed some of the entries early in the project.
'I wanted to get an idea how other people are doing it,' he said. 'At the same time, we want to have our own kind of take on it.'
Davis believes Plant City stands a good chance against the competition.
'We're right in the middle of two proposed Ikea stores in Tampa and Orlando,' she said. 'That should be a factor.'
Tampa's 350,000-square-foot mega store will be on Adamo Drive near North 22nd Street.
Plant City's entry video can be viewed at http://ikea .shycast.com/contestant/134/.
SMALL BUSINESSES, BIG DREAMS
View Plant City's video entry in the Ikea $50,000 Main Street Makeover contest at http://ikea.shycast.com/ contestant/134/.
The public may vote on their favorite video. The votes and those of a panel of judges will determine the grand prize winner Aug. 27.
Reporter Jan Hollingsworth can be reached at (813) 865-4436 or jhollingsworth@tampatrib.com.
Photo Gallery - http://snap.tbo.com/pages/gallery.php?gallery=315484
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/aug/01/pc-downtown-eyes-the-prize/?news-breaking