Monday, July 22, 2013

Local salt business moves from online to storefront

Ionic Salts, a local small business selling Himalayan salt lamps and products, recently opened its new showroom at  at 6630-A East W.T. Harris Boulevard, in the Hickory Grove Business Park. 

Until now, they've run their business (legal name is E-Klectix, LLC) completely online. 

Lamps from Ionic Salts.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Chelko 
"We've had people for years say, 'Can I come and see them somewhere?'" says Patricia Wright, who runs the business with her son, Darrin. They used to have to say "no." 

The Wrights celebrated the grand opening for their 5,000-square-foot warehouse July 4-6. 

Their salt wares -- including salt grinders, bath salts, candle holders, salt lamps and cooking slabs -- range from a few dollars up to $200, Wright says. 

In recent years, Himalayan salts have grown increasingly popular as a homeopathic remedy to various health problems.  

Photo courtesy of Kevin Chelko 
Wright says Ionic Salts is a preferred vendor for a national spa association and has dealers nationwide. 

Wright says her road to running a specialized salt business started when she began experiencing the same symptoms of genetic lung disease as several of her family members had. 

As a last-ditched effort to improve her lung function, she bought a few salt lamps. For her, they worked wonders, she says. 
For details: 704-451-4290. 










Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Ellis Jewelers celebrates 60 years in Concord

Ellis Jewelers, located at 29 Union Street South in Concord, celebrates 60 successful years in downtown Concord this month. 

A week-long celebration will kick off with from 6-8 p.m. July 24 with the Cabarrus County Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayoral Proclamation and Meet The Founder segment with Ellis Levinson.

Here's a list of other festivities:

July 25: open house with special anniversary sales.
July 26: giveaways every hour on the hour.
July 27: A birthday bash with free pearl earrings for the first 60 patrons that day. 

I am so proud of the legacy my Dad created and I am honored to carry it on," said owner Dan Levinson said in a press release. "We really wanted to create a big celebration to give back and say thank you to all the people who have supported us for so long."

Ellis Jewelers, which opened in 1953, sells engagement rings, wedding rings and loose diamonds, and also does custom designs and repairs. The shop also buys gold, silver, precious diamonds, estate jewelry and rare coins. 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Hunger-fighting mobile app will launch during Charlotte Restaurant Week

PlateShare, a Charlotte-based social enterprise startup, will launch its mobile micro-giving app at the start of this summer's Queen's Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week July 19-28.

The app - designed for use in restaurants, coffee shops and grocery stores - makes it easy for users to round up restaurant bills to the nearest dollar, donating the difference to help feed the hungry.

After setting up a profile and linking a PayPal account to the app, users can enter a bill total into the app, which will calculate the roundup donation and completes the transaction.

The app is designed for iPhone and Android devices.

Participating Charlotte Restaurant Week establishments will encourage their guests to download PlateShare and donate to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, according to a release sent Tuesday.

Plateshare was founded in 2012 by Katie Levans, a local yoga instructor and popular blogger who made headlines when she left ABC's reality-competition show "The Bachelor" of her own accord.

The micro-giving platform advanced as a finalist at Charlotte Startup Weekend 2013, and then Levans completed a three-month business accelerator program through Rev Tech Labs, an incubator at uptown startup hub Packard Place.

"I'm so proud to say that PlateShare was born and bred in Charlotte," Levans said in a statement. "Nothing was outsourced because we have the resources and talent to pull this off right here at home."

Levans says PlateShare is currently filing for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.