Take a look at the new Mac computer classes and training the Boulder Valley School District is offering to Boulder this fall. To view class details, times and locations, go to www.bvsd.org/LLL. Boulder Chamber members receive a 20 percent discount. Please call 720-561-3768 to register.

• Beginning Apple Macintosh OS X
  
• Digital Photography and Macintosh OS X
  
• Basics of Website Design on the Macintosh with Apple iWeb
  
• Micro & Self Publishing for Macintosh Users

Each year, the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation changes the variety and color of the tulips planted on the Pearl Street Mall to provide a unique and impressive display and draw visitors downtown each spring. After the bloom, staff remove the bulbs to make way for summer plantings – sharing the previous year’s bulbs with residents and using them in other parks.

Need a hard copy of the map? That’s easy. There are approximately 300,000 Boulder maps distributed each year in April that include welcome centers, hotels, the Boulder CVB and Boulder Chamber, numerous downtown Denver hotels, restaurants, and libraries (with more than 170 distribution sites). If you’re interested in advertising in the map, contact Betsey Nickerson at betsey@resort-map.com or (866) 634-9933.

The Buy into Boulder campaign is a collaboration of the City of Boulder, the Boulder Chamber, the Boulder Independence Business Alliance, Downtown Boulder, University Hill and Twenty Ninth Street. The partner organizations launched a “one-stop shop” website that is a community resource – combining useful information to promote Boulder businesses, events and the economic vitality of Boulder.

“If you live, work or play in Boulder, buying here supports our community, the programs and services it provides and contributes to a sustainable and enhanced quality of life,” says Liz Hanson, City of Boulder economic vitality coordinator. For every $100 consumers spend in Boulder, $3.41 is the taxable amount that helps pay for city services and the unique programs in our town.

Visit buyintoboulder.com for more information on ways to support Boulder and don’t forget to add your business’ discounts to the discounts and specials blog.

Led by Stephen Tebo’s vintage 1948 fire truck, the Golden Buffalo Marching Band performs for fans starting on the 1300 block of Pearl Street moving west, stopping along the 1200 block and 1100 block to entertain. Along the Stampede route, fans have the chance to cheer on the CU football team.

Details:

Stampedes start at 7 p.m. in front of the Boulder County Court House on the 1300 block of Pearl Street. Bring the entire family – it’s free and the Stampedes’ finales take place in the Camera parking lot at 1048 Pearl St. Cheer on your favorite Buffaloes and listen to the traditional sounds of the Golden Buffalo Marching Band.

2010 Stampede activities will be on Fridays:

• Friday, September 3
• Friday, September 17
• Friday, October 1
• Friday, October 15
• Friday October 22
• Friday, November 12
• Friday, November 19

Enjoy a sneak peak of offers listed on Downtown Boulder’s Web site, but note that even more stores will be offering fantastic sale prices so it’s in your wallet’s best interest to come downtown and explore on your own.   Don’t forget to wonder off the Pearl Street Mall to the east and west end areas, the SoDA district and also along Broadway, Spruce and everywhere in between!

KBCO will be hosting a radio remote on the 1300 block this Saturday from noon – 2 p.m.  Listen to the station this week and learn how to win a $250 Downtown Boulder Gift Card!

Stop by the remote and say ‘hi’ to one of KBCO’s favorite on air talents – Ginger!  Don’t forget that on Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy FREE parking in any one of the five City of Boulder Parking Garages located throughout Downtown. If you are here on Friday, take a lunch break on the 1300 block and enjoy the beautiful sounds of songstess Julia Bryan during Noon Tunes!

The weather may be in the upper 90’s, but fall is right around the corner – marked by cooler temperatures and the start of a new school year. So, what do you need to put your best foot forward this season? And where can you find all the fall essentials? Twenty Ninth Street.
Let us be your back-to-school headquarters!

Classroom Essentials
There is nothing more fun than picking out new school supplies! Kids of all ages can check out Staples for folders, notebooks, pens & pencils. BC Surf & Sport, Eddie Bauer and The North Face are your backpack headquarters. Headed to CU? Pick up a new MacBook or iPad at Apple and save your leftovers from that 2AM pizza run in a mini refrigerator from The Home Depot. 
Style Essentials
What should be in your closet this fall? Denim, bright hues and gold. From skinny to boyfriend, The Levi’s Store has you covered. Think you have too much denim? Bring in your old pair of jeans and donate them at the Mall Management Office or The Levi’s Store. Donated denim will be provided to the National Pediatric AIDS Network and the Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s Thrift & Gift Shop.  Now, don’t you feel better? Last fall brought us beige, beige, beige. Not this year. Color is in! Spice up your denim with a bright top – shrinking violets need not apply. LOFT has tops and dresses in bold colors to get you noticed in the classroom & on campus. Gold is showing up everywhere, from jackets to pants. Not that risky? Pick up gold accessories from Francesca’s Collections for a more subtle approach.

Remember, no matter where you shop, whether at a local, regional or national store, when you shop in Boulder, you support Boulder!

Hey Boulder!

Don’t forget to nominate your favorite local shopping stores for the Daily Camera’s Best Shopper’s Paradise for Boulder County Gold!  The ballot is open for online voting from July 21 to July 30 for thousands of locals to cast their vote on why Boulder is such a great place to live, shop, eat, work and play.

Cast your vote for your favorite Boulder retail shops! Vote @ Boulder County Gold Best Shopper’s Paradise online ballot

With all the new social mediums out there for businesses to use for marketing communications purposes, it was inevitable a social networking tool (and game) like Foursquare was bound to be developed for local retailers. In an entrepreneurial town such as Boulder, Colorado with a huge emphasis on “buy local” and green, there is no question that retailers not getting on the social media bandwagon are sure to be left behind — leaving your customers absolutely no alternative but to frequent a much web savvier business!

Foursquare is a Geotagging tool, social city-guide and friend finder for you to find your friends and talk to them (online) in the businesses you frequent. By checking in constantly, you can quickly become that establishment’s mayor, take advantage of promotions and specials offered and share feedback about a particular business by posting a “shout.” Starbucks locations in Boulder were one of the first national brands to use Foursquare setting the standard for other businesses in town to take their marketing campaigns to the next level. The Starbucks campaign started in May where three of their stores began a promotion to Foursquare mayors of each store can receive $1 off a Frappaccino. (Basically when users “check in” an orange special here flags every nearby check in). This is merely a small discount but makes Foursquare users and customers happy.

Here are a few ways your business can get started now!

1. HOW/WHERE? Start now and setup an account! Visit www.foursquare.com and create your account and be sure to offer your valued customers a discount.  This will establish your business’s local presence online and give others instant access to visit your retail business. (Geotagging works as an index directory similar to Yelp or Dex).
2. WHY? Establish credibility with your customers and gain instant “glorification” (and brand reputation) online to the game’s users and customers who frequent your business as they’ll “spread the love” and tell others of your latest incentives and come back as happy, friendly repeat customers.
3. HOW OFTEN? Update your specials bi-monthly – communicate daily. Customers (/Foursquare users) want to see your updates and consistent communication with the game. Be sure to connect your business with Twitter so you also have traction on this medium as well.

By Bing Chou

The owners, of course, have invested their own money, often leveraged by loans and investors’ money, to launch and grow their businesses. What are often overlooked in the discussion, especially for successful businesses, are the blood, sweat, and tears that they’ve poured into trying to offer something of value to our community.

Part of my job at the Boulder Small Business Development Center is to ask aspiring and current business owners the question: “What’s keeping you up at night as an entrepreneur?” I’ve heard well over a thousand answers, which are varied and can be unpredictable, but never once have I heard “Nothing. I sleep great at night.” Whether successful or struggling, every owner sacrifices a part of themselves to run their business.

I’ve been there before. As a former business owner in Boulder, I know what it’s like on to have your name on the front door and to see your business grow, as well as what it’s like to lose sleep over making your next payroll and to have to tell your customers and employees that you’ve got to close your failing business. It was far more than money that was at stake – part of my identity was wrapped up in it too. My blood, sweat, and tears are multiplied many, many times over by the other business owners all around you.

For every business here in Boulder, there are many more employees who also sacrifice a part of themselves. In striving to do their jobs well, the cashier at your favorite bookstore, the server at your weekday lunch spot, and all the others have made their investment into your community too.

When I first sat down to write this post, I thought I’d be making an analytical argument for Buy into Boulder. My plan was to read the studies, follow the money, crunch the numbers, and show the leverage that spending your dollars locally has on doing  great things for all of us.  I studied engineering and economics for goodness sakes. While the result is the same, the voice of the proud neighbor in me is louder than the logical spreadsheet jockey in me.

The vast majority of the business owners and employees that I’ve described live locally – they are my friends and neighbors – and deserve to have their investment in my community supported by be reinvestment in them.