Biz Buzz: Palm Coast's Watchtower Educational Center hosts open house after renovations

Also in the Observer: Flagler Board Shack joins new tech platform; Special recognition; New hires.


  • By
  • | 11:37 a.m. December 10, 2018
Watchtower Educational Center in Palm Coast. Courtesy photo
Watchtower Educational Center in Palm Coast. Courtesy photo
  • Palm Coast Observer
  • Business
  • Share

The Jehovah's Witnesses' Watchtower Educational Center in Palm Coast hosted an open house to celebrate the completion of the center's recent upgrades on Dec. 1 and 2, according to Facility Manager Barry Brachna.

The idea for the project started a couple of years ago, followed by a year of planning. The renovation of the facility, which is located at 4500 Palm Coast Parkway SE, began in November 2017 and was completed on Oct. 1, 2018.

The entire complex was re-roofed. The complex also had moisture issues, so any drywall and other affected areas were cleaned up. The facility is also capable of feeding 300 people three meals per day, so the kitchen and dinning area was upgraded. The 24 apartments, which house instructors and other staff members, were redone. And lastly, the 138 student rooms at the facility were upgraded.

The open house was attended by members of the community as well as local Jehovah's Witnesses congregations. Brachna estimated that more than 1,700 people attended the open house over the two-day period.

"It was delightful," he said. "We were so excited to share this with others."

Flagler Board Shack joins new tech platform

With the holiday season in full swing, Flagler Board Shack, a surf shop in Flagler Beach, is trying to compete head-to-head with Wall Street-backed chains, franchises and online stores. Just like these big companies, Flagler Board Shack is using consumer brands like Nike, Airbnb, and Fandango, integrations with VISA, Mastercard and American Express, and advanced mobile geofencing to create a new mobile campaign, according to a news release.

Tommy Mulligan, an organ transplant nurse for Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, took over Flagler Board Shack in 2015. The business tries to cater to locals and tourists alike. But with a continual need to attract tourists who visit the area and growing competition from big retailers, it’s even more important for Flagler Board Shack to get people to shop local. By subscribing to the Fanbank platform, which automates his marketing outreach and offers him the same tools and technology that big retailers have access to, Mulligan gets to spend less time creating and updating his content, allowing him to spend more time cultivating personal relationships with their customers.

Fanbank makes every resource of modern technology, from mobile targeting and message personalization, to credit card linking and advanced pricing methods, available to help businesses like Flagler Board Shack bring customers back to Main Street.

“As big chains and franchises continue to impact our business, we searched for ways to stay competitive,” Mulligan said in a release. “Now we are able to offer our clients exciting sweepstakes and gift-with-purchase opportunities, such as getting free concert tickets or travel experiences. It’s great to be able to thank the community for shopping local and to have these connections available because we couldn’t make this happen on our own.”

Special recognition

  • MPower Fitness has been selected for the 2018 "Best of Palm Coast" Award in the gyms category by the Palm Coast Award Program.
  • Coldwell Banker Premier Properties' Ana Medeiros was named the "Top Producer/Sales Agent" for November 2018.
  • Coldwell Banker Premier Properties' John Lidstrom was named the "Top Listing Agent" for November 2018.

New hires

  • Southern Title, which has an office in Palm Coast, added Donna Dwyer as an executive assistant and Chris McKee as a controller.

 

Latest News

×

Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning local news.