Biz Buzz: Kids medical clinic opening, retiring CEO reflects on retail career and more
Published at | Updated at
Do you want to know what’s happening on the east Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered.
Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
NEWS
IDAHO FALLS
New state-of-the-art medical clinic designed with kids in mind opening this month
IDAHO FALLS – Anyone with kids knows that sickness can strike at inconvenient times. No parent wants to think about where to take their child if their child is sick when the office is closed.
That’s the idea behind Just 4 Kids Urgent Care, a new pediatric clinic opening later this month in Idaho Falls.
“For ourselves and most of the people we knew, most of our kids got sick after hours,” Just 4 Kids’ Chief Medical Officer Dr. Aaron Gardner tells EastIdahoNews.com. “We recognized there was a need, a space between the pediatrician’s office and the emergency department.”
Gardner says the entire staff was hand-picked for their pediatric experience. Everything in the clinic is designed for kids.
REXBURG
Porter’s Craft and Frame CEO reflects on 28-year career as owner of legacy business
REXBURG – Last month, the highest viewed story at EastIdahoNews.com was the announcement that Porter’s Craft and Frame in Rexburg and Idaho Falls was closing its doors after more than a century of business in East Idaho.
CEO Chuck Porter stopped by our studios this week to talk about the history of the business, his decades-long career with the company, and his pending retirement later this year.
Porter says since the announcement of the liquidation sale, so many people have expressed how much they will miss the store.
“I hope people remember that we appreciated them,” Porter tells EastIdahoNews.com. “We appreciated the relationship we had with people all the way around–with the customers, our employees and our suppliers. We want to be remembered as being a positive influence in their lives.”
Porter bought the business in 1990 after practicing law for a while. He opened the Idaho Falls store in 1994. He says working in the retail business has been such a rush and looks forward to spending time with his grandkids and serving in his church.
“I’ve still got the buildings to manage,” Porter says. “We’ve got a lot of interest in the buildings but nothing has been signed yet.”
The liquidation sale is currently underway at both locations. Porter anticipates the sale wrapping up by mid June.
You can watch the full interview with Porter on East Idaho Newsmakers beginning this Sunday on EastIdahoNews.com.
RELATED: Porter’s Craft & Frame stores closing permanently
POCATELLO
ISU Bengal Bridge, which provides college credits to new high school graduates at a reduced cost, is accepting applications until April 15
The following is a news release from Idaho State University.
POCATELLO – Idaho State University’s Bengal Bridge will continue to accept applications for summer 2018 until April 15. Bengal Bridge is a seven-week summer college semester for recently graduated high school seniors. Students have the opportunity to earn 9-10 college credits towards their degree for $585 instead of the regular tuition price of $3,583.
Bengal Bridge is designed to give students extra help in transitioning to college. The program offers small class sizes and tutoring for students, while also helping them become accustomed to campus living.
“Bengal Bridge’s primary goals are encouraging more high school students to go to college, to provide a solid start for incoming freshmen and to help students get credits towards their degree sooner,” said Misty Prigent, Bengal Bridge coordinator.
Students are encouraged to live on campus in either the Rendezvous Complex or South Complex. They can also live off campus if they choose.
To be part of the Bengal Bridge program, students must be a high school senior or recent graduate, apply and be accepted to Idaho State University and apply to Bengal Bridge before April 15.
NATIONAL NEWS
Toys ‘R’ Us will close or sell all US stores
(CNN Money) — Toys “R” Us is closing its doors after 70 years in business.
The iconic toy retailer will shut or sell all of its almost 800 stores in the United States, a source familiar with the matter told CNNMoney on Wednesday. About 33,000 jobs in the United States are at risk.
The company’s CEO, David Brandon, notified employees earlier in the day, according to an earlier report by The Wall Street Journal.
The announcement marks the end for a company that sold toys to millions of American kids. For half a century, Geoffrey the mascot giraffe invited children to its giant playhouses. Legions of adults who came of age in the 1980s and 1990s can probably still whistle its jingle: “I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid.”
But Walmart, Target and other big-box retailers — stores that sold aisles of toys and everything else, too — began to erode its dominance. And then the emergence of Amazon sped its demise.
RELATED: What Toys ‘R’ Us closing means for shoppers
SPORTING SCAMS
Are you ready for March Madness? Who’s on your bracket? Who do you predict will take the title this year?
With so many fans hoping to catch a game, scammers are looking for ways to steal the show.
Whether you’re looking to buy tickets for this or any other event for that matter, there are some things you need to know before you make your purchase. Jeremy Johnson joins us this week to tell us about it.
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
NATURE’S NOOK
REXBURG – If you have joint pain, back pain or some other type of medical issue that just won’t go away after months or years of medication, the staff at Nature’s Nook say they might have something to help you.
LAST WEEK’S BIZ BUZZ
Innovators discuss trends in business, healthcare and more
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
Dr. Slaughter’s closing after two decades
Melaleuca records highest annual sales in its history
EIRMC announces new Chief Operations Officer
Community celebrates East Idaho Real Heroes