You spent the holidays binging on HGTV, and now visions of shiplap accent walls and freestanding soaking tubs are dancing through your head.

Dont let your desire to upgrade your home downgrade your home's market value. Before you make a renovation fantasy a reality, consider whether the project will pay off when you're ready to sell. Plenty of home improvements add value, but others like these five can hurt it.

1. A CHEF-QUALITY KITCHEN

If you love to cook, a high-end kitchen could be the ultimate gift for you. But if you think a massive overhaul will majorly impact resale value, you might be in for a surprise. An upscale kitchen renovation recoups just 54% of its cost in added value, according to Remodeling magazine's 2020 Cost vs. Value report.

"If you do marble countertops and high-end appliances, you could spend $100,000, and it doesn't necessarily mean your house is worth an extra $100,000," says Beatrice de Jong, a consumer trends expert for Opendoor, a San Francisco-based direct home buyer and seller.

Smaller kitchen upgrades could yield a bigger payoff. Chris Arienti, broker and owner of Remax Executive Realty near Boston, suggests keeping updates reasonable: Think granite rather than marble, and GE instead of Sub-Zero.

2. DIY PAINTING

A bold statement wall can say the wrong thing to potential buyers if the workmanship is questionable. Streaky, chipped or low-quality paint can knock $1,700 off a home's sale price, according to Opendoor data that looked at home offers made from June 2018 to June 2019.

"A good paint job is not easy," says Sarah Cunningham, a real estate agent with Ethos Design + Remodel in Boise, Idaho. "It is all in the prep work, and most people don't want to do the prep work." Hiring a professional to paint can help ensure a more attractive result.

3. AN EXPANDED MASTER SUITE

Knocking down a wall to create an oversize master bedroom or stealing closet space to build out a spa-style bathroom may sound dreamy. But how about as a selling point? "If you go from five bedrooms to four, and you can make it work, no big deal," Arienti says. But he cautions that losing a bedroom in a smaller house could mean a lower selling price.

As for cutting into closet space, residential building codes don't mandate that bedrooms have closets. But, Arienti says, "Once you take the closet out of a bedroom, to a buyer, that no longer looks like a bedroom."

4. PLUSH WALL-TO-WALL CARPETING

Carpet can be especially unattractive to first-time home buyers, who may be used to landlords updating carpet between renters, de Jong says.

"In general, people are grossed out by (carpeting). It can make a room look a little bit dated."

It can also ding your sale price. Carpet as the primary flooring in a house drops the value by $3,900 and carpeting in the master bedroom causes a $3,800 plunge, according to Opendoor. Conversely, a 2019 report from the National Association of Realtors estimated that sellers could recoup the entire cost of refinishing hardwood floors. New wood flooring could actually add value, with sellers getting $1.06 for every dollar spent according to NAR.

5. A SWIMMING POOL

It doesn't matter if it's infinity edge or above-ground: Any pool can be seen as a drawback by buyers who don't want to deal with maintenance or insurance. Even in Florida, a pool doesn't add value, Liede DeValdivielso, a real estate agent with the Keyes Company in Miami-Dade, said via email. If you're thinking resale, it's not worth it you'll never recoup the cost, DeValdivielso said. But if you'll use it and enjoy it, put in a pool.

HOW TO DECIDE IF A RENOVATION IS WORTH THE COST

To ensure youre making an informed decision:

CONSIDER YOUR TIMELINE. "If you're going to be in the home for 30 years, you can do anything, because at that point, your mortgage is paid off," Arienti says. Looking to sell in the near future? Pay closer attention to whether your choices will appeal to a potential buyer.

CONSULT AN EXPERT. "Talk to a professional so you aren't making misinformed choices that are going to work against you in five to 10 years," Cunningham says. A designer can help you tell fleeting trends from future classics; a contractor can explain what kind of work a proposed renovation would entail.

COMPARE HOME FEATURES IN YOUR AREA. De Jong suggests looking at comparable homes for sale near you and going to open houses to make sure your improvements align with the norms for your neighborhood.

GET AN APPRAISAL. A licensed appraiser can do a feasibility study to estimate your home's current value and its likely value after the improvements.

This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Kate Wood is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: kwood@nerdwallet.com

RELATED LINKS:

NerdWallet: Find out how much your home is really worth

http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-how-much-home-worth

NerdWallet: Tips for first-time home buyers

http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-tips-first-time-home-buyers

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5 home improvements that may not pay off when you sell - ABC News

A new winery will debut in Finleyville this weekend.

Owners Lou and Linda Siyufy, a Peters Township couple, will launch Giant Oaks Winery at a grand opening beginning at noon Saturday. Their facility is located at 3540 Washington Ave., and features a tasting room that will have wines produced with grapes from California, Chile, Pennsylvania and Washington state.

There also will be a selection of semi-sweet white wines and dry reds; Pennsylvania-crafted spirits and beer; and a small plates menu.

Regular tasting room hours will be 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Private parties may be scheduled on off-business days.

The winery evolved from a hobby Lou Siufy started more than a decade ago. He and his wife also are remodeling a second room in their building for private tastings, and for rental for events/parties for up to 60 people.

For more information, call Beth Stroud, 724-782-0216.

More here:
Winery to open Saturday in Finleyville | Business - Observer-Reporter

It may be winter, but work continues on the future Mark Boulevard bridge. The estimated $7.5 million project includes the construction of the bridge and two roundabouts. Pennington County Engineer Mike Flaagan said a cofferdam was built weeks ago, allowing a crew to drive pile and pour the footing for the west pier of the bridge. Further construction of the west pier wall will continue for the next couple of weeks and then work will switch to the cofferdam for the east pier. (Photo courtesy of Mike Flaagan)

by April ScheinohaReporter

Remodeling and building projects were among the topics discussed at the Pennington County Board meeting Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Commissioner Bruce Lawrence provided an update on remodeling the county Department of Motor Vehicles office. The office is located at the Government Center, formerly known as the courthouse. The county plans to expand the office into the former site of the County Attorneys Office, which has since moved to the Justice Center.

Lawrence said fellow Commissioner Darryl Tveitbakk had contacted architectural firm BKV Group to possibly create a conceptual drawing for the remodeling project. BKV Group worked on the Justice Center. Lawrence noted that a DMV employee created drawings of what employees wanted and needed in that area. He asked whether the county could instead use the employees drawings for the project.

Commissioner Don Jensen noted that the county is required to seek bids and consult with an architect if the project is more than $100,000. Lawrence replied that the county budgeted $25,000 to remodel the area this year.

The matter is expected to be discussed further at an upcoming meeting of the Building Committee.

Commissioners scheduled a bid opening for the roundabout west of Challenger Elementary School. Bids will be opened Monday, March 9 at 11 a.m.

The roundabout will be constructed as part of the estimated $7.5 million Mark Boulevard bridge project. The county is in the process of constructing the Mark Boulevard bridge connecting the area near CES with the area north of Sanford Health. Two roundabouts are planned as part of that project the CES roundabout and a roundabout on Highway 32 north of Sanford Health. It is anticipated that the bridge would be completed by the end of the 2020 construction season. The Highway 32 roundabout is scheduled to be completed by the end of July 2020. Construction on the CES roundabout will start in summer 2020 after school has ended. The CES roundabout will be completed in summer 2020.

Work has started on the bridge. Pennington County Engineer Mike Flaagan said a cofferdam was built weeks ago, allowing a crew to drive pile and pour the footing for the west pier of the bridge. Further construction of the west pier is expected to continue for the next couple of weeks. Work will then move to the cofferdam for the east pier.

Faye Auchenpaugh, who serves on the City Auditorium Committee, presented the final draft of the Future of the Old Auditorium Adaptive Reuse Plan.

If the county chooses to move forward with renovating county-owned City Auditorium, it is expected that it could cost several million dollars.

City Auditorium was dedicated in February 1934 after the former City Auditorium burned down a year earlier. Currently, the building is in disrepair, and the building doesnt comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The county pays about $30,000 per year to maintain the building, which is leased to several tenants. Rental fees dont cover the cost of operating the building.

To help it determine how to proceed, the county hired a University of Minnesota senior research fellow and a graduate student to obtain public input and craft a design. Their work was covered by grants and private donations.

After meeting with the public, Virajita Singh and Kenos Leong proposed the following:

Building a handicapped-accessible entrance between the Pennington County Government Center (formerly known as the courthouse) and City Auditorium, and installing an elevator;

In the basement: Renovating an area for a childcare center, installing cardio machines for the public, renovating a bathroom, creating a gathering hub, creating a multipurpose room/rental party room, updating the kitchen for community use, and creating a storage area for the Thief River Falls Area Community Theater;

On the ground floor:Creating a garden, a nature playground, an information desk area, a coffee bar and a co-working/quiet room. The stage and gym floors would remain there.

On the second floor: Creating a history gallery, a learning center (for technology and art) and an art gallery. However, one row of balcony seats would remain on the second floor.

Auchenpaugh said the State Historic Preservation Office has reviewed the countys application to have City Auditorium listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It determined that the application met all of the criteria. The application now goes before the Minnesota Historical Societys State Review Board. That group meets Tuesday, March 24. If the board passes it, the application then proceeds to the U.S. Department of Interior for final approval.

After Auchenpaugh left the meeting, commissioners noted that they are still investigating their options for the building. Lawrence said he had spoken with an asbestos removal expert, who plans to tour the building and provide an estimate for asbestos abatement.

Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Subscribe today at subscribe@trftimes.com and support local journalism.

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Updates provided on remodeling and building projects in the county - Thief River Falls Northern Watch

All you need is just following our simple and concise guidelines in case you decided to start doing that without the use of any bathroom remodeling service provider.

So, to shorten a too-long room by yourself and without hiring a Bathroom remodeling houston company in case you live in Houston, it is advisable to do the following:

1- Paint the back wall in a darker color, it will then seem closer.

2- Similarly, to give more height to a room, paint the ceiling with the same color as the walls, or in a color that closely resembles it. This tip is particularly interesting for small bathrooms that dream of large spaces.

3- The light tones also make it possible to better capture the light in a room, thus creating a feeling of greater volume than in a dark room. Hence you will generally favor light tones, white tiles, and white light bulbs.

4- Well-thought-out artificial lighting, which will not overlook any area of the bathroom, is also very important.

5- Also, think of the mirrors that literally allow you to split the spaces! Preferably install them on one of the long walls of your room.

6- Finally, do not overload your decoration too much, at the risk of shrinking the space: no need to acquire a number of trinkets useless, your everyday objects can be displayed on your shelves and will perfectly fulfill the same function, while freeing up useful storage space.

7- You can also banish the shower curtain, which you replace with a completely transparent glass wall, which will bring more volume to the room.

8- If your walk-in shower is separated from the rest of your room by a partition, you can also break the linearity of your bathroom by installing your furniture or vanity top and its mirror on this partition, rather than in a row with the rest of your items.

It's as simple as that, only be careful and cautious if it's your first attempt to do such things.

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8 Decorative Tips To Visually Enlarge Your Small Bathroom - The African Exponent

ByColin Merry, Pioneer News Network

Amber Miles, funeral director, and Kirk and Courtney Barz, owners, at the new Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service location in Frankfort.(Colin Merry/Pioneer News Network)

Amber Miles, funeral director, and Kirk and Courtney Barz, owners, at the new Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service location in Frankfort.(Colin Merry/Pioneer News Network)

Amber Miles, funeral director, and Kirk and Courtney Barz, owners, at the new Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service location in Frankfort.(Colin Merry/Pioneer News Network)

Amber Miles, funeral director, and Kirk and Courtney Barz, owners, at the new Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service location in Frankfort.(Colin Merry/Pioneer News Network)

Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service opens in Frankfort

FRANKFORT Benzie County residents have a new option when preparing to mark the passing of a loved one.

Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service has opened a funeral home in Frankfort, at the former location of Frankfort Building Supply on the east end of Main Street. The fully renovated building features a conference room, a reception area and a room for the funeral service itself to take place.

"We're a full service funeral home," said Courtney Barz, who co-owns Beacon with Kirk Barz.

The modern facility features neutral decor and multiple monitors for videos to be played. The space can accommodate around 295 people, according to Kirk.

"The building has a modern feel, it's not a funeral parlor," he said.

Courtney said the space could be used for other purposes too, such as weddings and anniversary gatherings.

"Having lots of space is a huge deal," She said. "With the exception of the cemetery, you don't have to go anywhere else. You can have the funeral and reception in the same building."

Food can be catered to Beacon as well.

While Beacon does handle cremation services, the actual cremation takes place at the Bennet Barz Funeral Home, in Beulah.

"We don't own the crematorium, but we have direct supervision of the cremation," Kirk said.

As for special touches Beacon can provide, Courtney said there are a lot of little details they take care of.

"When you come to a funeral there are a lot of things going on," she said. "Things like taking care of flowers, markers, lunch, things to be delivered to people; little touches that make it personal."

She also said the modern feel of Beacon made it stand apart from the funeral parlors and the homes converted to funeral homes of the past.

"Those types of facilities don't work as well anymore," she said. "People want space, and the modern facilities are more compatible with wheelchairs and walkers."

Kirk said he bought the building in 2018, and began remodeling in 2019.

As for why he opened a Beacon location in Frankfort, Kirk said he saw a need for a funeral home in Frankfort.

The Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service facility is one of several owned by the Barz family. There are other Beacon facilities in Whitehall, Ludington and Hart.

They also own the Bennett Barz Funeral Home in Beulah and the Terwilliger Funeral Home in Kaleva.

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Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service opens in Frankfort - Manistee News Advocate

Here we are. Debbie is sitting on the loveseat in the living room. She staked out that roost years ago.

I settled into my over-stuffed chair, better known as Pappys chair. Its a big chair. When Im settled back and comfy, my feet dont even touch the floor. It sort of swallows me up, but there is always room in the Pappy-chair for a few grandchildren.

Those are the seats Debbie and I take when were both watching the same program on TV. That doesnt happen very often.

Debbie likes anything on HGTV, the Hallmark Channel or any type of cooking show.

Not me. I dont care at all about home remodeling, redecorating, flipping or flopping homes, fancy cooking or any of the variations on those themes. I enjoy watching news, old movies or documentary-style programming. I enjoy several other types of shows, but not those.

As a result, we dont watch TV together very often. The only program that we routinely enjoy together is Dancing with Stars. We pick our favorite dancer and root for them. We both get upset when a lousy dancer is allowed to stay, and a really good dancer is voted off. Every season we vow never to watch it again, but we do.

Other than that, we usually sit in different rooms, watching different programs on different TVs.

But, on Super Bowl Sunday, were together.

Just before kick-off, I turned to Debbie and asked, Are we ready for this? It was finally game time. The pizza was ready and so were we.

Sunday night, as we settled into our nests and hoped for a great game, I had my laptop ready to take notes for this, my regular Tuesday column. The game was so good and the commercials so watchable (for the most part) that I ended up doing very little typing and a whole lot of watching.

Debbie decided that she would root for the Kansas City Chiefs. She has an uncle and several cousins who live in the KC area.

I decided to root for the San Francisco 49ers in honor of a dear friend Roy Harrison, who died about 20 years ago. Roy lived and breathed anything having to do with the 49ers. Besides, it gave us the opportunity to root against each other in friendly competition.

Following the team introductions, by Dwayne The Rock Johnson, as he introduced the players with his loud, trademark, resounding announcers voice and then transitioning to the beautiful voice of Demi Lovato as she honored our country with an amazing rendition of the National Anthem, we were ready for a great game.

We both wondered whether the game would be as good as the commercials or whether the commercials would overshadow the game. We were not disappointed by either.

Just as the referees prepared for the kick-off, a commercial started that featured a young athlete named Bunchie Young. He and his friends were playing a pick-up game of football.

Bunchie caught a kick-off and barreled down the field. As he passed all-time great running back Jim Brown, Jim smiled and told Bunchie, Take it to the house, kid.

He gets help from dozens of NFL all-stars, all who give him the same advice.

He continues to run past obstacles, including the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade, until he finally makes it to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. There, as he passes more all-star, hall-of-fame athletes, he enters the stadium.

Suddenly the commercial transfers from a pre-taped commercial to a live broadcast as Bunchie and his friends run onto the football field. As he hands the game ball to the referee, the crowd goes wild for this group of kids who may be our next generation of NFL stars. It was well done, unexpected and perfect of the moment.

We were ready whatever the next few hours had to offer.

I was a little surprised by the halftime show. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira shook every body part they had. With all the pole dancing and twerking, I kept expecting to see a wardrobe malfunction. They must have used at least a quart of glue to keep their costumes in place.

Like it or not, those ladies put on a show.

The first half of the game was a battle. They went into the locker room at halftime tied at 10 points each. The 49ers came back to score another 10 points in the third quarter.

It looked like the game was over. One of the announcers said, For the Chiefs to come back, theyre going to need some Mahomes magic. The Chiefs quarterback provided that magic, scoring 21 points in the final few minutes of the game. Wow what a game.

Too often the Super Bowl ends up being anything but super not this year. It was a great game, separated every few minutes by some really good commercials (and a few stinkers).

Congratulations to Chiefs coach Andy Reid and MVP Patrick Mahomes for a great win.

And thanks to Debbie for not rubbing my nose in her win.

Randy Riley is former Mayor of Wilmington and former Clinton County Commissioner.

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Are you ready for this? - Wilmington News Journal, OH

From stadium seats to sporting equipment, UT auctions off unneeded items

Batting helmets, cleats, football practice jerseys, and much more can all be found in the online auction.

AUSTIN, Texas - If your University of Texas-inspired game room, man cave or she shed is lacking in apparel, look no further. Many UT items are now up for auction.

We've got a large amount of items coming from athletics due to remodeling that they are doing, said Mark Engelman, the assistant manager of the UT Surplus Property division.

Batting helmets, cleats, football practice jerseys, and much more can all be found in the online auction. The items getting the most buzz are more than 100 stadium seats from Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

It stays on there for tendays of bidding and on that 10th day if you have the highest bid you will own it and then you have seven days to pick that item up, said Engelman, when describing how long the auction lasts.

Engelman said they've recently received a lot of equipment from athletics which is no longer needed by the university. The money from the auction goes back to the university and if you're not a fan of sporting equipment, they have other options like furniture with the UT logo.

If you're not interested in any of that, this auction has a little bit of everything, includingworkout equipment, cars, and even plants.

According to Engelman, their job is to auction off everything the university no longer needs, so that it isn't sent off to a landfill.

The departments make their decision that they no longer need those items and either they make arrangements for our staff to come pick up on campus or they bring it to our warehouse, said Engelman.

As remodeling continues, Engelman said they expect more items to be added to the auction in the coming days; however, it's impossible to tell what items those will be. It could be more seats or more plants.

If you're looking for something from a specific player, you are out of luck. They cannot auction off anything with a player's name.

Continued here:
From stadium seats to sporting equipment, UT auctions off unneeded items - FOX 7 Austin

Donna Thompson / donna@timestelegram.com

TuesdayFeb4,2020at5:45PM

HERKIMER The Herkimer village board took no action on the village clerk-treasurer's appointment Monday but scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday evening to discuss the matter.

Mayor Mark Netti said he needed clarification before any action could be taken.

The appointment was the lone item on Tuesday's agenda.

At the board's Jan. 21 meeting, Netti proposed appointing a new clerk-treasurer to replace Amanda Viscomi and changing Village Superintendent James Franco's position to a per diem one. The board discussed both proposals in executive session for more than an hour, but did not vote on either one.

The clerk-treasurer's position was not discussed in open session Monday, but that appointment, along with court personnel, an update on litigation and other items were taken into an executive session which lasted approximately two hours.

PLANNING BOARD

Herkimer Village Planning Board Chairman Brion Carroll reported that a site plan review meeting on the proposed Mohawk Valley Community Action day care facility is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, in the court room at the municipal hall.

He said after conducting the review, the planning board will submit its recommendation to the village board to either approve the project, approve it with conditions or disapprove it.

The Herkimer Housing Authority's multi-phase redevelopment project includes the construction of a two-story building with 24 senior and affordable housing units and a day care facility at 310 John Ave., as well as remodeling Creekside Courts on Protection Avenue, Eastern Gardens on Harter Street and Midtown Apartments on North Prospect Street and the construction of 15 new units at the corner of Harter and Steuben streets. The current day care programs at Creekside Courts and Eastern Gardens will be consolidated into one program with 63 slots at the John Avenue facility, according to the plans. The space freed up at Eastern Gardens and Creekside Courts will be turned into community rooms.

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Herkimer board delays action on appointment - The Times Telegram

Church of the Open Door is getting ready to open the doors to its Lorain Campus.

In 2016, the Elyria-based Christian church unveiled its 20/20 Vision Plan, a blueprint for expanding several ministries, eliminating debt and upgrading the existing facilities.

The plan included a new physical presence in Lorain -- and it is happening.

At 11 a.m. Feb. 9, Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services in the renovated former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd.

When the YMCA was built in 1969, for years it was a blessing to the surrounding neighborhood, said Jason Russ, Lorain Campus pastor.

Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd. This 1991 mural by Jim Lemaster remains in place on the lower level of the Y building.

He added he has talked to people who recalled their experiences at the Y growing up in Lorain. In the neighborhood, residents also want new connections, especially for children and the elderly.

Everybody has some connection to this Y, Russ said. What a gift of God to be able to open the doors back up to this community, something that was such a huge benefit.

I just think its neat that we can turn this place back around to the community, open it up, he said.

On Feb. 3, the building was a hive of activity as contractors, church staff and congregation members completed tasks ranging from painting to rigging lights to installing sound and video equipment.

Russ wore an Open Door shirt and blue jeans with a wrench and work gloves in his hip pocket.

Church of the Open Door's Lorain team leaders took a break from construction for a group photo at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd. From left are Stephanie Carrell, who works with childrens ministry; Joe Gonzales, who works with the student ministry; Jason Russ, Lorain Campus pastor; and Tony Reyes, director of worship. The church will begin regular Sunday worship services there at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020.

Church of the Open Door Executive Director Alex Marks was present with the Lorain Campus directors: Stephanie Carrell, who works with childrens ministry; Joe Gonzales, who works with the student ministry; and Tony Reyes, director of worship.

On Sundays, the renovated space will use two entrances, one on the north side of the building and one on the east side.

That door opens into a fellowship area that sits next to the main auditorium; holding about 170 seats, the auditorium will serve as the sanctuary for worship.

The worship team would rehearse there in a few days, Reyes said. He has grown up, gone to school and worked in the city.

Its really awesome to now launch a campus where we can now bring the Gospel in Lorain as well, where its home as well, Reyes said.

Church of the Open Door Director of Worship Tony Reyes, right, and helpers prepare a wall for installation of a video screen mounting bracket as part of renovations at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd., on Feb. 3, 2020.Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain Y.

The Sunday morning worship service will be at 11 a.m. with Russ and Reyes leading prayer and singing. There will be a simulcast of the weeks sermon with church Pastor Jim Mindling.

Carrell said she and Church of the Open Door Pastor of Childrens Ministries Ben Fowlkes have met local children through visits to Lorain City Schools Washington and Hawthorne elementaries. But they have not yet had families with young children in the building.

For the worship, there will be a check-in station, a nursery and rooms for pre-K and elementary childrens ministries. Weekly themed lessons will include songs and music.

Im so excited about partnering with families in Lorain, just being here for whatever they need, Carrell said. I just feel deeply for families and I want to partner with families just to fill in the gaps that might be there. Again, so much of that is pointing them to Christ and just loving people and meeting needs as he did.

The building is Lorains former YMCA. Although there has been extensive renovation, it still has a lot of room for athletics and that will be part of the programming there.

Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd. The church has renovated some spaces within the building, but the basketball court remains in place as one of the areas where children and adults can pursue physical health along with spiritual health.

Gonzales is the first to work in regular ministry in the building. He has begun a basketball ministry, drawing up to 40 youths, mostly boys from Clearview, Lorain and Horizon Science Academy schools, for basketball and discussion three nights a week.

Gonzales recalled his youth and the advice from an elder: Be the person you wanted when you were younger.

My passion is to be that person to the young people of Lorain, that I wish I had when I was younger, he said. Part of that is introducing them to Christ and giving kids in Lorain something to do.

Russ and Marks agreed the only real difficulty about the Lorain project is that it took longer than expected.

But they said the congregation trusts in Gods timing for the growth. It took time to raise money and develop the vision, then the blueprints, for how the building could accommodate Sunday worship and weekly use for study, fellowship and physical activities.

Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd.

The investment in Lorain was part of a multi-year effort to raise more than $2 million for the entire Vision 20/20 plan.

The cost of remodeling the building has been significant, Marks said.

But from our perspective, its an investment in the community and into the people here, he said.

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Old doors ready to reopen for Church of the Open Door growth in Lorain - The Morning Journal

In the last few years, a number of startups led by the company Away have disrupted the sleepy luggage market with an array of colorful hard-shell suitcases that incorporate features such as built-in batteries to recharge your gadgets.

Now Target is looking to get in on the action, too.

After overhauling most of its apparel and home brands, the Minneapolis-based retailer is now eyeing other categories where it could increase its business such as luggage.

Target's new luggage brand, Open Story, lands in stores on Sunday and on Target.com on Feb. 13.

The nearly 40-piece line includes hard-sided checked and carry-on luggage, backpacks, packing cubes, garment bags and totes, with prices ranging from $19.99 to $179.99. The suitcases include features such as USB ports for a battery or power bank, a built-in TSA lock, a laundry bag and many zippered pockets to help travelers to keep items organized.

"We know from looking at market trends that the consumer is looking to travel more and more and is preferring to go on experiences," said Julie Guggemos, Target's chief design officer. "We decided, as we look at the travel industry, that it would be a good opportunity for Target to create something that offers the best of the best from a features standpoint at an incredibly affordable price."

Target's new carry-on suitcase, for example, will sell for $149.99, which Guggemos said is about 30% cheaper than comparable products from major competitors. Away's carry-on suitcases start at $225.

Target's designers and engineers spent about 14 months developing Open Story, researching not only the features offered by premium luggage brands, but also talking to consumers about what they are looking for in luggage and where they would like to see improvements. They went through several prototypes and stress-tested them on trips and on cobblestone streets.

"It's going to blow all other luggage offerings out of the water," Guggemos said.

Target decided not to include a battery with its suitcases. Built-in lithium batteries are now barred from being checked on flights in the U.S., and some airlines now require them to be detached when carrying such luggage onto flights.

"We decided to let the consumer decide what they want to do," she said.

The suitcases also come with a hardy polycarbonate shell, four silent 360-spinning wheels and are expandable. They will come in about a dozen colors.

While Target has been seeing some growth in luggage sales, Guggemos said it hasn't been on par with the rest of the market. With Open Story, she said Target hopes to outpace competitors.

Luggage sales have risen 11% in the U.S. since 2016 and are now a $2.3 billion industry, according to Beth Goldstein, an industry analyst with the NPD Group.

In addition to the growing interest in travel and experiences, enhanced features and functionality are also helping to fuel growth, she said.

"I think there has been a halo effect from the startups, most notably Away, but even the ones that didn't survive, like Raden and Bluesmart," she wrote in an e-mail, noting that traditional players are also now adding more features such as luggage sleeves and extra pockets.

The challenge, though, is that consumers don't buy new suitcases very often, which could hinder sustained growth.

This is not Target's first foray into private-label luggage. It has a longtime brand called Embark and more recently launched an in-house line through one of its newer, though more budget-focused, brands, Made by Design. It also carries national brands such as American Tourister.

Open Story will be prominently displayed in Target's luggage section, but the overall space for the section won't change. Instead, the retailer is making room for it by shrinking its offerings from other owned and national brands, Guggemos said.

In addition to remodeling stores and adding new fulfillment options, refreshing Target's owned brands has been a key part of Target CEO Brian Cornell's strategy that has led to impressive sales gains over the last two years. However, Target reported last month that its sales over the holidays came in lower than expected, a rare miss for a retailer that has become one of the better performers in the industry.

Target has now rolled out more than 40 new brands over the last several years. Last month it launched All in Motion, an activewear brand that replaces C9 by Champion.

While the pace of new brand rollouts has begun to slow, Target is now looking at other categories outside of apparel and home, which had been its initial focus.

As for what's next, Guggemos said Target is looking at everything from sporting goods to toys.

Link:
Target takes on startups like Away with new luggage brand - Minneapolis Star Tribune