Dealership promotion to offer $180,000 in downtown gift cards

Phil Castle, The Business Times The parent company of two automotive dealerships plans to purchase at least $180,000 worth of gift cards for downtown Grand Junction businesses as part of a promotion to both entice customers and bolster the local economy. “We’re excited about it. It’ll be a nice little stimulus for downtown,” said Aaron […]

Happy holidays? Shopping forecast upbeat

Happy holidays? Shopping forecast upbeat

Phil Castle, The Business Times Diane Schwenke has high hopes for what really could be the most wonderful time of the year for Grand Valley businesses. Local sales tax collections, a key indicator of retail activity, continue to increase. Moreover, consumers have regained a level of confidence that helps to drive sales. Those indicators and […]

Real estate outlook: Recovery slow, but steady

Phil Castle, The Business Times Real estate activity in Mesa County continues apace — reflecting a slow, but also steady, recovery in the local market. “The numbers are showing some stability. It doesn’t feel as fragile as it was before,” said Annette Miller, senior vice president of Heritage Title Co. in Grand Junction. At the […]

Local truck dealership under new ownership

Phil Castle, The Business Times The staff and operations of a Western Slope truck and trailer dealership aren’t expected to dramatically change under new ownership. Hanson International of Western Colorado and its facilities in Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs have been purchased by McCandless Truck Center. Rob Hanson, the previous owner of Hanson International, said […]

Speaker: Washington gridlock not yet over

Phil Castle, The Business Times The stalemate in Washington could continue regardless of the outcome of mid-term elections, predicts an attorney considered an expert on politics and policies. Only a serious triggering event could change the partisan gridlock, although higher interest rates ultimately could force cuts in entitlement spending and corporate tax reforms could be […]

Check it out: Libraries encourage businesses to tap resources

Check it out: Libraries encourage businesses to tap resources

Phil Castle, The Business Times Dick Kandiko wanted to conduct some research on the millennial generation, the members of which constitute the target market for the birthing center he helps manage in Grand Junction. Kandiko tapped the free resources offered at the Mesa County Libraries, including the personal assistance of a librarian who showed him […]

Tri River director helps to carry on Extension mission

Phil Castle, The Business Times Doug Dean has worked in a variety of positions in the agricultural industry and holds two college degrees. But his latest responsibilities as director of the Tri River Area Colorado State University Extension require Dean to continue to learn and study so he can share that knowledge with people across […]

Specialty projects boost business at Leitner-Poma

Phil Castle, The Business Times Leitner-Poma continues to manufacture the chair lifts and gondolas for which the Grand Junction company has long been known. But speciality and public transportation projects have helped drive business, too, including the completion earlier this year of the world’s largest observation wheel in Las Vegas. The combination of traditional and […]

Economists study accumulative effects of regulations

Phil Castle, The Business Times Two economists who’ve long studied the cost of federal regulations believe it’s important to consider not only the effects of one regulation, but the accumulative effect of the thousands of regulations promulgated by the government. That effect is massive and growing, said Nicole Crain and Mark Crain. Moreover, small manufacturers […]

Rising regulatory costs prompt calls for reform

Phil Castle, The Business Times Jon Mauch makes the connection between federal regulations and sales for his company. When regulations make it difficult for ski resorts operating on public lands to expand their operations, those resorts are less likely to purchase new chair lifts and gondolas manufactured at Leitner-Poma in Grand Junction. “It’s direct cause […]