Solley’s Appliance and Fireplace Center customers are treated to prices as low as big-box stores.
Customers also get unrivaled personal service, along with quality and high-end appliance and hearth A truly great gymnast must be versatile. Stars and Stripes Gymnastics academy has been teaching kids to become great gymnasts since 2002.
Still, Becky Foster and Cassie Davis, co-owners of Stars and Stripes, want to explore new avenues this summer as well as strive to make their business more accessible to all.
Well known for both gymnastics and cheerleading classes and camps, Stars and Stripes will offer a multitude of ‘Summer Adventure Kids Camps? focusing on a varied range of topics.
‘What we found is that a lot of kids, who have been in gymnastics throughout the school year, want to explore other options over the summer. So we wanted to bring some new activities here to the gym,? said Davis.
At ‘Camp Hollywood,? kids get to slip into the glamorous shoes of a movie star, steep themselves in a brief history of film making and receive a DVD ‘movie? of their fun times.
‘Everyone is really excited to try something different. All the coaches are looking forward to being able to see our students in another light,? said Davis.
The mystery of ‘Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?? may unravel at ‘CSI: Stars and Stripes? which will teach children about forensic investigations. Campgoers get to meet a trained professional and receive an investigation kit as they examine simulated scenarios.
‘Some kids might not know much about forensics or what exactly a police officer does. They will get to explore things that they may have been curious about or may have no prior knowledge of at all. All of the camps are eductational as well as good exercise,? said Davis.
Parents worried about academic retention over the summer need look no further than any of Stars and Stripes Summer Adventure Camps. Other camp offerings include: ‘The Fitness Challenge,? a fitness/nutrition camp; ‘Everyday Heroes Camp? which highlights professions such as firefighters, police and paramedics; and ‘Camp Mission Impossible? which highlights the virtues of leadership and team work.
For more information on all of the Summer Adventure Camps go to www.stargymnast.com.
The other big change on the horizon for Stars and Stripes actually focuses around their website.
‘We are trying to make things more convenient for people who are already with us and people looking to join. Soon on our website, people can pay or register online, get monthly billing or sign up for more information,? said Foster.
In August, Stars and Stripes will launch a major web-based program designed to overhaul their registration process, which due to the popularity of their classes is no longer adequate.
‘The main reason for the change in registration is for the convenience of our customers. We want everything to be as easy as possible for them,? said Davis. ‘We are going to monthly registration rather than every eight weeks. New students can enroll at any time.
The new way of doing things will also reach out to kids who may have slipped through the cracks of the old system and makes registration a breeze.
‘Under our old system, people would be on a waiting list for eight weeks, but then when the new session started, they would start all over. Now, when they get on a waiting list, they are on the waiting list until we get them into class,? said Foster. ‘The new system also takes care of the lines at registration time, which can get pretty frustrating. There have been people in line for 45 minutes in the past.?
Stars and Stripes is located at 7152 Gateway Park Dr. in the shopping center at the corner of Andersonville and White Lake roads. They are open Monday through Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday 9:30-4 p.m. Call 248-625-3547 (FLIP) for more information.product selection not usually found outside urban design centers.
‘Why wouldn’t you go to Solley’s?? says new manager Mark Rigato.
Rigato assumed management of Solley’s in February, when Springfield Township resident Paul Valentino purchased the M-15 appliance and fireplace store.
With appliances acquired at the same price national chains get, Solley’s passes along value to customers.
The store also guarantees standout delivery, installation, and service.
Regardless of the number of appliances purchased, Solley’s gives customers free delivery, free removal, and free disposal.
Stand alone appliances are also installed completely free of charge with the exception of dishwashers and microwaves, which the company installs at fees less than the cost of hiring a plumber or electrician, says Rigato.
Whereas national stores wrangle unknown contractors, Solley’s takes care of customers, either employing a team of its own employees and locally-acclaimed licensed contractor Tom Sanford, or using manufacturer-directed service agents.
While Solley’s philosophy isn’t about to change, its showroom is slated for significant expansion in the next year.
Customers can currently shop for and special-order brands like Sub-Zero refrigeration, Wolf ranges, Bosch washers and dryers, ASKO dishwashers, Jenn-Air, Dacor and Cal Flame outdoor home resort package installations, as well as in-stock brands like Maytag, Amana, Magic Chef, GE, and Fisher & Paykel.
Within the next six months, customers will find upscale appliances and hearth products showcased in vignettes at Solley’s, where cooking demonstrations and barbecues will be held.
Luxury appliances will be integrated into cabinets, combined with state-of-the-art fireplaces and hearth stoves in the showcase.
If you’re currently planning a cozy kitchen hearth area, check out Fireplace Xtrordinair’s flush-mount Bed & Breakfast gas fireplace, featured in the March-April edition of Better Homes and Gardens Kitchen and Bath Ideas magazine.
Solley’s will also expand its line of hearth products like Lopi, Heat-N-Glo, Vermont Castings, Jotul, and more.
Enjoy upscale outdoor entertaining? You won’t want to miss the Cal Flame outdoor packages, including integrated outdoor cooking centers and refrigeration drawers, islands, snack bars, gazebos, and outdoor fireplaces and saunas.
Traditional quality appliances will still be sold at Solley’s, where showroom space will be expanded over the next year. A Web site’featuring product and support information’is in the works.
Rigato, who has seven children, encourages parents to bring their children to the store, where a candy jar is kept stocked.
Solley’s was founded in 1948 by Alan Solley, Sr. and his wife Beahice. Three Solley family members remain connected with the store, where blending high quality merchandise and hometown manners is more than a marketing trend.
‘Solley’s is known for combining great brands with very competitive pricing and small-town friendly service,? said Allan Solley Jr., who is confident ‘the staff will not only keep it up, they will improve upon the foundation we’ve built here.?