News

Retail Guru - Margie Johnson!

Main Street Iowa, City of West Des Moines and Historic Valley Junction Foundation Present Retail Guru Margie Johnson

West Des Moines, IA (October 10, 2012) – Main Street Iowa, the City of West Des Moines and Historic Valley Junction proudly present highly acclaimed speaker, trainer, author and retail consultant Margie Johnson on Wednesday, October 24th.

Join us from 12:00 – 1:30 pm, at West Des Moines City Hall, located at 4000 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, IA. Reservations are $12 per person and include a full lunch. Please, RSVP by Friday, October 19^th to Naomi Hamlett, naomi.hamlett@wdm.iowa.gov or (515) 222-3628.

Margie’s thirty-year career as an entrepreneur and business expert has given her the experience to develop customer-centered strategies and solutions that work. These strategies have given thousands of businesses the competitive edge needed to survive and thrive. (For interviews, marketing materials or direct contact with Margie, please contact Jamie Lamb at office@valleyjunction.com or (515) 222-3642.

Since 1985, Shop Talk, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has served as a specialized consultation and research firm concentrated in retail, hospitality, health care, and financial industries. With twenty-four years of experience as a partner and general manager of the Galleon Esplanade and as Secretary/Treasurer of Cabana East, a corporation owning various businesses including Cabana East Motel and A Restaurant By George in Nags Head, North Carolina, Margie Johnson brings a wealth of experience to her clients. From starting a profitable business to profitably closing one down, Margie Johnson has helped companies achieve their best performance.

Margie’s local and national accolades include the Fred Lazarus National Retail Federation Award, North Carolina Employer of the Year Award, Inside Business 2006 Women in Business Achievement Award, 1998 Outstanding Woman of Hampton Roads, Chairman of the Board of Retail Alliance 2009-2010, and East Carolina University Legacy Leadership Award 2010. She has received coverage in The Virginian- Pilot, The Washington Post, Women’s Wear Daily Specialty Stores Newsletter, at the National Retail Federation, and on WHRO Public Television and NBC’s Today Show. Margie received her B.S. from East Carolina University and has completed postgraduate work at the Management Development Institute at the University of North Carolina.

Historic Valley Junction is home to over 150 unique stores, restaurants and independent businesses, each with its own historic character. Established in 1893, Valley Junction is one of central Iowa’s most distinctive attractions. Visit our website, www.valleyjunction.com for more information, our calendar of events, and a complete business directory.