November 2009

It has been a long time since my last column, a lot has happened to my family and Meininger's. My sister Candy died August 21st after a long time battle with cancer. All will miss her. Her funeral was attended by over 150 friends and family. A day does not go by that I do not think about her.

On the first week of July, Tony Lefton, the owner of Art Hardware in Boulder, approached me wanting to know if I wanted to buy his business. Well, 30 days later, on August 1st, Meininger's moved into the old Art Hardware building on the Hill in Boulder. Three of his employees are now working for us. It took us two weeks to remodel, we put in new carpet and painted and we were open for CU’s Back to School!

During September 10th-13th, Meininger's took part in The Weekend with the Masters at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. There were 17 Master Artists and over 400 artists attending. Meininger's was the only retailer there to serve the artists. We hope American Artists does it again in Colorado!

I know many of you have noticed that Meininger's has repainted the Denver store, we have been in this building for over 20 years, and it needed new colors.  We are also rebranding our logo, and will have new signage in a few weeks. Please let me know what you think.

Meiningers is now active on Facebook. We have been offering specials just to our friends on Facebook. Sign up and be our friend.

- Henry

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May 2009

Well, spring has finally arrived in Denver, and I find myself on the way to our national trade show. I have been coming to these shows for over 40 years; it is a necessary part of running a business. We have a very small association – the National Art Materials Trade association (NAMTA). Every time I come to these shows I learn something new. I bring my buyers and my general manager and now I am bringing my son, Judd, like my father did with me. I can still remember my first trade show – I was 23, very new to the business. It was in New York City, I learned a lot that week, and it got me interested in the business. I found out how easy it was to meet the owners of the vendors we do business with, and the relationships become personal when you see these people every year.

Another great thing about attending these shows is you get to learn about new products and new uses for old ones. We simply learn how to run our business better. You can follow me on Facebook: at Henry Meininger. I will try to keep it updated with pictures and information. If you have any suggestions or requests, please let me know on Facebook or email me at henrym@meininger.com.

– Henry

April 2009

Spring is finally here after a dry winter here in Colorado; hopefully we will get a lot of moisture. Lots of events going on this summer and fall:

The Art Students League of Denver is having their annual Summer Art Market in June, Meininger’s will again be sponsoring this event.

Meininger’s is excited to be a first year sponsor of American Artists Magazines Weekend with the Masters.

This event will be held at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, it will run from September 9-13. It features over 18 master artists, including some from Colorado such as Stephen Quiller, Skip Whitcomb and Quang Ho to name a few. Meininger’s will be onsite with a mini retail store and our Colorado Springs store is located just a few blocks away. There will be workshops, classes, demonstrations, lectures and evening events. I have been told that the classes are filling up, and they are also adding new artists, it should be a great event, we are proud to be part of this.

– Henry

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March 2009

Well, we made it through the holidays and Meininger’s is still here, we've been here since 1881 and we plan to be here for some time. Our trade association tells us that our industry is recession proof, and maybe we are, it seems like more people are going back to school, and taking more classes at the Art Students League of Denver, www.asld.org. The government has recognized the importance of the arts with funding being included in the stimulus package, click here.

At Meininger’s we are doing things to make it even easier to shop here. Included in our e-Newsletter is a printable version of our current coupon, just bring it along with you every time you visit our stores. Our in-house customer service is top notch; our expert staff is ready to assist you with all your project ideas and needs. Besides a full range of artist, drafting and architectural materials, we have over 50 different kinds of adhesives, hundreds of markers and pens, a multitude of different kinds of tape, plus frames and portfolios! We are proud to offer our AGA private label of exclusive Studio Goods products.

So come on down to our great art supply stores in Denver and Colorado Springs and let's beat this recession together! Click here for maps and directions.

– Henry

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January 2009

Wow, we made it through the holidays! Now we are getting ready for the New Year, and a new administration. Here at Meininger’s we are getting ready for our second back-to-school season. What is back-to-school?

Back-to-school is a time when thousands of art students converge on Meininger’s with their school lists, with all kinds of art materials on them, that their teachers want them to bring to their classroom. It’s a fun time in the store as it’s our first connection with new artists as they get to see all kinds of materials (we have over eighty thousand items). Our knowledgeable staff is eager to help these students. We get to show these budding artists new products, give them ideas and give them direction to help them in their new careers. A lot of these students that come through our doors will end up being life long customers and our friends.

Yes, art is a wonderful career. Artists provide us with the art that enriches our world. We all need to support artists in their creative endeavors!

Oh, don’t forget to check out our Back-to-School Flyer where artists and students can take advantage of our sale and shop in both our Denver and Colorado Springs stores.

– Henry

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November/December 2008

As you might have noticed, the theme of this email is “buying local,” and I would like to add some of my thoughts on this. Meininger’s started in Denver in 1881, over 127 years ago. My sister and I are the fourth generation to manage the store. We have been supporting the arts in Denver and around Colorado for all this time. Currently we are employing over 40 people between our two stores; we pay a portion of our employees’ health care, and contribute to the 401Ks for all those who opt for them. In spite of the economic downturn we are in a very solvent position and we own our buildings.

Gift cards are the perfect gift if you do not know what to get for the artist in your life. We have no expiration date on our gift cards and they will be accepted in both stores. If you don’t want to get a gift card, our experienced sales staff will help you get the perfect gift, which of course is returnable if needed.

Let's hope we can all make it through this economic downturn and on January 20 we can all hope for a change!

Hope to see you in one of our stores soon. Happy Holidays to all!

– Henry

Meininger's researches the web to find the best and most informative links out there. For information on arts organizations, museums, and resources check back often. For links to individual artists, galleries, or art supply manufacturers, click here.

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