Indiana's New SBIR Initiative
After more than a decade of existence, the SBIR Program has established itself as one of the most effective technology programs in the federal government. SBIR is a highly competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological potential. It also provides the incentive to profit from technology's commercialization.

Indiana understands the impact that small businesses has on the economy and is committed to making Indiana a front runner in SBIR awards. To achieve this, the Indiana Economic Deve,opment Corporation has set two main objectives. The first is to double the number of SBIR Phase I and II awardees by 2008. The second is to increase the submission and success rate of applicants. To achieve this goal, Indiana has structured a new SBIR Initiative to focus on the SBIR needs within the state. Although the needs of each company and client will be customized the services offered are:

• Educational Workshops
• SBIR/STTR Topic Matching
• SBIR/STTR Counseling
• Proposal Assistance
• Technical/Proposal Reviews
• Mentor Network

The above services coupled with the matching program of the 21st Century fund will provide Indiana companies with the fuel needed to excel in the SBIR program. To learn more about the above program, contact Brook Pyne at the IEDC SBIR Program Office, 812-384-3078.

Bloomingfoods To Open New Downtown Location
Bloomingfoods plans to convert its popular Encore Café into a grocery store with a deli. No timeline has been announced, but the restaurant is expected to stay open through summer as plans are developed.

Customers expressed dismay that the eatery was closing, but many also said they welcomed another grocery store to serve the downtown and near west side.

Bloomingfoods is a co-op specializing in natural and organic foods. It has a small downtown store and a large eastside store, both of which will stay open. Bloomingfoods also runs the Theater Café, next to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater on Kirkwood.

Bloomington Antique Mall Closing
Antique Mall President Donna Harbstreit announced Monday the business will close at the end of the year. A restaurant in the building, the Greenbrier Room, will close on Aug. 11. The mall, with individual booths for vendors, has sold antiques since 1988. With 23,000 square feet, the building's possibilities are many but there are no plans for the space once the mall closes.

South Central Indiana's area economy is made up of many unique small businesses which often are overlooked. Each month learn about a local small business that you might have not known about!

McDoel Grocery & Deli, Inc.
Bloomington native Dave Wampler opened McDoel Grocery & Deli, Inc. on July 31, 2006. This is the second locally owned and operated business for Wampler. Convenient Food Mart, at the corner of 17th and Dunn, is well known amongst locals.

Located on the former RCA/Thompson site, McDoel Grocery & Deli is at the corner of Rogers and Patterson. Before RCA, the site was home to Bud's Sandwich Shop. Wampler's new store has a kitchen serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as deli and grocery items.

Successful redevelopment of the site has attracted a variety of new businesses to the McDoel neighborhood, including Cook Pharmica, Shulte Corporation, Best Beers, Southern Indiana Dermatology Center, and the recently opened Social Security office. As a neighborhood store, McDoel Grocery & Deli was specifically designed in collaboration with the McDoel Neighborhood Association, and management wants to know their customers by name.

With so many new businesses in the area and an established residential customer base, Wampler wanted to open a place for both people who live and work in the area to come to when they need a few quick groceries or something to eat. Focused on offering neighborhood convenience, McDoel Grocery & Deli offers call-ahead meal service for people short on time. Wampler also hopes to establish call-ahead service on grocery items for customers to pick up on their way home from work.

Patrons of McDoel Grocery & Deli can expect a variety of menu items to choose from, including meatloaf, pizza, paninis, BLT sandwiches, fresh salads, BBQ, and breakfast kolaches. In honor of the site's long history, Wampler will be offering a fried bologna & egg sandwich called 'The Bud,' a sandwich the original shop was well known for.

McDoel Grocery & Deli is open M-F 6am-10pm; S-S 7am-10pm (the kitchen closes at 9pm). To learn more or order lunch, contact them at 335-1465.

Assess Your Company's Productivity Quotient
According to U.S. government statistics, overall business productivity is down. Anecdotally, we hear many companies blaming the marketplace for lower-than-expected revenues. It' s easy to attribute disappointing profits to the market slowdown, but is that the full story at your company? For more about increasing your company's productivity and a quick quiz on assessing your company's productivity quotient, click here.

August 1-August 16: Small Business Planning Course Orientation Sessions
What: Thinking of starting a business? Attend an orientation session to learn about the SEED Corp. Feasibility and Business Planning Course. Upon completion of the course, you may qualify for up to $35,000 in loans. You need only attend one orientation session below to learn about the course.
Where: SEED Corp., 501 N. Morton, Suite 106
When: August 1, 15:
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
August 2, 16:
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Cost: Free
Contact: SEED Corp., 812-330-6272 (registration required)

August 4: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: Series of video conference presentations from industry leaders geared towards the information technology industry.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am
Contact: Marilyn Skirvin, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, 812-330-6272

August 9: Business Orientation Start-up Session (BOSS)
What: Learn what it takes to start your own business and become your own boss.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton St., Suite 106
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-330-6272 (registration required)

August 15: Tech Tuesday
What: A series of video conference presentations with a networking and educational component for Bloomington technology businesses.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 am
Contact: Terri Brown, inVenture, 812-330-6272

August 15: Life Sciences Lunch Series
What: The Indiana Health Industry Forum and Barnes & Thornburg present a monthly seminar series on critical issues in life sciences.
Where: Ivy Tech Community College, Bloomington Campus
Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Contact: BEDC, 812-330-6272

August 17: Business After Hours
What: Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce monthly Business After Hours
Where: IU Memorial Stadium, West Concourse
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Sponsored by: Indiana University Athletics, Indiana Universtiy Alumni Association, and Indiana University Varsity Club

August 22: Artists After Hours
What: Bloomington Area Arts Council monthly Artists After Hours
Where: John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut
Time: 5:30 pm

August 23: Business Orientation Start-up Session (BOSS)
What: Learn what it takes to start your own business and become your own boss.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton St., Suite 106
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-330-6272 (registration required)

September 1: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: Series of video conference presentations from industry leaders geared towards the information technology industry.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am
Contact: Marilyn Skirvin, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, 812-335-7346

Customized Market Research Reports (ESRI)
Using ESRI Business Information Solutions, SBDC staff can combine GIS technology with extensive business, demographic, market and consumer household data to aid your mission-critical business decisions.

Contact the SBDC office 812-339-8937 to find out how you can improve your business today!

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