FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Emily Capron
Experience Grand Rapids
616.233.3577
ECapron@Experiencegr.com
COLLABORATION CREATES NEW ONLINE STORE FOR GRAND RAPIDS MERCHANDISE
Experience Grand Rapids, ArtPrize, & Laughfest partner together to bring GrandRapidsStore.com
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (May 14, 2014) - Experience Grand Rapids, the official destination marketing organization for Kent County, today announced the creation of www.GrandRapidsStore.com. This online store provides the community with a one-stop destination for official apparel and merchandise from BeerCityUSA, ArtPrize, Laughfest and GR&®. GR&® (pronounced grand) is making its debut to the public. This brand is a creative way to promote the town and its many "grand" things to experience.
"Experience Grand Rapids, the official destination marketing organization for the community, is the perfect host for the destination's fan merchandise. We are thrilled to have both ArtPrize and Laughfest as two of our community brand partners in the new GrandRapidsStore.com. We are proud to feature a link to the new online store on our website, ExperienceGR.com," said Experience Grand Rapids Senior Vice President Janet Korn.
"We are thrilled to be featured as part of the brand new Grand Rapids Store," said Festival Director of Gilda's LaughFest Joanne Roehm. "Experience Grand Rapids has created another unique way to showcase our city and facilitate collaboration with community partners. This initiative will surely create additional exposure for some of the great events and organizations here in Grand Rapids. We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on our region, as well as the awareness it will generate for the LaughFest, ArtPrize, Beer City, and GR&® brands."
Fans can purchase items such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, stickers, key rings, and much more. The online store is a partnership between the brand departments and also with Markit Products, a local apparel and promotional merchandise company, who will produce, inventory and ship items purchased in the online store.
"ArtPrize is delighted to play a role in the promotion of our favorite destination - Grand Rapids." said ArtPrize Executive Director Christian Gaines. "By pulling together into a one-stop online shopping experience several of the playful, iconic brands that are woven into the cultural fabric of the city, Experience Grand Rapids has created a smart promotional outlet and given us a great way to express enthusiasm for the place we live."
Gregg Palazzolo, CCO of Palazzolo Design, created and developed GR&® and the ‘idea' to help promote the city‘s building fervor, to craft something new for visitors and residents alike.
"The GR&® brand brings a new way for our grand city to share its many virtues. GR& Art = Grand Art. At the same time it means Grand Rapids & Art. And it's approachability and versatility, based on individual's own experiences such as, GR& Beer, GR& Kayaking, GR& Shopping, GR& Dining will help to personalize their passions," said Palazzolo.
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About Experience Grand Rapids
Established in 1927, Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR) leads the marketing of Grand Rapids/Kent County as a premier convention & visitor destination providing a significant positive impact to the West Michigan economy. Previously named the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau, EXGR represents the second largest city in Michigan with over one million residents