MACON — A group of Mercer University graduate students from Dr. Tammy Crutchfield’s strategic marketing course has developed a marketing plan for Mercer Village and will roll it out Friday, with events throughout the week. Mercer Village is the first commercial area developed as part of the College Hill Corridor – which was itself a Mercer student project.
The group of 12 Master of Business Administration students planned events, promotions and marketing pieces to market the businesses at the Village, as well as the Village itself. The students include: Ivan Besancon, Kelly Blount, Kelley Bretscher, Ryan Brightman, Michael Ellis, Derrick Fonsah, Andrew Jones, Jennifer King, Omar Liendo, Steven McGinty, Allan Rene de Cotret and Kristin Talamantes.
“Our goal with the Mercer Village project was to incorporate the cool vibe of Mercer with the funky aspects of a new retail area in the heart of an historic neighborhood,” said Allan Rene de Cotret, one of the team leaders. “Jittery Joe’s Coffee, Francar’s Buffalo Wings and Ingleside Village Pizza are really stepping up to help revitalize the area and offer a unique college town experience for Mercer, the community and the city of Macon. We hope this will be the launching point for other great projects along the College Hill Corridor as it expands to downtown.”
Mercer Village is part of a Mercer student project that began as an idea and has blossomed into a full-scale commission, The College Hill Corridor is now a partnership between stakeholders in the area, Mercer and the city of Macon. Mercer has received a quarter-million-dollar grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to develop plans for the Corridor, which runs from Mercer Village along Coleman Avenue and down College Street to downtown Macon.
The Mercer Village events kick off on Friday with the grand opening of Francar’s Buffalo Wings, owned by Mercer alumnus Carl Fambro. Events continue throughout the week with a “Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner” coupon campaign and are being held in conjunction with the Mercer Students for Environmental Action group’s Second Annual Earth Week. The week concludes with a new outdoor event, titled “Super Saturday Summer Series,” which will continue throughout the summer on the last Saturday of every month. For the complete list of events, visit: http://www.collegehillcorridor.com.
Mercer Village Events
(Entry into all events is free and the public is welcome.)
Friday, April 17
Grand Opening of Francar’s Buffalo Wings
Ribbon cutting at 11 a.m.
Specials from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Francar’s, Mercer Village
Saturday, April 18
BearStock Music and Arts Festival
12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Porter Patch, Macon campus
Pre-Festival and Post-Festival Parties
Mercer Village
BearStock is an annual Music and Arts festival sponsored by Quadworks, the campus activities board of Mercer University. This year, Mercer Village will become part of the festivities for the first time.
Sunday, April 19
Sunday Brunch
12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Washington Square Park
Wednesday, April 22
“Lights Out at Jittery Joe’s”
All day
Jittery Joe’s, Mercer Village
Jittery Joe’s Coffee, in conjunction with Earth Week, will turn off its lights all day and use candles at night. It will also offer a 10 percent discount for all customers who request a non-disposal cup or plate. Additionally, Jittery Joe’s will also compost coffee grounds and recycle for the entire week.
“Shindig on the Green,” an Earth Day celebration
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Tattnall Square Park
Friday, April 24
Screen on the Green: Disney’s “WALL-E”
8 p.m.
Tattnall Square Park
Saturday, April 25
“Super Saturday Summer Series”
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mercer Village
The kick-off event for a new series that will feature live music, an outdoor barbecue, kids’ activities, prizes and food and drink specials at Mercer Village restaurants and will continue on the last Saturday of each month through the end of summer.
About the Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics at Mercer:
Established in 1984, the Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics offers bachelor’s, MBA, Professional MBA, Executive MBA and Master of Accountancy degrees. The School holds accreditation from the prestigious AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, considered the hallmark of excellence among the nation’s top business schools and placing it among the top 25 percent of all business schools in the world. For 2009, the Princeton Review recognized the School as No. 3 for “Greatest Opportunity for Women” and one of its “Best 296 Business Schools.”
About Mercer University:
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University has approximately 7,600 students; 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies; major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah; three regional academic centers across the state; a university press; two teaching hospitals — Memorial University Medical Center and the Medical Center of Central Georgia; educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta; an engineering research center in Warner Robins; a performing arts center in Macon; and a NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.
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