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University Daily Kansan, August 31, 1982
Club aims to keep tax dollars in town
By DONNA KELLER Staff Reporter
A new inflation-fighting option is available to Lawrence a.eea merchants and consumers through the organized Lawnward Discount Club
Steve Gish, president of the organization, said the club would try to stimulate business and keep tax sales up. The company selling sales discounts to club members.
The discount club is a member of the People's Discount Club of America, which was founded by Robert J. Sturner in 1977.
Sturner said there were almost 1,500 members of the DPA nationwide. There are member clubs in 11 foreign countries.
"The discount club in the Lawrence area is really new," Sturmer said. "There is one in St. Louis county in Missouri, in Saline county in Kansas, and one is getting started in Overland Park, Kans."
Gish estimated that nationwide there were more than a quarter of a million consumer members and 80,000 member members of the organization.
"The majority of merchants and consumers are in Lawrence," he said if the Lawrence chapter, "but membership is available to anyone in the Douglas County area. We aren't diminishing anyone."
Gish said the principles of the organization were those of people helping people to fight inflation,
recognizing that prosperity was reciprocal and realizing that the economy in itself was a source of great revenue.
There are two forms of membership, that of the merchant and that of the consumer, Gish said.
Merchant memberships are available on a yearly basis for $75.
"I hope an organization of this kind will stimulate local business," he said. "Only one merchant of any business category may purchase a cellphone." He also said to be more competitive. I love to see 100 area merchants participating."
Gish said one of the objectives of the club was to guarantee steady business to merchants.
"The merchants decide what savings to offer the consumer," he said. "We encourage them to offer the best prices, but they don't put here to put them out of business."
Gish said consumer members would receive an ID membership card.
"This is to be presented to the sales clerk before the sale is rung up," he said.
Gish said the discount would then be deducted from the total sale.
Consumers holding membership cards in the discount club may use them reciprocally in other cities with a CMA member discount club, Gish said.
"The consumer doesn't pay the difference between the prices of the membership until the card expires," he said.
by the organization or by a sticker that will be affixed to store windows, Gish said.
Merchant members may be identified either with a directory provided
If a merchant is not satisfied with his membership, Gish said, his membership fee would be refunded.
Gish said the club now has signed 11 merchant members, and is negotiating with several other businesses.
"A lot of people are skeptical right now because it's new." he said.
Van Kempin, owner of Lawrence Printing Service, Inc., said he joined the group to generate new business from people who might not have known of, or used, his services in the past.
"This method of organization, by putting out a bulletin showing my business as a commercial printer, seems to be a more direct way of advertising," Kempin said. "I wouldn't have joined if I didn't think essential of making our community grow through this form of advertising."
Bob Buchanan, owner of Waterbed Works, said he thought the public would benefit from the discount club.
"We've had a traditional history of transient buyers leaving the area to shop, especially at Christmas," he said. "They're keeping the money in Lawrence."
George Latham, owner of Gran Sport, said, "The reason I joined is the reason anybody joins this kind of thing. You hope to stimulate business through offering a discount in an organized fashion."
Charlotte Bond, manager of Visions of Lawrence, said she had not really seen a consumer response yet, but she
realized the organization was still new.
"I'll be optimistic until it proves otherwise," she said.
Gish said most of his efforts had been directed to talking with merchants since he began working with the discount club as a sales manager in June, but his attention has turned to consumer members now.
"We first had to have something to offer the consumer," he said.
Gish said there were four categories of consumer membership — those for regular consumers, for senior students, for students and for employers.
"The regular 12-month membership cost is $6 a year," he said. "A card for a spouse may be purchased for an additional $15, and for children living at home between the ages of 16 and 21, a card may be purchased for $10 each."
Senior citizen cards are available for $50 for the 12-month period, with a spouse card for $10 extra.
Three different plans are available to students, Gish said. A full-year single membership is available for $45, or $4 with a spouse card. The school-year membership, from September to May, costs $35 for a single spouse card, and $42 for a single-semester membership is $19 and $3 for a spouse card.
Gish said group rates were available for employers who wanted to provide their employees with an additional benefit.
taking a percentage off the membership fee, depending on how many cards the employer buys. Gish said
Gish said the response from consumers in the community had been positive so far, although they haven't begun an actual membership drive.
"If the consumer isn't satisfied, we give him his money back," Gish said. "We encourage consumer members to tally their savings so they are assured of a savings. One of the advantages of the program is that the discount is available to consumers year round, and merchants are not agreeing to a one-shot deal." Gish said.
Gish said consumers should be aware of "copycat clubs." He said there had been some trouble lately with bologus discount clubs coming into the area, selling memberships, then leaving town with the money.
The group rates are determined by
"We are here 365 days a year to serve the community, and our materials are patented," he said of the PDCA materials.
Gish said if a consumer was presented a sales pitch that left him skeptical, he should contact either the Lawrence Discount Club, the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, or the Consumer Affairs office.
The PDCA is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, and the Lawrence Discount Club is a recent member of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Gish said.
"I couldn't do this if I didn't believe in it," Gish said. "The time is right for this kind of thing."
Manhattan to hear talk by Reagan
By United Press International
TOPEKA — The wife of Republican patriarch All Landon said today the couple has known for weeks that President Reagan would visit Kansas Sept. 9, but had been told to keep the news quiet for security reasons.
Reagan is scheduled to be the featured speaker in the Alf Landon Lecture Series at Kansas State University Thursday, Sept. 9. The visit coincides with the 65th birthday of Landon, Republican presidential candidate in 1936 and Kansas governor in 1933-37.
"We've known for some time, but we were told not to tell anyone," Mrs. Landon said. "A state department official called our daughter some time ago and said the president was going to come up on his (Landon's) birthday."
The visit will mark the second time Reagan has delivered the Landon lecture. He last spoke at the event on October 29, when he was governor of California.
The only other repeat speaker in the lecture series, which began in December 1966, was Mike Mansfield, former U.S. senator from Montana.
On the record
The only other president to speak in the lecture series was Richard Nixon, who appeared at K-State on Sept. 16, 1970.
A TOTAL OF $4,000 was stolen from a locked安全 at the McDonald's restaurant at 901 W. 23rd, sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday, Lawrence police said. Police are still investigating.
A PIZZA WARMER worth $150 and a small pizza were stolen early Sunday morning from the back seat of a car. The woman said the theft occurred while three
pizzas were being delivered to Ei-
sworth Hall.
BURGLARS STOLE 10 books worth $250 from the office of a physics professor in Malott Hall sometime p.m. friday and 10:15 a.m. Saturday
A LIGHT FIXURE and the top of two other lights near the Memorial Campanile were stolen sometime be- tween p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday.
VANDALS CAUSED $300 worth of damage to a car in the parking lot of Lewis Hall. KU police said a heavy object was used to smash in the car door.
A FEMALE STUDENT living in Oliver Hall reported that $250 worth of necklaces were stolen from her room on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
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