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John Corrigan

Deputy News Editor & Senior Journalist

PPAI - Promotional Products Association Internatio •

The Pajama Girl’s Comeback Story

One day in health class, the teacher asked who knows what PMS stands for.The first student to raise their hand was 12-year-old Hailey, who exclaimed, “Pantone Matching System!”That’s just part of the core curriculum when your mom is Kelly Shearer, branding expert, admitted print geek, raconteur and perpetual hustler.“I don’t sell anything without asking a question,” Shearer says. “I’ve learned that people think they know what they want, but when you explain things to them, they might not want it...
PPAI - Promotional Products Association Internatio •

You Want In? Earn It: How Ray Titus Trains His Successors

Ray Titus didn’t raise no nepo baby.The serial entrepreneur, who founded United Franchise Group and launched numerous affiliated companies like Signarama and Fully Promoted (PPAI 240143, Gold) – PPAI 100’s No. 51 distributor – refused to let his three sons (or his three nephews) rest on their last name. If they wanted to join the family business, they wouldn’t be cosseted. They’d work their way up the ladder just like every other employee would be expected to.Even Andrew, the youngest of the Tit...
Billy Penn at WHYY •

Scenes from the last all-nighter at The Dining Car in Northeast Philly

You could tell from the multiple chants of “Keep it open!” that rang out across the room, repeated on refrain. Saturday was a historic night for Northeast Philadelphia.

After 57 years of 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, 364-days-a-year service (closed on Christmas), The Dining Car has changed its hours. Effective immediately, the Frankford Avenue icon is switching to a schedule of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

From midnight to 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, late-night regulars paid their respects, hugging waitr...

Stu Saks Says Goodbye To PWI – The Wrestling Estate

Stu Saks is a real person.


That may surprise longtime readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated under the impression the staff is comprised of Matt Brock, Liz Hunter and other fictitious characters. But rest assured, PWI’s longtime editor and publisher is made of flesh and blood. And modesty.


Saks and a couple staffers were invited to participate in 80’s Wrestling Con last year, revealing the three greatest covers from the magazine’s golden years. “People would come over and chat and after fi
PPAI - Promotional Products Association Internatio •

Record Remix Cashes In On Vinyl’s Resurgence

It’s 6 a.m. and a line of eager music lovers has already wrapped around the parking lot.

The doors to the record store won’t open for another four hours, but teenagers, college students, their parents and even grandparents don’t want to miss out on the limited addition titles available, such as Thin Lizzy’s “Live and Dangerous” and Cheech & Chong’s “Up In Smoke.”

This isn’t some hazy memory from the 1970s – this is what Deon Borchard, co-owner of The Long Ear, anticipates this Saturday, April
PPAI Media •

Promo Pros Struggle With Student Loan Debt

Danielle Olszewski, e-commerce business development manager at Phoenix-based Zing Manufacturing (PPAI 517185, S7), is one of more than 40 million Americans who must resume their student loan payments this month after a three-and-a-half-year reprieve.

Although President Joe Biden has extended the payment freeze several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a provision in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 codified the plan to end the pause at the end of August. Interest on federal student loans

Puppy Power: Pet Products Can Boost Q1 Sales

Aside from my brothers, we didn’t really have animals in the house growing up. Pets seemed like a lot of work, and I had enough responsibilities: wrestling, basketball, Dunkaroos, etc. Conversely, my girlfriend adores dogs. Her heart has never quite healed from losing Studlee, her black boxer from childhood. When we bought a house last April, she quickly became acquainted with our neighbors’ dogs and stressed how spacious our yard is. It was only a matter of time before she wore me down.

After

The Untold Stories Of ‘Heroes Of Wrestling’ – The Wrestling Estate

The promoter of Heroes of Wrestling was Billy Stone, former president of Virginia-based Fosstone Productions and current executive producer at CBS Sports. During the ‘90s, his company produced several pay-per-views featuring combat sports. With pro wrestling’s popularity exploding, an executive at pay-per-view provider iN DEMAND suggested that Stone tap into the market.

With a knack for getting something to air for a reasonable amount of money, Stone saw great potential and limited financial ri
PPAI - Promotional Products Association Internatio •

Tribute Band Merch: Sincerest Form Of Flattery Or Trademark Infringement?

Satisfaction/The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show has been rocking around the world for nearly a quarter century.

Like a pack of wild horses, the tribute band hits the road for up to 150 performances a year. Although most of the group’s revenue comes from touring, as it does for nearly all musical acts after the internet decimated record sales, branded merchandise accounts for 10%-20% of Satisfaction’s annual income, according to executive producer Chris LeGrand.

“We’re impersonating

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