Web site provides instant information for Fayetteville services
Bailey McBride
Issue date: 3/11/09 Section: Lifestyles
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As the Web site quips, "Need a phone number for a good mechanic? Can't decide where to eat tonight? Need a florist? A jeweler? An apartment? Looking for a new car? A new bank?" All of these types of businesses and more are listed on Local540.com.
The Web site launched on Feb. 18 with the intention of listing all the businesses in Fayetteville by category so consumers could easily find them on the Internet.
The site is managed by Wonderstate Media, the same company that founded and operates the Fayetteville Flyer. The site can even be accessed from any mobile phone with Internet services at M.local540.com.
Visitors of the Web site are shown numerous listings, like bars and clubs and places to buy appliances. Users just have to click their category of choice, and a list with maps of all the applicable businesses will pop up.
Visitors also can search for what they need and put in their own address to receive the listings that are closest to them.
"As local consumers ourselves, we've found that a lot of local businesses don't have a Web site or their Web site was difficult to find," said Dustin Bartholomew, creator of the site and co-owner of Wonderstate Media.
"Meanwhile, the Internet is where consumers are already looking for information on local businesses. Local540 was designed to bridge the gap between local consumers and local businesses in a way that has never been done before."
Bartholomew said he thinks that in the current state of the economy, it is important to support local business, and this idea inspired him to help create the site.
"We've created a tool in Local540 that will help encourage people to check out what our local businesses have to offer because now our area has its very own Web site that includes information on every local business that is organized and easy to use," Bartholomew said.
The site currently lists more than 7,000 businesses by their name, location and category.
Listing a business and searching for one on the site is free, and businesses can create and adjust their own listing as often as they choose.
In addition to listing restaurants and shops, venues such as the Walton Arts Center and George's Majestic Lounge have already gotten involved with the site and added calendars of events to their pages, so visitors to the site can see not only where to go in Fayetteville and the surrounding areas, but also a little of what is going on in town.
Local540.com also provides numerous coupons that consumers can use at local businesses to cut their costs. The Web site will be updated throughout the year with new listings and new coupons for visitors to use.
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