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June 1, 2006
FORT WAYNE, IND. — Now that school is drawing to a close, what can parents do to keep their children busy? With warmer weather on the way, where should artists go to purchase supplies so they can take their studio outdoors? And with summer school and vacation Bible school approaching, where can educators find fun decorations, teaching resources and exciting incentives?

If you’re looking for creative learning fun, the answer to all three questions can be found at the new United Art and Education stores, which recently opened in the Colerain and Sharonville areas. The newest store, which opened June 1st, is located at 8255 Colerain Avenue, in the former 99 Center building near Hancock Fabrics. The other location, at 12037 Lebanon Road (Old 42) in Sharonville, opened in February.

A family-owned business since 1960, United Art and Education has eight stores in Indiana and Ohio. The retail locations offer a unique blend of quality products at competitive prices to three distinct groups of people: parents, artists and teachers.

Along with boredom-busting activities and puzzles, parents can find educational toys, travel games for summer trips and workbooks to help their kids stay on track during the break from school. Plus, United Art and Education has a wide variety of art supplies for creative young minds, such as sidewalk chalk, markers, crayons, paints, craft kits and more.

Fine artists will find a large selection of creative materials, including easels, paints, brushes, canvas, drawing tools, sculpting and ceramic supplies, plus more. Beginning artists and hobbyists can check out instructional books on topics such as painting, sculpting, drawing, fiber arts and mosaics, just to name a few.

While most educators are winding down for the summer, those who teach summer school can find plenty of additional resources that supplement the curriculum and help make learning fun. At the end of July, United Art and Education will kick off its 16th annual Teacher Appreciation Days, a special event for educators with lots of prizes and give-aways. Through the end of August, teachers can take advantage of extra savings by using Bonus Coupons as they purchase materials for their classrooms.

The two stores, which brought 30 jobs to the Cincinnati area, are the latest developments in United Art and Education’s overall growth. In mid-April, the company moved its retail store in the Columbus, Ohio area, to a larger location. An expansion project at its corporate headquarters and distribution center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is nearing completion as well.

The recent growth has allowed the company to provide better service to its customers. According to Joe Smith, Sharonville Store Manager, the response has been overwhelmingly favorable since the store opened in February. “The people who are coming in are excited that we are here,” he said.

“Everyone that walks in the door is just floored,” added Toni Smith-Roark, Sharonville Art Department Manager. “We ask if they are finding everything okay, and they say, ‘This store is so cool!’ ”

Even prior to the opening of the Colerain Avenue location, people were beginning to take an interest in the new store. “We had several teachers and parents stop by, hoping that we were open,” said Retail Operations Manager Dodi Gunawardhana. “I'm looking forward to meeting their needs!”

According to Somer Palmieri, Cincinnati Store Manager, the wide variety of products will be a big draw. “People walk in the door and say, ‘Wow, this place is huge!’ ” she said. “Our customers will be very excited to see all of the stuff they can get in one place, without having to drive all over.”

Cincinnati Associate Dori Hischemiller is also excited about the amount of products the store offers, especially the art materials. She used to drive up to 45 minutes to get art supplies for her grandchildren. Plus, the range of products will keep customers coming back. “They won’t be able to see everything the first time!” she said.

While United Art and Education has a wider selection of merchandise than other educational and art supply stores in the area, it still provides the customer service that people receive at smaller stores, said Retail Development Manager Susie Nobbe. “We offer one-on-one attention and make sure the customer has what they need, so they don’t have to make ten trips to the store for one project,” she said. “And they will come back to the store for their next project.”

About United Art and Education
United Art and Education is a family-owned company with retail stores in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Mishawaka, Indiana, and in Centerville, Cincinnati, Hilliard and Sharonville, Ohio. Store hours are 9 a.m. to
9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Corporate headquarters, located in Fort Wayne, house its distribution center, along with the company’s national mail-order and online business. United Art and Education has been serving teachers and schools across the country for more than 46 years and is committed to providing quality products at competitive prices and fast, friendly customer service.

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