We Do Lines Featured on CNBC.com

We Do Lines was recently featured as part of a CNBC feature on some of the top Unusual Franchise Opportunities. Click here to view the entire feature.

Unusual Franchise Opportunities
By: CNBC staff

At this year's International Franchise Expo in New York, you could sample several brands of frozen yogurt, check out a vast array of burger concepts and educate yourself in the various methods that can be used to teach young children. There is, it seems, a franchise for every interest and area of expertise.

Including some unusual ones. Tucked among the tried-and-true franchise opportunities -- think fast-food and cafes -- were some new and unique franchise concepts that entrepreneurs were looking grow.

“There were a lot of new concepts,” said Steve Caldeira, president and CEO of the International Franchise Association. “As folks decide they want to control their own destiny, they have creative ideas and they want to franchise them. It’s an exciting time.”

More than 14,000 people would agree – attendance at the expo this month was the highest since 2006. With 334 exhibitors on hand to talk to attendees, “there was a lot of excitement,” said Caldeira.

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The Parking Professional June 2012

The June 2012 issue of The Parking Professional was recently released and is a must read for industry professionals. The issue covers technology and parking, sustainability, parking matters, and a slew of feature stories. A must have for industry professionals who are looking to stay up on current trends and get ahead of the curve. Click here to read the entire issue.

The Parking Professional - June 2012

And the winner is...

We recently concluded the We Do Lines "Tag That Fail Contest". It was definitely a success!  We had some great entries from the fans and it was a whole lot of fun. Gloria Picket was crowned winner for her creative submission.. She will be the receiving a customized We Do Lines license plate. Ty Holland, Chris Lamar, and Robin Horlman came in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place respectively. They will all receive We Do Lines gift packs featuring t-shirts and hats for their submissions. Thanks to everyone who participated for helping make this contest a success!

And now the winning submission...

Two-Space Trouble

We've all been frustrated by greedy people taking up two spots, it's nothing less irritating when the parking lot is full and you are forced to drive around aimlessly.  Not being able to find a parking spot can delay your day, make you late for a meeting, or simply but a damper on an otherwise great day. In an article titled "Two-Space Parking Creates Parking Lot Culture Clash" Mark Lungariella discusses parking lot etiquette and culture. He discusses what message you're sending when you occupy two spots, and some ways to deal with this frustrating situation. Click here to read the entire article. 

Two-Space Parking Creates Parking Lot Culture Clash
By: Mark Lungariello

Kristin Marachi would like to have a word with those people who hog two parking spaces instead of just using one. She would use the same stern tone she uses when dealing with her two young sons when they misbehave, or the kindergartners she teaches as a special education assistant.

“You have to tell them that’s why there’s lines there,” said the 28-year-old from Bridgeport, Conn. “If you have two cars, you can use two spots but you don’t, you only have one.” Taking up more is rude, Marachi said, and may be part of a childish “mine-mine-mine” mentality. “I’d blame the parents,” she added. “Maybe they take up two parking spots too.”

Few things can cause as much disdain as a greedy parker. Facebook has several groups dedicated to venting about those whose cars cross the line. A website with a vulgar name features pictures and videos of badly parked cars and encourages readers to leave “notices” under the windshield wiper of the offending vehicles. “Sick of a car taking up two spaces on the street?” the site says under its “About Us” section. “Now you can do something about it.”

Greedy parkers, like this one in
Harrison, N.Y., have many seeing red.
(Photo by Mark Lungariello/CNS)

Greedy parkers, like this one in Harrison, N.Y., have many seeing red. (Photo by Mark Lungariello/CNS)Notes from those who did something about it, according to a Huffington Post feature, ranged from the political insult (“Your vehicle occupies two parking spaces. You must be special … Or Republican.” ) to the kind that uses language that can’t be printed here. There are even Citizen Parking Violations, which say, in part, “The reason for giving you this is so that in future you may think of someone other than yourself.”

Says book editor Rob Kirkpatrick, 43, who hates greedy parkers more than he hates missed deadlines, “They’re basically telling the world, ‘I’m more important than you are.’” He added, “If people were still tarred and feathered, these are the ones who’d deserve it the most.”

Taking up more than one spot isn’t illegal, per se. Local parking enforcement officers can issue tickets for improperly parked vehicles at parking meters or in municipal lots. But the offense often takes place in corporate or private lots, where enforcement depends on what, if anything, the lot’s owner is willing to do about it.

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We Do Lines featured on lawnandlandscape.com

We Do Lines was recently featured on lawnandlandscape.com in an article titled, "The Franchise 5: Chris Couri". The article focuses on the We Do Lines inception story and their franchise opportunities. Chris talks about the franchise in general, provides franchise costs and fees, and offers expertise about the franchise industry. Click here to read the entire article.

The Franchise 5: Chris Couri
By: Brian Horn

When landscapers Chris Couri and his partners Tom Darrow and Dan Rella started We Do Lines in 2008 in Ridgefield, Conn., the trio knew they were onto something good. They wanted to gain a first-to-market advantage in an industry in order to be the nation’s premier provider of that service. As far as they were concerned, there wasn’t a standout parking lot striping company, which is where the company and eventual franchise idea was born.

“We knew we could do better and improve upon that,” Couri says, adding it costs $25,000 for the franchise fee and an overall investment of $75,000-$113,000 to start a We Do Lines franchise.

“We also noticed there was no brand, so it felt like a company with brand recognition could really stand out in this industry.”

While serving as both a franchisor and franchisee for the company and still operating their landscaping company, Young’s Landscaping, the group has 11 We Do Lines franchises in operation as of February.

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