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    News Roundup: Save at Small Businesses, Expand Your Garage With Germain and a New Option for Dinner

    Hit the road in a new car, save some dough while discovering new local small businesses and have dinner on the table in six minutes. Expansions and launches in the entrepreneurial world bringĀ conveniencesĀ to your life. Read more below…

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    Connects Columbus Launches Web App

    Small business loyalty and discovery platform Connects Columbus is now live with over 55 offers on its web app. A reincarnate of the Small Business Beanstalk, the SBB merged with CD102.5 last fall to form Connects Columbus.Ā Also launched with support from Taivara, Connects Columbus leverages geo-location technology to provide exclusive offers at local businesses.

    Offers from bars, restaruants, retailers and more encourage Columbusites to try and support local businesses. Spanning Dublin to Downtown to Clintonville and the Short North, taking advantage of a Connects Columbus deal is as simple as flashing your smart phone when checking out.

    More information and a map of deals can be found atĀ connectscolumbus.com.

    Food Delivery Biz Brings Six-Minute Dinners to Ohio

    As the number of ways to avoid the grocery store and/or stepping food outside of your house to get dinner on the table seems to be exponentially growing, (looking at you food delivery apps and meal-kit services) another player enters the state. New York-based RealEats has expanded to Ohio, bringing with it delicious meals it says can be ready in six minutes or less.

    It’s a time feat accomplished by delivering meal components in vacuum-sealed packs. The chef-prepared meals require no prepping, chopping or stove-slaving, just a dip in some boiling water. Vegetarian, seafood and meat-centric dishes can be ordered in plates of four, six, eight or 12.

    For more information, visitĀ realeats.com.

    Germain Automotive Group Offering Subscription Service for Vehicles

    A vehicle no longer has to be a long-term commitment. Last month, Columbus-based Germain Automotive Group launched Drive Germain, a subscription service allowing drivers to get behind the wheel of a new car as often as they’d like.

    “Coupled with an easy to use app, Drive Germain members have access to the most coveted garage of vehicles with just a few taps on their phone,” says Jessica Germain. “Subscription car service is a flexible alternative to todayā€™s traditional means of car ownership and we are excited to position Drive Germain at the forefront of this growing trend.ā€

    To have the experience of owning a multi-car garage of luxury vehicles,Ā members pay aĀ one-time activation fee of $500, and have month-to-month membership access which requires 30 days to cancel. DriversĀ will be able toĀ choose from two monthly subscription packages.

    The Premier package at $1,000 per month provides access to: Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C Class, Lexus ES & IS, BMW X3, Audi Q3, Lexus RX350, Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, and Honda Odyssey.

    Starting in spring of 2018, an Elite package at $1,400 per month will put drivers behind the wheel of: Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E Class, Lexus GS350, Infiniti Q70, Porsche Macan, BMW X5, Audi Q7, Lexus GX450, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Cadillac ATS-V Coupe, and BMW M2 Coupe.

    Subscriptions include:

    • Insurance, maintenance and roadside assistance
    • Unlimited mileage and unlimited flips
    • Concierge service to deliver a vehicle to a memberā€™s home, office or requested location

    For more information, visitĀ drivegermain.com.Ā 

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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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