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22 The QUEE NS Courier • business • january 2, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com ▶business ▶LIC restaurant helping build ‘Smart Cities’ BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com Leading the creation of “Wi-Fi Smart Cities,” one company has launched a new social Wi-Fi network helping customers and merchants alike. GOWEX, which already powers Wi-Fi networks in more than 80 cities worldwide, has partnered with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to launch the new Social Wi-Fi network known as We2. Together with more than 500 merchants subscribed throughout the city, including Manducatis Rustica in Long Island City, We2 hopes to build on “Smart Citizens” with GOWEX’s current worldwide “Smart Cities.” “The response to the We2 and NYCEDC offer for merchants has been incredible, and we’re excited for business owners to experience this revolutionary new kind of Wi-Fi with geo-located advertising, customers messaging and real-time data,” said Carlos Gómez, We2’s CEO. “We’re also eager for individuals to enjoy the social side of the We2 service, based on interacting with the network of people We2 creates around you.” The We2 Social Wi-Fi platform features a NetVertiser device and the We2 Merchant mobile app. These two will allow businesses to provide secure Wi-Fi, create geo-located ads and promotions, directly message customers, and review real-time business visions. For the customers, a We2 User app will allow people to enjoy free in-store Wi-Fi, “frictionless roaming” at We2 and GOWEX hotspots citywide, and social features like the seeing and interacting with other people connected to the network. Business owners will be able to separate their private Wi-Fi connectivity from one the public can access. Also, We2 creates an easy and affordable way to successfully promote their businesses nearby people. As part of the NYCEDC sponsorship, businesses can enjoy free and unlimited use of the NetVertiser device and We2 application, and free advertising for the first six months. Merchants can set up an ad from their mobile. Small merchants in the five boroughs who have not signed up yet can still register online at www.gowe2. com. The We2 User application is also currently available online but at this time by invitation only. It will be available to the mass market for Android and iPhone users by early next 2014. Beaux-Arts Auction: Ideal for the sale LIC’s newest auction house is a bridging the gap between casual and large-scale auctioning. When Michael Capo and Marc Lester opened Beaux-Arts Auction last October, both men were confident that business would be booming. This is because not only do they have a combined extensive background in the arts, antiques and auctioneering, but also because their auction house provides services that the larger houses do not. “We fill a niche that larger places like Sotheby’s and Christie’s are either no longer BUSINESS in the NEWS willing or able to fill,” Capo explained. Another benefit to being a relatively smaller business is the frequency with which Beaux-Arts is able to actually hold auctions. Larger auction houses hold auctions once or twice a year because of the size of their operation. This means that if a prospective seller was looking to sell something, he or she might end up having to wait up to several months. Beaux-Arts Auction, on the other hand, holds an auction approximately every 35 days. “Our last auction was December 14, and it went very well,” said Capo. “What’s important to know is that although we’re a smaller auction house, we’re still able to get the same prices on valuable items as some of the bigger guys. Larger auction houses can’t afford to hold auctions as often as we do, which makes us ideal for getting something sold quickly.” Beaux-Arts Auction will be holding its next auction on Saturday, January 25 at11 a.m., and is located at 37-18 Northern Boulevard. More information can be found on its website, www. beauxartsauction.com. QUEENS REFORMED CHURCH Find a Home for Your Heart For over 150 years, Queens Reformed Church on Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village has been a beacon of hope for its members and for the local community. When the church first opened its doors in April 1858, it was known as the Reformed Protestant Dutch church of Queens, and the original Dutch motto of the chuch, “Union Makes Strength,” still rings true today. The oldest church in Queens Village, the Queens Reformed Church has undergone many changes and updates over the years, including the installation of its first motor-driven pipe organ in 1908, the building of the gymnasium in 1927, the addition BUSINESS in the NEWS of stained glass memorial windows in 1947, and an inside-and-out renovation for the 100th anniversary celebration in 1958. Each of these updates brought the church a new opportunity to reach out to members of the community with its mission. By reaching out to the community in service and with good news, the Queens Reformed Church has been able to sustain itself over the decades, while continuing to grow and expand. The 1980s was a time of great emphasis on education and lay person participation for the church. Sunday School sessions and bible study groups were re-instated, and the church formed the Senior Nutritional Assistance Program, which served hot meals to the elderly in the Church’s Parish Hall. Today, this dedication to the people of Queens continues with the church’s Daybreak After School Program for students and the availability of space for community members to utilize for gatherings and celebrations, such as baby or bridal showers. For more information on services, to view the calendar of events, or to make a prayer request, visit the Queens Reformed Church’s website at www.queensreformedchurch.org. QUEENS REFORMED CHURCH 94-79 Springfield Boulevard Queens Village, NY 11428 718-465-4309


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