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NEWSLETTERS - APRO Convention Spotlight: Things to do in St. Lou!

APRO Convention Spotlight: Things to do in St. Lou!

All work and no play? Ha! Not at APRO’s 2008 Convention and Buying Show, August 11–14 in St. Louis, Missouri! Come early - stay late...whatever you do, bring the whole family to experience what St. Louis has to offer!

Six Flags
Plan to come in a day early and share a fun-filled day at Six Flags St. Louis, featuring thrilling roller-coasters, family attractions and a 12-acre water park, Hurricane Harbor.
 
Grants Farm
Grants Farm, an estate once owned by Ulysses S. Grant, is home to animal shows and a tram ride though an animal reserve. Grant’s Farm, which offers free admission to the public, was listed in Parenting magazine as one of the top 10 attractions in the U.S.
 
 
The Magic House
At The Magic House, St. Louis' children’s museum, you will find four floors packed with more than 100 hands-on exhibits designed to be fun, engaging and memorable in a creative and stimulating environment. Visit The Magic House to touch an electrically charged ball and make your hair stand on end; transform your silhouette into a kaleidoscope of color; lift yourself with a pulley; freeze your shadow on a wall; experiment in a water playground; make a three-dimensional impression of yourself; and zoom down a three-story slide!

St. Louis Zoo
Visit the St. Louis Zoo and take a walk into the wild through the River’s Edge exhibit where elephants are at play and cheetahs dart across a dry plain. Pet friendly bunnies and goats at the Discovery Corner, stroll through Historic Hill while viewing primates, birds and reptiles and see the lions, tigers, zebras and more in their Red Rocks natural settings.
 
St. Louis Science Center

From the Omnimax, to the Space Show, the Discovery Room and more, St. Louis’ Science Center is the place to be for your young explorer! General admission is free. Various shows and exhibitions range from $3-$12 per person.
 

Sitters to the Rescue
Want to spend some time with the adults? Sitters to the Rescue (314/863-9800) and TLC for Kids (314/725-5660) provide child-care services and will come to your hotel, giving you some adult time. Sitters from both companies are screened, have received CPR and first-aid training and are insured. You will have no worries leaving your children in their trusted care—but make arrangements for these services prior to your trip.
 
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
With the kids in good care, head to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, just seven minutes from APRO’s host hotel for the 2008 Convention, the Renaissance Grand. At the brewery, you can choose from tours of the Budweiser Clydesdale stables, lager cellar and/or packaging plants. You can also sample the beers that have made Anheuser-Busch famous.
 
Included in your full APRO Convention registration is APRO’s 2008 Gala Reception at St. Louis’ famed City Museum. Housed in the 600,000-square-foot former International Shoe Co., the museum is an eclectic mixture of children’s playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion and architectural marvel made out of unique, “found” objects. Enjoy food, dancing and fun on this memorable evening. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes so you can explore the many nooks and crannies of this distinctive space. 
 
Other fun attractions within minutes from the Renaissance Grand include Union Station, the International Bowling Hall of Fame, the Cardinal Hall of Fame and much more. Some local tour companies will pick you up at the Renaissance Grand. Check with Tour St. Louis for details. 
 

Registration deadline July 11, 2008.

Find more information and registration link.

 





2012 APRO Convention and Trade Show

July 24-26, Memphis, TN

Attendee Information

Exhibitor Information

Thank you APRO 2012 Sponsors

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RTOHQ: The Magazine
RTOHQ: The Magazine is the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' award-winning rent-to-own industry magazine, and it's available here.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR DIGITAL RTOHQ: THE MAGAZINE

 

RTOHQ: The Magazine’s upgraded digital format

APRO's new, mobile-ready magazine is now available in addition to our print edition. The digital format provides the same informative content as our printed magazine, but also offers tools to make the reading experience more enriching. Access the table of contents page with one click or tap. Get additional information from advertisers by clicking on the links in their ads. The interface is easy to navigate and requires no special app—read our magazine on your computer, digital table or smartphone. Click here to access the digital version of RTOHQ: The Magazine March-April 2012.

 

 

A New Rent-to-Own Experience

by Neil Ferguson

Here’s the lowdown on APRO’s 2012 Convention and Trade Show, July 24-26 in Memphis. The RTO industry’s big event will offer many valuable experiences, including insights on how to turn your stores into “experiences”–the good kind for consumers

 

Who Is Your Competition?

by Bill Keese

In order to expand your customer base, you can learn a lot by observing your competitors. But first, you need to figure out just who they are. If you think your only competition is the rent-to-own store down the street, you’re not considering the bigger picture. APRO’s executive director offers a big-picture perspective.

 

A Review of Online Customer Complaints

by Ed Winn III

While rent-to-own companies have not cornered the market on negative reviews posted on consumer complaint websites, it’s no surprise that there are cyberspace beefs against RTO. APRO’s general counsel reviews some of them in search of a pattern and he considers appropriate response to online complaints.

 

Rent-to-Own Families, Part VIII

by Kristen Card

Our series of family-run rent-to-own businesses continues with profiles of the Homeiers in Kansas and two Texas-based sets of kindred colleagues, the Spangles and the Weisblatts.

 

 

Future issues of APRO's magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

 

Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
1504 Robin Hood Trail
Austin, Texas 78703
800/204-2776, ext. 103
Fax 512/794-0097