Airplane lands at mall to promote flying lesson gifts
Skip Goss, president of Skill Aviation, went outside the box when brainstorming ways to promote his business.
He strategically placed one of his airplanes inside Northbrook Court to attract shoppers searching for the perfect holiday gift for that tough-to-buy-for person.
"You see people walking through the mall not knowing what to buy. They see the aircraft and their problem is solved," said Goss, a resident of Hawthorn Woods.
"The Ultimate Skybox," is detailed along the side of the Diamond Eclipse aircraft at the indoor shopping center.
Goss, president of Skill Aviation in Waukegan, is offering gift-boxed packages designed for the person who may want to get their pilot's license. As part of the promotion, selling for $285, the shopper will receive a gift-boxed package that includes a certificate for 90 minutes of ground orientation and an hour of FAA-approved instruction in the air, as well as a pilot's hat.
"You can go where ever you want to go - over your house to shoot pictures, to Chicago or Wisconsin," Goss said.
For the person not interested in obtaining their pilot's license, Goss also offers flights where a pilot will take the passenger up for a ride.
"This is something unforgettable," Goss said of the promotion that runs through December.
He adds that the gift is ageless. He sees children, including his 8-year-old son, go up and fly his planes with the assistance of an instructor, of course.
Goss says sales are picking up as the holidays draw near. He's sold close to 100 since the plane landed in the mall last month.
He says that 30 percent of Americans would love the opportunity to learn to fly. "It's a childhood dream for many people," he said.
Wii and GPS: How does your holiday shopping list compare?
The Nintendo Wii was the most searched for product on eBay over the Thanksgiving weekend.
eBay reported that more than 13,000 game units were sold with an average $349 price tag. Nintendo Wii Fit was another top seller along with Sony PlayStation 3.
Other popular gifts for the season, according to eBay shoppers, include the Garmin Nuvi GPS, averaging in price at $264, the iPod Nano and iPod Touch. The Apple iPone 3G, averaging $541, was the third most searched for product on the Web site. Other hot items include the Blackberry Storm and Blackberry Curve.
Healthy yogurt: If you need a break from shopping, Yogen Fruz is now open at Westfield Fox Valley in Aurora.
Yogen Fruz's big seller is the "Blend It," where customers can create their own mixes of frozen yogurt and flash-frozen fresh fruit. The store offers a choice of low-fat, nonfat or no-sugar-added yogurt, and 16 varieties of fruit. Customers also can choose 18 toppings from fruit to granola to carob chips.
The Canadian company is growing its concept in the United States. Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg was the first U.S. mall to launch the concept. Yorktown Center in Lombard and Orland Square Mall in Orland Park also feature the healthy treat.