South Florida Business Journal

November 16, 2005

A quarter of the employees at Starmark International may have shopping on the brain for the next year. The group will be servicing a new integrated marketing services account for the agency: The Las Olas Co., one of the original investors in Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard

Because The Las Olas Co. is private, Fort Lauderdale-based Starmark said it is not allowed to disclose the account's retainer. But the 60-person agency did say it has a one-year agency of record contract agreement.

The deal calls for services including branding, advertising, public relations and Web site development. The goal is to generate awareness of The Las Olas Co. and encourage residents and visitors to the shopping and dining boulevard.

The Las Olas Co. also owns and manages the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Boulevard.

Irving H. Bowen, The Las Olas Co. chairman and president, said his company wants to continue to actively promote the ambiance, charm and business of Las Olas Boulevard.

"We believe Starmark, because of its creative and active role in the business development of South Florida, can help us raise the profile of one of Fort Lauderdale's time-honored destinations," Bowen said.

The Las Olas Co. was started in 1936, when two brothers from Chicago - Preston Wells and John Wells - built an 80-room hotel "with baths" and named it the Hotel Champ Carr in honor of its general manager. In 1947, Champ Carr stepped down and the brothers renamed the property the Riverside Hotel.

The Riverside Hotel is now one of the oldest hotels in downtown Fort Lauderdale. After a expansion and renovation project three years ago, the hotel grew to more than 11,000 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities and 206 guest rooms and 11 suites.

Like The Last Olas Co., Starmark traces its roots to Chicago. The marketing firm began operations there in 1978 and relocated to Fort Lauderdale 20 years later.