Vol. 16 No. 23 - April 6, 2016

BUSINESS

Shop the AM General Store

LaPensee Plumbing Pools Air

LOUISE BOLGER | SUN

Brian Seymour shows the 200 varieties of wine
displayed in the front section of the store.

BY LOUISE BOLGER | SUN STAFF WRITER

On Anna Maria Island, there's a village within a village and not just any village, but a green village. And what every village needs is a general store, and not just any general store, but a general store that sells wine, gourmet and specialty foods and has an awesome deck.

Anna Maria General Store and Deli on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria has been owned by Brian Seymour since July 2012 after managing it for the prior 2 ½ years. Originally located a little further down Pine Avenue, in August last year, Seymour relocated his business into Anna Maria's Historic Green Village. Not only was he eager to be in this location in order to expand his services and inventory, but he was also enticed by the green concept the village had embraced.

The building Anna Maria General Store now occupies is solar power, energy efficient with an eco-friendly cooling system. The Historic Green Village has earned a platinum LEED rating and is a net zero energy village. In addition, when Seymour was redesigning the space for his business, he insisted on using reclaimed wood on both the pine floors and the rustic display shelves and wine racks of what once was a vintage family home. As great looking as the general store is with high ceilings and French doors, the real appeal is what's inside.

The front section of the store is a combination of a well stocked wine shop and a mini "what you forgot to bring to the beach" store. Seymour carries 200 varieties of wine, artfully displayed, that will satisfy the fussiest of wine drinkers. The other half is a catch all shop where you can find a little bit of everything from suntan lotion to fishing gear to beach chairs, in addition to some local works of art.

The deli is the heart of Anna Maria General Store, and in its new location, there is a kitchen with a much wider variety of both hot and cold food. The deli offers an assortment of cold sandwiches like roast beef, turkey, ham and cheese, tuna, egg and chicken salad, as well as hot pressed sandwiches including a Cuban.

Seymour also offers breakfast every day featuring omelets, breakfast sandwiches, eggs, waffles and biscuits and sausage. Stop in after breakfast for some of the grill specials like pulled pork, burgers, Reubens and cheese steak.

The potato, macaroni, Farfalle and other salads are made in house, and coffee and tea are always available. The baked goods take up an entire display case and include cake by the slice, brownies, cupcakes, cookies and muffins. Across the room is another large display case containing cheeses of all types including Wisconsin cheese, ice cream and frozen locally prepared pizza. Most of the prepared items come from local businesses like Tyler's Ice Cream, Hometown Desserts, V & C Italian Kitchen, St. Armands Baking Company, the Traveling Gourmet, the Village Idiot and others.

In addition, there is a large selection of groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables, snacks, tobacco products, water and soda. Anna Maria General Store also has about 15 types of beer including local craft beers and local and national newspapers. You could literally live out of this store during an entire vacation and never leave the Anna Maria City limits.

And what about that great deck with nice comfortable sofas and tables where you could get breakfast or lunch and watch the passing parade along Pine Avenue? The deck is frequently used for Island events like Food & Wine on Pine and Bayfest, and Seymour is planning on scheduling some special food and wine events on the deck as well. He is also working on stocking more gourmet and specialty items.

Seymour wants to thank all of the wonderful full time, seasonal and vacation customers who have supported the Anna Maria General Store and especially his seven member staff, most of whom have been with him a long time

The Anna Maria General Store does indeed look like a timeless general store, which is exactly what Seymour was trying to achieve. Check out the only general store within the only green village on Anna Maria Island – your friendly local store.

ANNA MARIA GENERAL STORE AND DELI

503 Pine Avenue, Anna Maria

941-779-9200

www.annamariageneralstore.com

Monday – Thursday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday – Saturday: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Sunday: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

All major credit cards accepted

MyRA: A Roth IRA for beginners

Investment Corner By Tom Breiter

Many of my clients have built up a healthy investment portfolio and have confidence in their financial future. They've been saving and investing so long that it has become second nature. But what about the young people in your life? Do you have children or grandchildren who are just entering the workforce or struggling to pay down student loans? They may ask, "Where do I even begin?"

Introducing MyRA

The starting line for the race to a comfortable retirement may be clearer than ever. In light of the fact that 31 percent of American workers have nothing saved for retirement, the government has recently begun to offer a new retirement savings account that is perfect for beginners: MyRA.

MyRA is a new kind of Roth IRA designed to help those that don't have access to a workplace retirement account and are just beginning to save. The MyRA follows all of the rules that apply to Roth IRAs, such as income and contribution limits. The major differences between MyRA and a Roth IRA are that a MyRA is free and has no minimums.

Benefits of a MyRA

MyRA costs nothing to open and has no fees. Roth IRAs usually charge commissions or maintenance fees, which can eat away at the principal and make it harder to accumulate wealth. With the MyRA, an investor knows that all of their hard-earned money remains theirs and is at work for them.

Most private sector Roth IRA accounts require at least $1,000 or more to begin investing. For someone just starting out that can only squeeze $50 out of their monthly budget, saving up $1,000 to open an account is a hurdle. Many things can sidetrack or discourage a new saver, leading them to give up before they've even begun. With the MyRA, there is no minimum, so someone can start investing immediately.

MyRAs make saving easy because automatic contributions can be set up as direct deposits from a paycheck. As an added bonus, the account is not provided through the employer, so changing jobs has no impact on it and does not require changing accounts.

How is a MyRA invested?

MyRAs are considered low-risk investments because they are backed by the United States Treasury. Interest is earned at the same rate as investments in the Government Securities Fund. In 2014, that rate was 2.31 percent, and the average annual return for the 10-year period ending December 2014 was 3.19 percent. Though these are relatively low returns, for inexperienced investors intimidated by the volatility of the stock market, the security of a treasury-backed investment can be appropriate while they get started.

Once a MyRA has accumulated enough to meet the minimums for a Roth IRA, the account can be rolled over into one with greater investment options. The maximum for a MyRA account is $15,000 before it is rolled over to a Roth IRA.

If this sounds like a good option for the beginning investor in your life, help them get started on the right path towards a secure retirement. Have them go to www.myra.gov to open up an account and access more information.

Tom Breiter is president of Breiter Capital Management, Inc., an Anna Maria based investment advisor. He can be reached at 778-1900. Some of the investment concepts highlighted in this column may carry the risk of loss of principal, and investors should determine appropriateness for their personal situation before investing. Visit www.breitercapital.com.