The Market Research Center at Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business will hold its grand opening Tuesday night, but companies that worked with the program said they already are seeing results.
The center, housed on the sixth floor of Jubilee Hall on the South Orange campus, has worked with two local businesses to improve visibility and sales.
Recommendations by university faculty and students who staff the center made an immediate impression upon Stony Johnson, the owner of local restaurant Stony’s, on how to attract more students.
According to Seton Hall, “based on suggestions from the MRC, Johnson developed a Facebook page, installed televisions and developed a University Day, in which students get a buy one, get one free deal.”
“The University Day alone increased sales by 40 percent,” Johnson said.
The center also assisted Beaded Path owner Jennifer Berkeley with ideas to add more signage to South Orange Avenue, leading to a 20 percent increase in the beading business, she said.
The center includes an interview room with cameras and microphones, and an observation room with a one-way mirror looking into the interview room.
Jim Chambers, president of snacks and confectionery for Kraft Foods, will deliver the keynote address at the ribbon-cutting ceremony tonight.
According to Seton Hall, the center is the first of its kind in the metropolitan area.
E-mail Melinda Caliendo at mcaliendo@njbiz.com
