Thursday, October 9, 1997
Merchants use Web to attract business
Student’s web site features shops, restaurants, other events
By Rachel Munoz
Daily Bruin Contributor
As of Oct. 1, Westwood has gone virtual.
So next time you’re on the Internet, you can check out
everything that Jerry’s Deli has to offer … or figure out
showtimes for movies … or anything else you need to know about
UCLA’s hometown.
Will UCLA students log onto a URL offering tips on Westwood? One
student certainly hopes so.
Adam Dornbusch, a second-year economics student, thought that
the idea of a Westwood web site was perfectly logical. He came up
with the concept at the beginning of the summer and started his own
company, A.D. Net, to develop the page.
With "lots of friends in the industry" helping him out and a few
business trips to Westwood from his Northern California home,
Dornbusch approached Westwood merchants with "dry phone calls and
meetings," he explained. Previous work with web pages allowed
Dornbusch to design WWW.WestwoodVillage.NET in about three
months.
One might doubt the motivation a second-year UCLA student would
possess in designing such a web site.
"There are lots of things in Westwood that people don’t know
about," Dornbusch explains. "The freshman are the key – we need to
get them down to Westwood."
He believes that a Westwood web site is the best way of reaching
the freshman because the residence halls provide Internet
access.
Of the 240 Westwood businesses, 20 are either working with
Dornbusch or have already had a web site page designed for their
company. These individual web site pages can be found off of the
main Westwood Village site.
Dornbusch has recently closed a deal with Jerry’s Deli to not
only create their web site, but to put the entire menu on the
web.
"He came in a couple months ago … and went above and beyond
with a presentation," explained Sam Abikzer, the general manager
for Jerry’s Deli.
Abikzer truly believes that UCLA students will log onto the web
site. "I want to attract all students," he said.
Helping the growth of Jerry’s Deli was one of Abikzer’s main
considerations in deciding to do business with Dornbusch.
Growth was a similar concern for new Westwood Village web site
company, Eyes of Westwood.
"Obviously, I want to maximize my exposure to students,"
explained Dr. Patrick Doyle of Eyes of Westwood, an ophthalmology
outlet. "(The web site) is an opportunity to offer more information
to students."
Dr. Doyle would like to put different information on his web
page beyond what is usually advertised in the Daily Bruin. He
believes that more information and further specials will draw UCLA
students to log onto the web site and look up Eyes of Westwood.
"I’m giving everyone their own page, basically," Dornbusch said
of the businesses involved with him.
The inexpensive cost of a web page – setup is approximately $30
– is the reason the Sigma Chi fraternity decided to use A.D. Net as
the company to set up their web site, explained Brian Schelter, a
second-year economics student in charge of the computer
responsibilities in the house.
Schelter hopes that a web page on WWW.WestwoodVillage.NET will
put "a positive image out" to those who do not hold fraternities in
the highest regard.
He wants to show the philanthropic activities of his fraternity,
their sports activities and draw back alumni who may have lost
touch with Sigma Chi.
Once a business account is established with Dornbusch, a web
page is designed to the company’s satisfaction and the businesses
are then categorized according to their service.
Dornbusch has organized these services as entertainment,
clothing and accessories, things to buy, places to stay, services,
food and drink, banks and health services. After clicking one of
these choices, the affiliated Westwood businesses are listed,
allowing for the Internet user to choose a company’s page and learn
more about the company.
A map of the village is also provided to locate the
business.
Also available is a link to Bruin Lair, a page devoted to UCLA
events, It includes sports information, a Greek link, classifieds
and movie listings.
"But the real innovation is the synergy of on- and off-campus
advertising at UCLA with Internet technology," Dornbusch stated in
a press release.
He would like to connect Westwood to UCLA via the Internet,
making Westwood more familiar to students. "The freshmen need this
information," he added.
But Dornbusch believes that UCLA students shouldn’t be the only
ones who really know their college stomping grounds.
If all works well with WWW. Westwood Village, Dornbusch hopes to
design more university web sites.
"I would love to have a huge UC link," he said. In the meantime,
however, Dornbusch has his hands full with the Westwood web
site.
"I need people to look at it," for it to be successful, he
explains. Without the viewers, he added, advertising on the web
just isn’t worth it.