DeKalb, IL -- (SBWIRE) --06/24/2011 -- American Marketing & Publishing LLC reported today that the Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin economy shows signs of recovery as evidenced by substantial growth in local advertising by businesses serving Fort Atkinson. The 2011 edition of the Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin HomePages® Directory features 185 local businesses advertisements, a 21% increase in the number of businesses physically located in Fort Atkinson over the prior edition.

The US Postal Service is distributing 9,500 copies of the 2011 Fort Atkinson HomePages® Directory to every Fort Atkinson family, business, and post office box holder. The Fort Atkinson HomePages® are a printed community directory including residential and business white pages, a community information section, and a categorized local business Yellow Pages. Local information is also published online at http://CloseBy.com, an Internet Yellow Pages that submits business information to Google. The 21% growth in local business advertising shows evidence of renewed enthusiasm toward the local economy.

“It’s very encouraging to see this level of economic optimism in Fort Atkinson. Family owned businesses are the backbone of the country, and they do not spend money on advertising unless they are leaning forward.” said Abe Andrzejewski, CEO of American Marketing & Publishing, LLC.

John Wilmet, City Manager, has seen the growth first hand as he sees new businesses come to Fort Atkinson. “The growth that we’ve encountered is happening largely because we are filling the empty storefronts. Some of the vacant spaces have been filled by various types of businesses such as new bicycle shops and Mexican restaurants.”

Neal Polachek, President of BIA/Kelsey, a local media consulting and advisory service says, “Local and community Yellow Pages such as HomePages Directories have long been barometers of the local economy. Many small businesses are often among the more sophisticated advertisers and as such, they generally have their thumb on the pulse of the economy and they tend to know what advertising works. It is very encouraging to see this type of growth in Fort Atkinson in an otherwise subdued advertising market.”

American Marketing & Publishing LLC
publishes HomePages® Yellow Pages Directories in print and online at CloseBy.com in 415 small and medium sized communities in Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Founded in 1997, HomePages Directories help families support their communities with complete listings and profiles of local businesses, community information, and residential phone numbers. HomePages Text Marketing is a mobile marketing service that enables local businesses to send promotional offers to the cell phones of consumers who opt in to receive them.

American Marketing & Publishing LLC publishes HomePages® Yellow Pages Directories in print and online in 415 small and medium sized communities in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.