**** NEWS *****
Showstar Launches Artstar.Com Beta and Exhibits One of the World's Largest
Private Coca-Cola Memorabilia Collections
NEW YORK, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Showstar Online.com, Inc.
(OTC Bulletin Board: ABID), today announced the launch of Artstar.com(TM) Beta
at artstar.com . The Beta site is the first phase of ArtStar.com,
the Internet's premier art mega-site launching this fall.
The Beta site allows visitors to preview the many exciting art-related
features and services that will be found on Artstar.com and introduces the
site's inaugural exhibit, "The Taste of the Century: The Chapman S. Root
Collection." The over 12,000 items of Coca-Cola(R) and other American
ephemera collected by Root, a former Associated Coca-Cola Bottling Company
chairman, represent one of the world's largest private collections of
Coca-Cola related memorabilia. Artstar.com has been granted exclusive rights
to auction many of the one-of-a-kind items with a portion of the proceeds
going to support the establishment of the "Chapman S. Root Collection" at the
Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences.
"We're excited about the launch of the Beta version of ArtStar.com, as it
represents a very important milestone in our corporate evolution," said John
Punzo, President and CEO of Showstar Online.com. "Stay tuned as we get ready
to launch the full version with an aggressive marketing program in the coming
weeks."
Artstar.com's premier exhibition, "The Taste of the Century: The Chapman
S. Root Collection," has never before been shown to the public. Exhibited
items include a 22-karat solid-gold replica of a World War I Coke container, a
replica of Star Wars robot R2-D2 bearing a Coca-Cola can designed body, and a
life-size restored Union Pacific(TM) dining car.
"Our inaugural exhibition embodies our mission to make the world of art
and collectibles accessible to millions on the Internet," said Kenneth J.
Linsner, Artstar.com Vice President and industry expert in art appraisal and
authentication. "'The Taste of the Century' is the first of many unique and
exclusive virtual art experiences coming soon on Artstar.com."
Chapman S. Root along with his wife, Susan, first developed their passion
for collecting Americana during their honeymoon in 1948, as a way to capture,
honor, and preserve the spirit of America for their family and for the future.
Mr. Root shared a passion for Coca-Cola with his father and grandfather. In
1915, the family business, the Root Glass Works, designed and patented the
contoured "hobbleskirt" Coca-Cola bottle that turned the soda drink into a
cultural icon and helped create its worldwide recognition. Root's Collection
of over 12,000 objects of Coca-Cola memorabilia and Americana gives people a
glimpse of American culture through most of the Twentieth Century.
About Showstar Online.com
Showstar Online.com, Inc. is a premier developer of Internet Web site and
e-commerce solutions. The Company has established a unique and scalable
e-commerce infrastructure by developing and integrating several leading edge
technologies. Showstar will design each of its unique Web sites to provide
information-enriched content that is directed at lucrative target market
segments. The Company's flagship Web site property is ArtStar.com.
"Safe Harbor" Statement Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995: The statements in this press release that relate to the Company's
expectations as to risks, in regard to the future impact on the Company's
material results, from forward-looking statements. Terminology such as
"premier" and "one of the many unique and exclusive virtual art experiences
coming soon," and new products in development, are subject to risk factors
such as competition, management of growth, financing, and other risk factors
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
The results anticipated by any or all of these forward-looking statements may
not occur.
ArtStar.com is a trademark of Showstar Online.com. All other trademarks
are trademarks and properties of their respective owners.
SOURCE Showstar Online.com
-0- 09/29/1999
/CONTACT: Barry Forward of VP Communications, 888-616-9333, or
barry@showstar.com; or Diahann Reyes of Neale-May and Partners, 415-646-0055,
ext, 502, or dreyes@nealemay.com; or Julie Glen or FOCUS Partners, 212-752-
9445, or abid@focuspartners.com, all for Showstar Online.com/
/Web site: artstar.com
(ABID)
CO: Showstar Online.com
ST: New York
IN: CPR MLM REA
SU: PDT |
