The CHQ Chamber is building connections day in and day out: business to consumer connections, business to business connections, and business connections with resources that help you run your business. These connections come in a variety of forms, sometimes physical connections as we frequently put businesspeople in rooms together for networking or learning opportunities, and sometimes online connections to products or promotions designed to help businesses grow and thrive. When these connection points are overlaid on the communities we serve all local businesses benefit.

As a countywide business association, we work hard to make sure we are offering programs throughout all of Chautauqua County during the year. We purposely schedule workshops, networking events, advocacy events, and annual events at venues scattered throughout the county. This year we already have programs scheduled in Celoron, Chautauqua, Clymer, Dunkirk, Falconer, Forestville, Jamestown, Lakewood, Silver Creek, Sheridan, and Westfield. We are also working to lock in a few more venues for events in the fall and next winter.

In addition, we work closely with local members and volunteers in a variety of communities to provide targeted programs that may impact a regional business district, all with an eye on meeting our mission to build vital connections, provide professional resources, and champion our local businesses in Chautauqua County.

Business is intertwined with community. Small locally owned businesses create a unique sense of place and provide spaces where we can connect with one another. Our work to drive customers into those businesses is vital for their economic health and for the overall well-being of the communities they serve.

At the same time, we have long recognized the importance of reaching a broader customer base by expanding communications and outreach countywide. Commerce doesn’t happen in a vacuum or in isolated pockets. It happens within villages, towns and cities, community to community, county to county, state to state, and nation to nation. We are a mobile society. That’s a key reason why the CHQ Chamber works for the benefit of all local businesses, helping to spread the word in a variety of ways as a true advocate for small businesses.

BUSINESS BUILDER WORKSHOP: BOOST YOUR FOOT TRAFFIC

The CHQ Chamber will present its first Business Builder Workshop of the year on the crucial topic of boosting foot traffic for local businesses. Whether you have a retail shop, restaurant, or service industry, you’ll gain some tips on how to drive more customers through your door.

This Business Builder Workshop will be held Wednesday, February 26 from 9:30 – 11:30 am at the SUNY Fredonia Center for Innovation and Economic Development (formerly the Technology Incubator), 214 Central Avenue, Dunkirk.

We will pack a variety of topics into this session, including a brief overview of the ShopLocalCHQ Gift Card; some social media marketing tips for small businesses from our new Director of Membership Development Bob Lingle, who also owns his owns small business; a look at a fresh approach to foot traffic through product placement from Dawn Murphy who owns and operates Whizz-n-Smash, producing a wide variety of nut butters distributed far and wide; and an overview of Bandwango, the CHQ Chamber’s newly acquired platform that helps to build foot traffic around online passes.

All CHQ Chamber workshops are designed to be both a learning experience tied with a bit of networking. It is free for all to attend. Pre-registration is requested for planning purposes and is open now through the Chamber’s web calendar at www.chqchamber.org.

HANOVER COMMITTEE TO HOLD SIP &

CELEBRATE

The CHQ Chamber’s Hanover Committee invites local businesspeople to a special evening of networking and camaraderie at Merritt Estate Winery in Forestville, Thursday, March 13. Sip & Celebrate is a fun way to close the winter season and mingle with other regional businesspeople. There will be complimentary snacks from Merritt Estate Winery along with pizza from Villaggio Italiano, and a cash bar from the winery. There will be a 50/50 drawing and some prize raffles. There is no charge for Chamber members. For non-members the cost is $10. Advance registration is appreciated for planning purposes. You can register online through the Chamber’s web calendar at www.chqchamber.org.

CHAMBERS TO HOLD COLLABORATIVE EVENT AT AUDUBON

Audubon Community Nature Center, located at 1600 Riverside Road, Jamestown, will host the CHQ Chamber and the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry in a collaborative Business After Hours Event, on Thursday, March 20 from 5-6:30pm. This event will be a preview for Audubon Lights, which kicks off its three-weekend run the following evening. Audubon Lights features a half mile-long trail of lights after sunset including luminaries on the trail edges, illuminated trees, and special light displays at various points along the trail.

Business doesn’t end at a line on a map, exemplified by Audubon Community Nature Center which serves communities across state lines and draws visitors and volunteers from both Chautauqua and Warren counties. Both Chambers are excited to hold this collaborative event that demonstrates the power of regional collaboration and fosters stronger connections.

All local businesspeople are invited to attend this special networking event, which will include complimentary appetizers and beverages, with tips to benefit the Audubon Community Nature Center’s mission of connecting people to nature. Bring business cards for networking and door prize drawings.

CHQ Chamber member organizations can send two people free of charge to all Business After Hours events. Non-members or anyone above the two-person limit will be $10. Registration for CHQ Chamber members is open online now through the Chamber’s web calendar at www.chqchamber.org. Members of the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry should email Savannah Casey at szimmerman@wccbi.org to register free of charge. Advanced registration is strongly encouraged by March 14.

Business After Hours at Audubon Community Nature Center is sponsored by Anchor Advisors, DFT Communications, Jamestown Community College, Kinetic Business, Media One Radio Group, Northwest, Observer, The Post-Journal, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Superior Tire & Rubber Corp., United Refining Company, and Whirley DrinkWorks!