Did you know that consumer spending in the United States for Valentine’s Day is expected to top $23 billion this year? That includes gifts purchased for partners, friends, children, pets, and more. The National Retail Federation has been conducting its annual Valentine’s Day consumer spending survey since 2004, so we anticipate their projections are fairly accurate. According to the NRF, the top items consumers plan to give for the holiday are candy, greeting cards, flowers, an evening out, and jewelry.
Let’s assume your heart is in the right place to create a special experience for your Valentine, but you just don’t know where to start. Visit the Chamber’s website at www.chautauquachamber.org and go to our online Business Directory. From there you can do a quick search by category listing or keyword to find what you need for the upcoming holiday. Browse restaurants, gifts, candy, florists, jewelers, and more to find local merchants to suit your needs.
If you operate a local business, we suspect you are already geared up for the upcoming shopping burst for the holiday! Just one quick reminder, if you sell merchandise, gift cards, or services through the Chamber’s ShopLocalCHQ online marketplace, be sure to update your items to list any Valentine’s Day special offerings you may have for sale and allow buyers to pick up their purchases in your store in case they are making last-minute purchases.
For Valentine’s Day, and for every holiday or special occasion throughout the year, we remind everyone to shop locally and support small business. Small, locally owned businesses are not just the economic backbone of our communities, they are integral to creating our sense of place and differentiating our cities and villages. Our entire region benefits when we support small business!
TUESDAYâ…TALKS: BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING
FEBRUARY 8
The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Talks present a forum for panel discussion and informational programs on a variety of issues pertinent to all businesses. The next Tuesday Talks event will be held Tuesday, February 8 at 8:30am with a panel discussion on Business Succession Planning. Whether you are a business owner looking to sell or to transition to the next generation, or even if you are not in those markets now but may be in the future, this discussion can be valuable for you. Panelists will be: Andy Reinwald, President of Ripley Machine & Tool Co., Danny Hickman, Business Advisory with the Small Business Development Center, and Eric Harvey, Financial Representative with Alliance Advisory Group.
All local businesspeople are invited to attend this free online event. We encourage you to pick up some coffee or takeout from a local restaurant, and then join us online for this hour-long event, conveniently brought to you where you work. Tuesday Talks is sponsored by OBSERVER and The Post-Journal. Register now through the Chamber’s online calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org to get the Zoom link for this event.
MAYVILLE WINTER FESTIVAL SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
After a one-year pandemic hiatus, the Mayville Winter Festival will be back this year with events and fun for the whole family! The Mayville-Chautauqua Community Chamber of Commerce has been hard at work planning for many months, and the festival is scheduled for President’s Day Weekend, February 18-20 at Lakeside Park. This is always an outstanding event, featuring something for all: snow sports and activities, kid’s games, a beverage tent, crafts, and much more! Due to the size and variety of activities with this event, volunteers are always needed. If you would like to assist in any way, please contact Mayville-Chautauqua Community Chamber Coordinator Shannon Biekarck at [email protected]. To stay up to date on the Mayville Winter Festival, watch their page on Facebook or keep an eye on the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce calendar online at www.chautauquachamber.org.
DOORS OPEN JAMESTOWN IS
MARCH 5
Fifteen local attractions will take part this year in Doors Open Jamestown, scheduled for 10am-4pm Saturday, March 5. Doors Open is a free admission day at local museums and attractions. Participating attractions are Audubon Community Nature Center, Busti Grist Mill, Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, Fenton History Center, Infinity Visual & Performing Arts, James Prendergast Public Library, Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum*, Lucille M. Wright Air Museum, Martz-Kohl Observatory, Marvin Community House*, National Comedy Center*, Northwest Arena, Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, Robert H. Jackson Center, and Roger Tory Peterson Institute. Asterisks denote those that will require advance registration.
The Marvin Community House will take pre-registration by phone at (716) 488-6206 or by email to [email protected].
Advanced online pre-registration will be required by the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum at ComedyCenter.org/DoorsOpen. Pre-registration for both museums opens on 2/22/22 at 2:00 pm, with limited availability due to health and safety protocols.
This year, the Doors Open scavenger hunt will be done via text message. When you visit a participating attraction, look for the text keyword for that attraction and use your mobile device to easily submit an entry. Some local Chamber member businesses will also offer keywords, offering even more chances to win when you make a stop for lunch or shopping part of your Doors Open agenda for the day. The more keywords you submit the more chances you’ll get to enter. The Chamber of Commerce is assembling four prize packages featuring ShopLocalCHQ gift cards and merchandise from the local attractions.
