Berkley Area Chamber

By Sara E Teller

Helping Keep Berkley A Hidden Gem

IT’S NO SECRET THAT PEOPLE LOVE THE BERKLEY COMMUNITY. WITH SO MANY ONE-OF-A-KIND EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UNIQUE BUSINESSES, BOUTIQUES, RESTAURANTS & EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, THERE’S MUCH TO DO & SEE.

For this reason, Berkley has earned the reputation as a “hidden gem.”

New to Berkley this Fall is the Berk Perk Discount Card, which is available to purchase at local Chamber member businesses and other outlets. Cardholders can take advantage of exclusive discounts and other offerings from their favorite spots around town using a QR code. Offerings vary business to business and are subject to change quarterly. Anyone with a card will be able to use the perks without limit, giving yet another reason to shop, dine, and use services in the Berkley Area.

One of the participating Berk Perk businesses that customers know and love is Woodward Corner Market, a large grocer that plans to make the cards available for purchase onsite so customers can save big on the groceries they purchase. The participating businesses continues to grow. Other confirmed participants are VITRINE, Republica, Odd Fellows Antiques, The Twisted Shamrock, Oak Park Social, Ullman's Health & Beauty, Peninsulas, Toadvine Books, Berkley Common, Card My Yard Clawson, Berkley Medical Center Pharmacy, Stransky & Company, The Wedding Shoppe, Republica, Kim + Tim Real Estate Partners Zoom Room

“The cards are only $30,” said Chamber Executive Director Darlene Rothman. “You use them just a few times and they pay for themselves. They’re also good until December 2023. We encourage families to buy them, have the grandparents purchase them, and give them as gifts. Most of the businesses are the same ones that support Berkley School activities, team sports, community events, etc. We even have a local realtor who is giving out the cards as a thank you to new home buyers.”

Darlene Rothman

A list of locations where the cards are available for purchase is on the BACC’s website. Eventually, the Berkley Area Chamber also hopes to partner with local businesses to offer special discounts to all Berkley schools staff members, as a unique way to thank them for all they've done during the pandemic situations.

“We always want to thank them for what they do, they are truly an anchor of the community,” Rothman said. She hopes this is an exciting alternative to traditional thank-yous.

IF YOU ENJOY EXPLORING ALL OF THE FUN THINGS TO DO DOWNTOWN or nearby, there is a strong behind-the-scenes partnership to thank for making it all happen. The Berkley Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are busy building an unmatch-ed destination location.

“I’d like to give a nod to the DDA,” said Rothman. “We partner together as much as possible, and our connection is stronger than ever and continues to grow. The new DDA director, Mike McGuinness, has really taken this to another level.”

Chamber members include not only Berkley businesses but those in surrounding communities like Oak Park and Huntington Woods, which have some must-see sites themselves. For example, three new businesses have recently set up shop along 11 Mile in Oak Park, changing the historical industrial face of the area: Dog & Pony Show Brewing, Unexpected Craft Brewing Company, and Oak Park Social.

THIS PAST YEAR HAS BROUGHT MANY FAMILY-FUN CHAMBER-LED ACTIVITIES TO THE AREA including the Berkley Art Bash held along 12 Mile Rd. in June and the Berkley Street Art Fest which takes place along Coolidge in July. Both are held annually and had unprecedented turnouts, even in the midst of the pandemic.

“The Art Bash and Berkley Street Art Fest were both very successful,” Rothman said. “They went forward as usual, bringing thousands of people to the community as well as great artists. We’d like to thank the City of Berkley which closed down the roads and prepared for the events. We couldn’t do it without them. We’d also like to give a shout out to Public Safety, who is always there behind the scenes ensuring everything runs smoothly.”

The Chamber’s Events & Operations Manager RoseAnn Nicolai added, “These events where the streets are closed would not be possible without the hard work that Berkley's Public Works department puts in to ensure the roads and sidewalks and the whole event area is ready to welcome the crowds. And then they put in even more time after to ensure every-thing is cleaned and opened up for business as usual.”

This year’s Art Bash was back to the same amount of vendors pre-pandemic. “We could not pull this event off without April McCrumb, owner of Catching Fireflies and Yellow Door Art Market. Her keen sense of picking the right artists for the art fair is vital to its success,” Nicolai stated.

This year's Berkley Street Art Fest again included a Shop for Good Village, which allows a portion of the proceeds earned to go towards a charitable or otherwise ‘good’ cause.

“Susan Rogal of VITRINE is the driving force behind that,” Rothman explained. “The program keeps growing. A portion of the proceeds earned goes towards a nonprofit or other organization, sometimes even third-world countries.” So, not only do customers get to bring home some great one-of-a-kind finds but they can rest assured they’re purchases are put to good use.

RESTAURANT WEEKEND RECENTLY KICKED OFF BOO!KLEY MONTH in early October, where patrons had an opportunity to dine out and enjoy discounts at many local eateries. The annual event gives them a chance to restaurant-hop for a night or two or simply enjoy a menu they haven’t yet tried. Participating locations had some unique offerings that were sure to satisfy.

“This promotional event was another great example of the Chamber and DDA working together,” said Nicolai. “The Chamber organized the restaurant participation and the Berkley DDA paid for and coordinated music at the downtown restaurants, which was a new addition this year.”

The annual State of the Cities event was held in October with the Chamber honoring exceptional community members and businesses. The Businessperson of the Year award went to two people this time around, Katie Kutscher and Chris Gross, former owners of Berkley Common.

“They’ve done so much for the community,” said Rothman, “especially during COVID. They created unique outdoor seating to accommodate guests and hosted events upstairs at Berkley Common. They’ve attracted a lot of people to Berkley.”

The Berkley Area Organization of the Year award went to Berkley First: A United Methodist Church, which is led by Pastor Zack Dunlap

“Their doors are always open to welcome the public to their events, and partner with local businesses and organizations. They also have a small food pantry box outside in front of the church. They’re just always very receptive, and involved with open arms,” Rothman explained.

Nearly every month there’s something exciting to check out, allowing for unforgettable memory-making. The Chamber is happy to support the many downtown events put on by other organizations including the County Oakland Irish Fest in September, Berkley DDA BOO!KLEY activities held in October, and the end of the year will bring the Berkley Holiday Lights Parade complete with a visit from Santa and a tree-lighting ceremony as well as the Berkley DDA's Merri Month activities.

OUTSIDE OF THE RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES EVERYONE ENJOYS, Rothman highlighted the outstanding service community, saying that many people come to Berkley for things like tax services, financial planning, working with realtors and more. When they come to the area, they inevitably wind up visiting places that look interesting nearby.

“I also work for Aero/Pacific Drapery,” Rothman said. “And I’m always asking customers how they found us. Many times, it’s because they came to the Berkley area for a service, shopping and dining.” The Berkley area has many reasons to draw people to the community.

The Berkley Area Chamber of Commerce continues to grow its membership and encourages businesses of all kinds to sign up and join in on all of the benefits it has to offer.

“Any type of business can join the Chamber,” Rothman said. “Members get access to networking events, foster connections with other business owners, and in turn, grow their own businesses. We highly encourage home-based companies to join us, which have popped up more and more amid the pandemic. It’s a reason to get out and get to know others within the community.

“Many of our members have stayed and grown throughout the years because they’ve gotten involved. Many members volunteer and talk with people at events as it’s a friendly, casual way to meet potential clients and customers. They’re not in it for a profit. They just know that conversations are memorable and encourage people to be aware of what they have to offer.” n

For more information about becoming a BACC member, upcoming events, Berk Perk cards and more, visit the Berkley Area Chamber of Commerce’s website, berkleychamber.com, Call 248.414.9157 Or email Executive Director Darlene Rothman at darlene@berkleychamber.com.

RoseAnn Nicolai