Chamber Business Connection Winter 2021

BUSINESS CHAMBER

DECEMBER 2021 | VOL. 6, ISSUE 5

CONNECTION

A Holly, Jolly Local Holiday

Celebrating 20 Years and Going

Boo Was a Blast...

Chamber News Letter from the Director Member Spotlight Member Anniversaries

Local News: Let’s Wreath & Scholarships are Open!

GROVE CITY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GCCHAMBER.ORG

2 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021

IN THIS ISSUE: Member Anniversaries

08

Boo Was a Blast

18

Celebrating 20 Years

10

Planting a New Business

20

Local News

12

A Holly, Jolly Local Holiday

22

Revive, Recharge & Refocus

14

An Evening Affair

24

The Book Nook

16 REGULARS

CITY DEMOGRAPHICS Population: 42,400 Median Age: 39.7 Population Over 18: 79% Population Over 65: 17% Number of Households: 16,197 Average Home Price: $189,268 Median Income Per Household: $74,451

5

Letter from the Director

Encouraging note from Director, Shawn Conrad.

9

Member Recognition

Welcome new and celebrate current members.

Want to learn more about the demographics of Grove City?

Visit: GroveCityOhio.Gov/about-us-and-tourism/community-information

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021 | 3

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. Buy tickets to our Annual Fundraiser Dinner & Show Dinner * Dancing * Silent & Live Auctions * Raffles

Available at tinyurl.com/FOUNDATIONFUNDRAISER2021

Buy apparel, blankets & more through our online store.

tinyurl.com/gccfshop

Support us with your everyday online shopping with Amazon. Add us as your Amazon Smile Charity

tinyurl.com/gccfsmile Participate in our

New Annual Let's Wreath Fundraiser. Donate

a Wreath & Buy one for your home or business (Shop Nov. 26th)

gcchamberfoundation.org/wreath-it

Letter from the Director

YOUR CHAMBER Chamber Business Connections is published monthly by the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce with revenue from member dues, advertising, and sponsorship. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of the whole or any part of the content in this publication, by any method or purpose whatsoever, without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Only chamber members can advertise in Chamber Business Connection. To plan advertising contact the chamber.

Your Board

Our hope is that you will take time this holiday season to slow down, enjoy, and cherish your family and friends. Your Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce has been working and planning and we are poised and ready for an amazing 2022.

Kay Anderson

President Ed Fleming

Katie Fleming

President Elect Lisa Zeigler

Greg Dawkins

Wishing you the most wonderful of holiday seasons with thanks and appreciation for your help, support, generosity and thoughtfulness and a sincere wish for a fantastic New Year ahead.

Nick Connaughton

Thanks, Shawn, Marilyn and Heather!

Marc Fleming Dan Havener

VP of Finance Shelley Davis

Rachel Kutay

Past President Wayne Coakley

Tauana McDonald Heather Miller Chris Moscato Zack Roybal Dylon Sparks Trent Shelton

Watch our holiday greeting from the staff at the Grove City Area Chamber office.

Staff Executive Director Shawn Conrad Events Manager Marilyn Reiner Administrative and Events Coordinator Heather Brokaw Marketing and Communications KatBro Consulting Ltd.

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021 | 5

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Celebrating Anniversaries

RECOGNIZING MEMBERS

ONE YEAR: My Business Resource

Mojo on Broadway Tommy’s Jerky Outlet Grove City Nutrition Kindred Collective Skylark Toys & Comics Sublime Roofing Holistic Charms Transcend Coffee Split Rock Golf Club Ardent Environmental Services Steward’s Drafting + Design Willis Spangler Starling Jennings Insurance H&O Properties Blackburn’s Fabrication

FIVE YEARS: Legacy Retirement Group / Legacy Wealth Partners TC Packaging Crabbe Brown & James StoryPoint Senior Living Community El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant Instantwhip-Columbus, Inc.

TEN YEARS: Sutherlands Grenade Marketing Group

FIFTEEN YEARS: Integrity Plus Autobody Collision & Specialties KEMBA Financial Credit Union R & J Tire Service Inc.

See our 20 year celebration of members on page 10 8 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

LOCALITY CUSTOM APPAREL

JIMMY RAY GUITARS

OWENS CORNING

A new guitar shop right here in Grove City, Jimmy Ray Guitars brings years of experience and love of guitars to the business. They sell new and used guitars, in addition to connecting customers with the correct replacement parts and even other special customizations. Jimmy Ray Guitars also offers repairs to bring your old guitar back to life, and can custom build guitars.

Based in Orient, Locality Custom Apparel specializes in customizing apparel to your specific needs and interests. They aim to provide the best customer service possible and believe in working with local partners and printers. They also believe in supporting local organizations and charities and soon will have featured charities online so customers can shop to support that organization.

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3558 Broadway, Grove City (614) 202-5638 jimmyrayguitars.com

(614) 361-0551 localitycustomapparel.com

Owens Corning, known for its production of building materials, as a whole began in 1938 and has locations dotted all over the map… but their Central Ohio manufacturing presence has been here since the 1980s. Numerous production lines here at the Grove City manufacturing facility turn out countless products for retail and commercial purposes, all under one roof in roughly 80,000 square feet of space.

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3750 Brookham Dr., Suite K (614) 305-1176 owenscorning.com/en-us

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Chevron Pools JDog Junk Removal & Hauling The Look on Broadway Fischer Homes Treplus Communities Superior Ambulance of Ohio Locality Custom Apparel Priority Mortgage Planet Fitness Grove City, OH

Owens Corning Idependents Fiber Network Ashley Simonton PTG Tax and Accounting Doyle HCM Gidget’s Garden Center Expedia Cruises The Buckeye Ranch Community Housing Network

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RECOGNIZING MEMBERS Celebrating Membership Milestones, 20 Years and Counting...

This year the GCACC crossed the 700 member threshold, and we’re so excited to continue to grow, welcome in our new members, and create a valuable experience for all members.

We’ve welcomed over 70 new members in 2021, and the number is still growing as the year isn’t over yet! New member names (as available by press time) are listed in each issue of Chamber Business Connection.

To mark this growth milestone, we thought we’d also use this time to recognize members who have been around a little while… 20 or more years to be exact! We are proud of their accomplishments and enjoy having them as part of our Chamber family.

20+ Year Members (alphabetical order): Ace Truck Body ADPRO.org Air Quality Solutions Heating and Cooling Amazing Grace Christian Church American Awards, Inc. B&B Forklift Services Bennett Edgar Insurance Agency Best Western Executive Inn at Jackpot Rd Bob Evans at Stringtown Business & Estate Planning Services Unlimited Carriage Court of Grove City Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) China Bell City of Grove City ClientTrax Software Coldwell Banker Realty Columbus Messenger Community Veterinary Clinic Creative Arts Center Diamond Lawn & Landscaping Eagle Electric Edward Jones Investments—Deanna Sieren Cardenas AAMS Financial Advisor Electro-General Plastics Corp.

ERA Real Solutions Realty Everclean Aeration Services Feldkamp Chiropractic Clinic Franklin Woods Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Grove City Chiropractic Center Grove City Endodontics Grove City Family Dentistry Grove City High School Grove City Noon Lions Club Grove City Record Grove City Veterinary Hospital Grove City Vision Center Hadler Realty Co. Hickory Hills Golf Club Hilton Garden Inn at Jackpot Rd Hirth, Norris & Garrison Hoover Road Family Practice Jackson Township Kathy L. Hatfield, LMT Kirk Williams Co. Kiwanis Club Grove City Larry R Zapp & Associates Leavitt Group Midwest-Smith, Molino &Sichko Insurance Agency Little Theatre off Broadway 10 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021

M&M Heating and Cooling Maverick Builders McDonald’s Restaurants-Marich Inc., Hoover Rd. MD-13 Ohio Lions Monterey Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Center & Memory Care, Macintosh Morley Parren Bright Insurance Agency Nexeo Plastics Ohio Mechanical Inc. Ohio Vision Group OhioHealth Grove City Health Center Plank’s on Broadway Professional Clock Repair Psychological Consultants & Affiliates Quality Inn at Stringtown Rd Richard Cordray Rieser Brothers, Inc. Body Shop Roach Enterprises Robin Kurtz, DDS & Justin R. Kurtz, DDS Rock’s Trailer Sales Ruscilli Construction S.M. Miller Construction Co. Saxton Real Estate Schoedinger Grove City Funeral & Cremation Service Sedgwick Shawan-Marquis Agency Sound Communications Southwest Eyecare Southwest Franklin County Historical Society Southwest Public Libraries South-Western City School District South-Western Educational Association Spare Space Spectrum Business Class Spence-Miller Funeral Home Stark & Associates State Farm Insurance-Tom Marshall The Grove City Center for Dentistry Tigerpoly Manufacturing Tosoh SMD UPS Store Village of Urbancrest Visit Grove City Walmart Distribution Center Waugh Law Wing Inspection Group Youngs Accounting and Tax Service Zamarelli’s Pizza Palace

Celebrating Members’ Business Success We were able to catch up with two of our many 20+ year members for a quick Q&A talking about their business, its growth, and their Chamber experiences.

Air Quality Solutions, Larry Titus

Saxton Real Estate, Carla Rider

Q: How has your business grown since you first opened/joined the Chamber?

Q: How has your business grown since you first opened/joined the Chamber?

A: We joined the GC Chamber back in 1992 and were primarily a Commercial HVAC Contractor. We got much more involved in the community working and supporting our Chamber Events. This Chamber helped us evolve and grow our residential customer base, now AQS is consistently 50% Residential in sales. The mentoring and support I received as a young entrepreneur were vital to the success we have earned today. Proud Chamber Member, I hope to always make myself available to other young entrepreneurs in any way I can help and pay forward.

A: The connections we have made through the new business relationships gained from the Chamber have allowed us to grow our business as well as support others. We have always appreciated the networking, the opportunity to send each other business and ultimately support the community.

Q: What kind of involvement have you had with the Chamber?

A: I have chaired and worked most of our events, served on our Board of Directors and as the 2001 President.

Q: Why should new members get involved with the Chamber?

A: Join this Chamber because you love Grove City! Get involved and work hard at as many events as you can, because you care, not to sell someone something. Other Chamber Members will see this dedication and you doing what you said you were going to do. The sales and support will come after you earn the trust of this business community, not from blasting out e-mails or mailing out offers.

Q: What kind of involvement have you had with the Chamber?

A: We have sponsored events, volunteered our time and had employees on the board.

Q: Why should new members get involved with the Chamber?

A: Being a member of the Chamber is crucial for growing your business by networking with like-minded individuals. It’s great for advertising and a valuable tool for added resources.

Q: What advice do you have to a new business/new member?

A: Participate! Utilize all the Chamber has to offer. You will meet new people and be able to help support each other.

Q: What advice do you have to a new business/new member?

A: There are so many good People in this business community as GC Chamber Members. Nobody has all the answers or can do it alone.

Be humble enough to ask for help and give back of your talents whenever you can. Support Local Business!

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CHAMBER NEWS Ribbon Cuttings & Open Houses We’ve had so much fun this fall celebrating ribbon cuttings, open houses, and anniversaries. Recently we got to celebrate with Grace & 62 Boutique, KatBro Consulting, My Business Resource, and Priority Mortgage.

Planning an open house or ribbon cutting of your own? Be sure to let us know so we can help promote and come celebrate with you! Email Shawn at: shawn@gcchamber.org

Congratulations

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CHAMBER NEWS Chamber Foundation Updates Let’s Wreath: Store Now Open!

If you were waiting for the calendar to change to ‘December’ to deck the halls, it’s now time! Better yet—there’s still time to shop the Chamber Foundation’s holiday décor online store to help make your home or office merry and bright. 100% of sales will go toward the Foundation’s 2022 scholarship program.

A variety of wreaths were donated by businesses and community members; wreaths are at $50 or $75 price points. Each wreath is one-of-a-kind so if you see one you like, it’s best to jump on it!

This year we’re excited to partner with The Chandler and feature three specialty holidayinspired candles in the online store. Priced at $28, the three-wick candles are available in: Bourbon Butterscotch, Christmas Cheers, and Spiced Vanilla Birch.

In addition to The Chandler for their specialty candles and StoryPoint Grove City for serving as a pick-up point for items, we have additional supporters we wish to thank who have donated wreaths. They are: Air Quality Solutions, BeLocal Grove City, Dannette’s Floral Boutique, Margie Brant, Newcomer, Sue Bishop, Sue Brunner, Tooltex, Vitas Healthcare, and WesBanco.

Shop the online store at a time best for you and then pick up at StoryPoint Grove City (3717 Orders Rd.). The pre-selected pick-up date is December 2, but other arrangements can be made for alternate dates. Email the Foundation at: info@chamberfoundation.org and mention coordinating a Wreath It pick up in the subject line.

Need we say more? Here’s the shopping link: https://gcchamber-foundation.square.site/

Scholarship Opportunities 2021 is coming to a close, but we still have one more scholarship opportunity before welcoming in 2022.

The final 2021 deadline for a Chamber Affiliate Scholarship is Friday December 17. To be eligible for an affiliate scholarship, an applicant must be a family member or employee of a Chamber member business. Note that if using an affiliate scholarship toward a master’s degree, an applicant must be employed by a Chamber member business.

Our first 2022 scholarship deadline will be March 18. This will be the first deadline for Chamber Affiliate Scholarships, along with the deadline for our Chamber High School Scholarships. To be eligible for a high school scholarship, applicants must be a graduating senior (class of 2022) and reside within the South-Western City School District.

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WE:LEAD

Dozens of women in business in the Grove City community joined us for the return of the in-person format of the WE:LEAD Women’s Business Forum last month at the Aladdin Shrine Center.

With door prizes, goodie bags and a Garden Bar lunch, the women in attendance had a wonderful opportunity to follow with the theme: Recharge, Revive, and Refocus. There were ample opportunities to network with fellow women in business, and also a chance to check out the first-ever Author’s Corner which included local authors Janet Shailer and Susan Kay Box Brunner.

The morning-long event featured presentations and a keynote address from area women representing a variety of businesses and industries.

Dr. Ellie Scott, veterinarian and owner of Stringtown Veterinary Hospital, spoke to the importance of personalities in the workplace. She provided tips, including online tests, that could help employers best understand the personalities of their employees and how to best utilize those traits.

Shelly Davis brought her years of experience as a woman working in the male-dominated construction industry.

She shared how strides have been made for women to find a place in these male-dominated industries of construction and engineering, but there are still areas where workplaces can improve.

Katie Browder Person, a marketing professional and owner of KatBro Consulting, presented on the topic of personal branding. In-depth conversation was able to be had as attendees and Katie worked their way through the sub-topic of one’s personal brand, or personal standards and moral code, lining up with that of an employer.

Rachel Kutay, owner of My Business Resource, shared about the eye-opening concept of the great resignation— where employees are resigning from work that no longer satisfies or is no longer ‘worth it’. As an HR professional, she provided advice in navigating this trend and the importance of providing grace and understanding to employees with full plates at home with young children, aging parents, or other circumstances.

WE:LEAD welcomed Tauana McDonald as this year’s keynote speaker. As a healthcare executive, she shared generous thanks and praise to the healthcare workers, healthcare staff, and the community for their support of their neighbors working in or with healthcare. She reminded the audience that healthcare services everywhere are stretched thin (remember, heart attacks and accidents haven’t taken a break during the pandemic) and that patience and kindness can go a long way.

The WE:LEAD Women’s Business Forum is an annual event, but the WE:LEAD program is designed to bring women in business together throughout the year. In 2021, WE:LEAD was able to hold a few other small, inperson events in addition to beginning a book club program. Any local woman in business or leadership, or of this interest, is welcome to become involved. Check out the Book Club group at this website: 14 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021

WE:LEAD The Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Stringtown Veterinary Hospital for being the presenting sponsor of this year’s event.

Additional sponsors included: Franklin County Banking Center, Success by Sprite, Pencil Point Marketing, NextHome Experience-The Shroyer Group, My Business Resource, and Jeffrey Tadlock Photography.

The Take Home Items Did you miss this year’s WE:LEAD Women in Business Forum? Were you there but felt like you missed a few pointers? We pulled together ideas and concepts that you can reflect on or put to work for you/your business: • 60-second breaks for a breathing or stress relief exercise can be so valuable! It’s also been suggested, especially for those in ‘sit down’ jobs, that an hour should be divided up as 50-55 minutes of work time and then 5-10 minutes of movement or another sort of refresh time.

• Personality tests can help tap into the natural gifts of your employees.

There are plenty of free and paid versions available online, here’s one to get you started: https://www.truity.com/test/type-finder-personalitytest-new • Does your personal ‘brand’—your values, your ethics, your moral code, align with that of your workplace? If you and the workplace were once in line, it’s time to do some evaluating, and if it’s the workplace that has changed, it might be time to say something.

• Do an equity/equality check, and a safety check! Shelly Davis pointed out that women in construction can still face safety hazards due to illfitting equipment not designed for women. Comb through your business to work out any similar issues. These will be unique to your industry, but if you’re in construction or similar work, the safety gear as Shelly mentioned is a place to start.

• The Great Resignation is a thing, or rather an issue. Employees can have countless reasons to feel dissatisfied and now more than ever they’re saying enough is enough. How is your workplace satisfaction? Reach out to employees and see what could be done. One common ‘issue’ is balancing work and caring for family. Be gracious in working with employees to pull off this ‘balancing act’, perhaps by continuing to offer work-from-home options or even flexible hours. Check out this blog post to learn more: https://blog.trello.com/enterprise/how-to-retain-employees • Community support and kindness can help carry us through! Let’s continue to give support, kindness and patience to those in healthcare (especially if we are the patient/with the patient). Let’s also extend that kindness and understanding into all the corners of our community. Just as we may not have known how hard life was for someone in Spring 2020 until recent, we may never know the burdens someone else carries.

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WE:LEAD

“The Book Nook” Whether you set a personal best for number of books read in 2021 or your “to be read” pile is more out of hand than the sink full of dishes, we’re bringing you some book inspiration to close out 2021 and kick off 2022. Learn about the WE:LEAD Book Club’s first year, meet the authors who were part of WE:LEAD’s Author’s Corner, and find a few book suggestions from some of the women of WE:LEAD.

WE:LEAD Book Club This year a Book Club was established as a new component of the Chamber’s WE:LEAD program.

Programs like this allow WE:LEAD to be a year-round program rather than just one day a year for the Women’s Business Forum. Stacy McPhillips led the book club in its opening year and will hand over leadership duties to Rachel Kutay in the new year. Though the club is still growing and participation small, it didn’t hinder the quality of discussion had over the two books for this year.

“The discussions we had during both groups was really great!” Stacy said. “It’s fascinating to hear the diverse thoughts and perspectives on the book.”

The two books read in 2021 were: “The Art of Extreme Self-Care” by Cheryl Richardson “The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls” by Anissa Gray (While both are available for purchase from online retailers, both are also in the Southwest Public Libraries catalog system to be borrowed/reserved) Moving forward into 2022, the club hopes to grow in participation and establish a quarterly reading pattern. The Facebook group currently has a poll up for the next book (at the time of writing this Little Fires Everywhere was in the lead). Find the Facebook group at this URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/grovecitywelead

Virtual Author’s Corner This year’s WE:LEAD Women’s Business Forum also featured an Author’s Corner, which was sponsored by Success by Sprite. Chamber Executive Direction Shawn Conrad said that the Author Corner could recognize local authors, and give some emphasis to the new book club aspect of the WE:LEAD program.

“I knew from past WE:LEAD events that we have a number of local female authors in our area and I wanted to give those authors some recognition as well,” Shawn said.

Below we continue the local author recognition and share the bios of the women who joined us for this first-ever Author’s Corner.

Susan Kay Box Brunner is native to Central Ohio and currently resides in Grove City. She is an award-winning author, a motivational/panelist speaker, radio personality, workshop leader in the ABC’s of writing. Susan serves in the Columbus community and is involved with local Bible groups, the Grove City Women’s Civic Club, the Columbus Culture Arts Center, and the Grove City Writers’ Group. As a Christian writer, her novels range from inspirational, historical romance, adventure, and mystery. Her fiction book titles include: ‘Karen’s Secret’, ‘Sara’s Adventure’, ‘Tit-For-Tat’, a trilogy encompassing the years between 1945 and 2005. A list of her complete works (fiction and non-fiction) can be found at her website: booksgiftsbysusan.com Her books can be found at the Grove City Visitors Center, German Village Book Loft, the Southwest Public Libraries and on Amazon.

Janet Shailer, a founding member of the Grove City Writers’ Group, has been a journalist for 50 years and is the author of three local history books. Her latest non-fiction book is “Trouble on Scioto’s Waters – Soldiers, Frontiersmen, & Native Americans, 1725-1815.” This book covers Ohio’s early development from the Pre-historic Indians who lived in the area 8,000 years ago to the death of Tecumseh in 1813. Shailer is also the co-author with Laura Lanese of “Images of America: Grove City” and “Images of America of Modern America: Grove City.” Her books are available at Visit Grove City, 3995 Broadway, and on Amazon.

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From the Book Shelf Need a suggestion for your next read? Stacy, Rachel, and Shawn provided us with some of their suggestions for small business owners or other business professionals.

From Rachel Kutay: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly From Stacy McPhillips: The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg “This book was really inspirational when I was first starting out and I even incorporated some of the principles into my business core values. It’s written in story form, so it’s a super easy read and it aligns with my personal values so it was a feel-good business book all around.”

Huddle: How Women Unlock their Collective Power by Brook Baldwin “This book was just captivating! It’s a series of examples of how women move the ball forward by working together. From sports and media to politics and wellbeing, Brooke Baldwin shows us all the amazing things that can happen when women work together and support each other.”

From Shawn Conrad: Shawn provided us another vote for The Go-Giver! Here’s her take: “This year, our Board President Ed Fleming gave each Board member a copy of The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea’ by Bob Burg and John David Mann and encouraged us to read it. The story is a modern-day business setting focused on the powerful age-old truth of giving, while expecting nothing in return. An excellent read -quick and fun, I would encourage anyone to grab ahold of the truth behind the story. Other books in this collection are The Go-Giver Leader, the Go-Giver Influencer and Go-Givers Sell More.”

All of the above suggested titles from Rachel, Stacy and Shawn can be found in the Southwest Public Library catalog system to be borrowed/reserved either from the Grove City or Westland libraries, or from another library within the network.

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BOO OFF BROADWAY

“Boo Was a Blast...

Grove City ‘scared up’ some fun at the return of Boo off Broadway on Halloween weekend.

This year’s festivities were hosted by the GCACC for the first time and brought many corners of the community together as families, businesses, and family businesses gathered in Town Center to celebrate the spooky season.

Hundreds of kids and families came in costume for the parade to kick off the afternoon’s festivities. Characters of all sorts were on display, with some families having themed or group costumes.

Dozens of businesses set up in the Park Street Promenade area with fun Halloween décor and of course candy (some businesses even needing a replenishment!). Just like decorating the front yard or porch, businesses had fun decorating their tent or space and many also included their business industry with clever touches.

In addition to the candy rush, music and games added to the fun. Special appearances by beloved superheroes and princesses added to the occasion. This made for great photo opportunities in addition to the excitement of trick or treating with a favorite character.

Grove City Division of Police and Jackson Township Fire Department were also on hand for photos with the police cruiser or fire truck, allowing youngsters who dressed as first responders to meet our community’s first responders and take photos with the vehicles.

With this year’s weeknight trick-or-treat date being rainy in most neighborhoods, and 2020’s Halloween activities scaled back due to the pandemic, this Saturday event became ‘the’ Halloween outing for area families. Perhaps ‘for the first time in forever’ (as Disney’s Frozen would say), families were able to make Halloween memories.

Thanks to this year’s Boo off Broadway sponsors: Shepherd Insurance, The Antry Issacs Team at Saxton Real Estate, Walmart, and Grove City Radio- 96.9 The Net. To view a full list of businesses who participated, visit the Boo off Broadway web site: https://www.gcchamber.org/boo-offbroadway. And last but definitely not least we want to give a huge thank you to Issaac Antry Team from Saxton Real Estate Agency and Shephard Insurance for their sponsorship of this community event.

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CHAMBER EVENTS

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LOCAL NEWS

Planting a New Business: Growing Gidget’s Garden Center

By Sarah Hann Sometimes we seek out business opportunities surrounding our interests and passions, but sometimes the opportunities relating to our passions find us. The second is the case for Gidget’s Garden Center.

“Funny thing is, we never had any intention on buying a business,” said Marsha Mathews, co-owner with her husband Ryan of the new garden center located in Orient.

But, it did catch their eye and fit in with their interests of being outdoors and doing landscape activities.

“One of my stress relievers has always been yard work and/or gardening,” she said. “Now I’ll never be able to complain or be grumpy!”

Planting the Seeds Marsha explained that they were beginning to enjoy some new-found spare time in life. But as she browsed MLS listings for her realty career early in 2021, she found the garden center property listed.

The garden center had been out of service for many years, not long enough to be forgotten by locals but long enough that it would need more than fresh paint to bring back to life. Marsha and Ryan toured the property on Valentine’s Day 2021, and in the spirit of the day, fell in love with what they found.

“We saw the potential to bring it back to life again,” she said. We both understand the meaning of hard work and knew it would be a huge undertaking but we felt it was worth the chance.”

Not long after visiting the property, Marsha and Ryan were off to the races going through “what if” scenarios to see if they could make this possible venture work. This turned into researching what would need done in order to re-open as a garden center. Before long they were meeting with lenders and underway toward ownership.

“There were many ups and downs along the way but we finally closed on the property the end of July,” Marsha said.

Trimming the Tree While Gidget’s Garden Center was open for a fall season, they’re now gearing up for their first holiday and winter season—offering much of what is needed and desired to make the days merry and bright.

Gidget’s will get the season going on Saturday December 4 with their first holiday craft show, inviting in vendors and giving new customers a

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“We want this to be a welcoming place for the community and their families.”

In addition to the craft show in December, there are plans for a wreath making event. Marsha said after the holidays but as the winter blues set in, they have plans for workshops for all ages to allow for time to gather and learn or practice new skills.

They are also looking to engage with the community beyond the doors and property lines of the garden center in other community events. Marsha noted that while Community Garden Programs are newer, they are growing fast.

“They offer people a place to grow their plants, learn from others, and share their own knowledge,” she said. “It brings people together and now more than ever, we need to pull our communities together and build strong relationships.” peek at Gidget’s. For some locals, this will be a return to what they remembered as a garden center.

“We have received an outpouring of support from the community and we know how important this garden center is to a lot of people,” Marsha said. “The idea for the craft show allows us to bring the community in to be a part of our store.”

But Christmas spirit and spreading holiday joy will be more than a one-day event at Gidget’s. For a portion of December, they will be hosting a Toy Drive to benefit Franklin County Children’s Services.

Gidget’s Garden Center can also be your decorating headquarters as Marsha said they’ll have artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, poinsettias and all the trimmings to decorate for the season.

Supplying all Seasons Gidget’s Garden Center is able to serve all the seasons (even when Ohio packs all four into one day) and getting ready for winter.

Customers will be able to find go-to outdoor winter items such as firewood, shovels and ice melt, but also winter weather gear like hats and gloves that might be overlooked or forgotten until they become a must-have.

Those looking to hire out snow removal or other landscaping tasks, Gidget’s is able to put potential customers in touch with Gidget’s Outdoor Services which handles those types of jobs.

Making it a full family business, other family members who create hand made items such as birdhouses, jewelry, and wreaths.

“This is truly a business being built on the foundation of family and the support of the community,” Marsha said.

A Gathering Place

What’s in a name?

Gidget’s Garden Center is named for Marsha and Ryan’s dog, Gidget after searching for a name that fit. While Gidget is aging and makes fewer appearances at the store, her name and appreciation for animals is felt. Currently items for wildlife are offered, such as the birdfeeders or squirrel feeders, but Marsha said there are plans to carry items suitable for our domesticated furry friends.

Nurturing a Business With a purchase later in the year, the greenhouses that are part of Gidget’s Garden Center were unable to be fully operational for the 2021 season. But, Marsha looks forward to that being different for 2022.

“We are looking forward to the day when we have a fully operational greenhouse full of beautiful plants and vegetables that we can share with everyone.”

But, despite the work that was set in front of them, the later-inthe-season purchase, and work still in front of them, Marsha is glad they jumped on this opportunity and she encourages others to not be afraid to take chances.

“Buying this garden center was one of the scariest things we have done,” she said. “However, it is so rewarding when we look at how far we have come and we are excited to see what the future holds!”

Want to learn more about Gidget’s Garden Center? Find the center itself at 5975 Lambert Rd., Orient (this is off of London-Groveport Rd/665), or online at: https://www.gidgetsgardencenter.com/ The Craft Show on Saturday December 4 will run from 9 am- 4 pm.

Marsha gave a big ‘yes’ when asked if events, such as the craft show, would be an important part to Gidget’s Garden Center and building up the feeling of community.

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021 | 21

HOLIDAYS

A Holly, Jolly Local Holiday It’s always the season to shop local if you ask us, but as the holidays approach we wanted to create a holiday shopping (and dining, and entertaining, and just plain having fun) guide. Feel free to share this with your friends, family, co-workers… and even Santa, we’ve heard he likes to shop local, too!

Shopping Baskets n Boughs: Themed and specialty gift baskets. https://www.basketsnboughs.com/ Broadway Fireplace & Décor: Home décor along with fireplaces/design. http://broadwayfireplacedecor.com/ CardCollector2: Sports cards. https://www.cardcollector2.com/ Dannette’s Floral Boutique: Floral arrangements (including fresh), other gifts. https://www.dannettesfloralboutique.com/ Grace & 62 Boutique: Women’s fashion boutique. https://www.facebook.com/graceand62/ Grove Sheek Boutique: Women’s fashion boutique. https://www.grovesheekboutique.com/ Holistic Charms: Handcrafted gifts including candles and jewelry. https://www.grovesheekboutique.com/ Jimmy Ray Guitars: Guitar shop, including custom builds and repairs. https://jimmyrayguitars.com/ JL Local: Sage products, bracelets and other small accessories. https://jllocal.com/ Kindred Collective: Holistic wellness boutique. https://www.kindredcollective614.com/ Lularoe by Jennifer Carducci: Women’s clothing. https://shop.lularoebless.com/jenniferkcarducci Meyers Jewelers: Jewelry, including watches. https://www.meyersjewelers.com/ Midnight Oil Designs-614: Apparel, gifts, artwork. https://www.midnightoildesigns-614.com/ Mojo on Broadway: Ready-made and custom apparel. https://www.facebook.com/MoBApparelGC/ Precision Jewelers: Jewelry, including watches. https://www.precisionjewelersllc.com/ Professional Clock Repair: Clock repairs. https://www.proclockrepair.com/ 22 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021

Skylarks Toys & Comics: Collectable toys and comics. https://www.facebook.com/GroveCitysCoolestStore TC Knife: Custom knives for kitchen and outdoor uses. https://www.facebook.com/TCKnife The Chandler: Candles featuring pour-your-own-candle experience. https://www.thechandler.co/ The Farm Table on 62: Rustic-chic gift shop with local products. https://the-farm-table-on-62.myshopify.com/ The Flag Lady’s Flag Store: Flags of all shapes/sizes, including custom. https://flagladyusa.com/ The Look on Broadway: Women’s clothing and accessories. https://www.facebook.com/thelookonbroadway Tommy’s Jerky Outlet: Jerky, featuring specialty flavors. https://tommysjerkyoutletcolumbus.payscapecommerce. com/ Touchstone Crystal by Swarovski, Kim McCutchen: Jewelry. https://sites.touchstonecrystal.com/sites/kimmccutchen Tropical Nut and Fruit: Candy and specialty snacks. https://www.facebook.com/TropicalNutandFruitOhio/

Dining

If you’re usually the chef at home, it might be a gift to you to simply take a night off from cooking! Order in for a movie night, or take your clan out and let someone else do the dishes, too—either way, our restaurant members would love to serve you. Click here to view our list of restaurant and food-serving members.

Entertainment

If you’re into making memories, or trying new things, to mark the holiday season, these members would love to host you. Not sure of a date? Chances are these members also sell gift cards or certificates redeemable at a future date of your choosing. Click here to view this list of members.

Something else in mind?

Maybe you have a certain type of service in mind to give as a gift, or maybe you need a certain type of service. With over 700 members, there’s a good chance at least one of them is able to fit you needs! Check out everyone using our directory: https://business.gcchamber. org/list

Holiday Cheer

Looking for some holiday fun around the community? Want to help make someone else’s season bright? Here are some events that have been brought to our attention: Friday Dec. 3: Grove City’s Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Friday Dec. 3- Sat. Dec. 4: Heart of Grove City’s Mistletoe Market Saturday Dec. 4: Holiday Craft Show at Gidget’s Garden Center in Orient Sunday Dec. 5: Grove City Division of Police’s Cram the Cruiser Toy Drive To keep up with other local holiday happenings as they arise, be sure to follow us on social media (@gcchamber), follow the City of Grove City on social media (@grovecityohio), and check out the City’s event calendar: https://www.grovecityohio.gov/events/

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021 | 23

FUNDRAISER

An Evening Affair The GC Chamber Foundation’s Annual Fundraiser was held on October 15, 2021 at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Grove City. The guests were greeted during the registration by Harpist Miriam Weber Brown. During the evening music was provided by Tracy Carter and our comedy entertain provided Michael Kent. The buffet dinner was provided

by The Berwick. Guests had a lovely evening filled with music, laughter and delicious food. We want to thank our sponsors, guests and donors that helped us to raise over $23,000 to provide scholarships in 2022.

Platinum Sponsor - Eldorado Gaming - Scioto Downs Gold Sponsors Franklin County Banking Center OrthoNeuro Credit Union of Ohio Silver WesBanco ToolTex Don & Betty Hickman Bronze Newcomer KEMBA The Gabriel Family Wes & Sherri Love Capital City Mechanical Copper Danbury Senior Living Byers Chevrolet Frank Herman RE/ Max Metro Plus Grove City Area Realty Association Thank you to our anonymous donor Friends of the Foundation Blu-Willys Chris Roach A special thank you to all who attended, donated to our silent action and volunteered their time to make this such a special fundraiser.

24 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION OCT 2021

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