Business Expo ‘benefits everyone’
The annual event fosters local networking and benefits the Shop Rome holiday campaign.
Hundreds of Romans roamed the aisles of the Forum River Center on Friday, picking up pens, drinking cups, note pads and anything more that 80 local businesses were giving away at the 23rd Chamber Business Expo.
Drew Wharton, small business and entrepreneurship coordinator at the Rome Floyd Chamber, was happy with the public turnout Friday, and said the business community turned out in record numbers for the Business After Hours program Thursday night. Wharton said selling booth space this year, coupled with an opportunity for businesses to see improvements made to the Forum River Center, contributed to the great turnout.
Bill Adams, manager of Provino’s Italian Restaurant, 288 Shorter Ave., said his business always get a nice bump after the Expo each year. “We’ve been busier every year for the last eight years,” Adams said. “A lot of the same faces we saw today, we’ll see tonight.”
“It’s an awareness thing and an opportunity to create relationships, meeting new friends and learning their stories,” said Sheree Williams of Brookdale Senior Living Center, 180 Woodrow Wilson Way.
Jeanne Krueger, membership director at the Chamber, said the event is great for the Chamber members to have some
time to catch up on what’s new with their businesses and show off their products and services to the entire community. “It benefits everyone,” Krueger said. Admission to the event benefits the Chamber’s Shop Rome campaign. “Shop Rome is an important message and we try to make sure that we are constantly advancing that message,” Krueger said. “It’s important to know that you’re supporting your neighbors and local families when you shop local.”