Breaking News

Business

ShopLocalCHQ Gift Cards Make Giving Easy

It’s gift-buying season, and we have two suggestions for you. First, please check out the extraordinary merchandise and excellent customer service you will find when you shop at small locally owned retailers. There’s nothing like the experience of supporting small shops, whether you’re looking for clothing, books, housewares, toys, and more. Second, if you can’t make up your mind or have a challenging person on your list, consider the ShopLocalCHQ Gift Card. The ShopLocalCHQ Gift Card makes a great gift for employees, clients, colleagues, family, or friends. It can be purchased ...

Shop small and support our local businesses, economy

Fifteen years ago, the American Express Company launched the first Small Business Saturday promotion, and it’s been growing ever since. Small Business Saturday is a day aimed at encouraging support of small locally owned businesses. At the CHQ Chamber, support for small businesses is baked into everything we do. In fact, it’s right in our mission statement: to build vital connections, provide professional resources, and champion our local businesses in Chautauqua County. A recently updated study by Capital One shows that 68 cents of every dollar spent at locally owned retailers ...

Dunkirk marks Small Business Saturday with holiday market

Dunkirk will mark Small Business Saturday with its annual holiday market. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. downtown. It was moved from D and F Plaza a couple years ago in order to drum up interest in downtown Dunkirk’s business offerings. Craft, gift and food vendors will be located at the Stearns Building, the Elks Club, the former P&G store, the Northern Chautauqua Catholic School gym, and other spots in the vicinity of City Hall. More than 75 businesses and vendors are set to participate. Free horse-drawn wagon rides, provided by Laff’n Lyon Ranch, will be offered from ...

Amy Rohler to Receive Pam Lydic Coalition Builder Award

The Board of Directors of the CHQ Chamber has selected Amy Rohler to receive the Pam Lydic Coalition Builder Award for 2024. Amy Rohler is Executive Director of the United Way of Chautauqua County. Under her leadership, the two United Ways of Chautauqua County merged after several years of successful partnership and shared services. She has been Executive Director of the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County for seven years and was previously the Executive Director of Community Helping Hands. She is passionate about problem-solving, collaboration and community change. Amy has a ...

County businesses benefit from Business Assistance Grants

The County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Jamestown Community College (JCC), and CHQ Chamber have announced the completion of their successful business assistance programs. Since 2021, the three organizations have been collaborating to assist area businesses or nonprofits with grant funding to upgrade their marketing tools and presence, with more than 80 different employers directly benefiting from the related programs intended to assist with recovery from the effects of the COVID pandemic. The largest program to be ...

Public Opinion Poll Affirms Pivotal Role of Chambers of Commerce

Results from a nationwide public opinion poll indicate chambers of commerce are vital to the prosperity of their communities. The Harris Poll survey, conducted on behalf of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), finds 81% of U.S. adults agree that their local chamber of commerce is a trusted resource and partner for businesses. Around nine in 10 feel that their local chamber has an impact on growing the local economy (90%) and addressing challenges within their community (88%). “The poll’s findings assert the crucial role chambers of commerce play for businesses, ...