The Chamber
of Commerce is made up of local business owners, service
organizations and private citizens who VOLUNTEER their
time and effort to help promote commerce in the greater
Sayville area.
Please note the word volunteer, as we are funded by our
own membership dues, fund raisers, and occasionally
grants. We are fortunate to have a committee whose purpose
is to secure government grants which are used for local
capital improvements such as side walks, trash bins and
other forms of beautification to make our town, not only a
better place to shop and do business but also a more
pleasant place to live.
Did you know that the money raised by the Summerfest goes
to fund our holiday parades, Easter festivities, watering
of the planters in town, the fall festival, holiday
lights, tree lighting, concerts, etc.
What would our community be without these events and other
efforts to make this a better place to live? What would
our community be with vacant retail space?
Did you know that local businesses generate 70% more local
economic impact per square foot than chain stores?
Spending $100 at one of the neighborhood independent
businesses creates $68 in additional local economic
activity, while spending $100 at a chain store produces
only $43 worth of local impact.
Because chains funnel more of this revenue out of the
local economy, for every square foot of space occupied by
a chain, the local impact is $105, compared to $179 for
every square foot occupied by an independent business,
based on statistics compiled by Tom Isles, the director of
Planning for Suffolk County.
Studies have shown that a healthy and vital “downtown” and
surrounding local shopping areas have a positive impact on
the real estate and the desire to live in that community.
So often the efforts of so many go unnoticed. It is easier
to criticize and be judgmental than to be part of the
effort. The chamber of commerce is not immune to
criticism; we are always looking for new ideas to promote
commerce in the greater Sayville area and to be part of
this great community.
This piece was written for informative purposes, for more
information about The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce
and a list of our members, please go to our web site
www.sayvillechamber.com.
William C. Hoover,
President of The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce
This article appeared in
The Suffolk County News on April 27, 2006, Issue No. 16
E-MAIL: info@sayvillechamber.com |
