Chamber to Host Candidate Forum

Candidate Questions sought from Business Community

The Chamber will host a Candidate Forum for Fostoria City Council and Fostoria Mayoral Candidates on Wednesday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m.

In preparation for the forum and to best represent our members, we are asking you to submit questions you would like asked of the candidates. Please submit questions to: Sarah@FostoriaChamber.com by March 25.

The Candidates:
 
Mayor Eric Keckler is not seeking re-election after 3 terms in office. Don Mennel and Elliott Shaffer are vying for the open Mayoral position.
 
There will be three Council-at-Large seats open as Brian Shaver is running for Council President and Ed Logsdon is not seeking re-election. Greg Cassidy’s term will expire and he is running for re-election. Also seeking seats as Council-At-Large are Brady Hall, Kristin VanCuren Koester and Bob Podach.

Flowerland Seeks New Owner

The Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership (TSEP) along with the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce announced today that the owner of Flowerland in Fostoria, Ohio is looking to retire and would like to sell his business to an interested entrepreneur.

Flowerland is a successful and well-regarded floral shop with $320,000 in annual sales, standing orders, and referral contracts. Currently, Flowerland has two full-time employees and occupies a space it shares with a residence. The seller is asking for $50,000 for the business along with its inventory, contracts, and standing orders. Additionally, the owner is selling the real estate for $175,000. If the buyer needs assistance to learn the business, the seller is willing to help them and is also willing to set up a payment plan depending on the buyer. Eligible parties would ideally be interested in running the business themselves.

Current board president of the Seneca County Commissioners Anthony Paradiso stated his support of the project. “Flowerland is a business that has been in Seneca County for three generations, nearly one hundred years. This is a great opportunity to retain a well-known and respected business as a part of our larger community.”

Detailed information about this opportunity can be found on TSEP’s “Entrepreneurial Opportunity Clearinghouse” at tseoc.org. The opportunity will remain open from now until April 1, 2023. Interested parties should contact Adam Gillmor, Development Coordinator at TSEP, at gillmor@tiffinseneca.org, or by phone at 614.725.8086.

About the Tiffin-Seneca Entrepreneurial Opportunity Clearinghouse

The Tiffin-Seneca Entrepreneurial Opportunity Clearinghouse (TSEOC), launched in April 2021, is designed to facilitate the flow of entrepreneurial talent and capital to new business start-up, franchise, and business acquisition opportunities. There may be investors that do not want to run the business but would be willing to invest if a competent entrepreneur and business manager could be found. To date, the Clearinghouse has promoted ten opportunities and facilitated three successful business transactions: Bird Scooters, Kuebler Shoes, and T.J. Willie’s. Additional information can be found at tseoc.org.

 

 

Fostoria Safety Council Announces Scholarship

The Fostoria Area Safety Council will award a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior living in the 44830 zip code, wishing to pursue a degree in a safety related field. 

Eligible students must be a U.S. Citizen and enrolled full-time at the senior level, reside in the 44830 zip code, must demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in the field of Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, Risk Management, Civil and Emergency Services (e.g. Law Enforcement, Fire Fighter, EMT), Occupational Rehabilitation or a related field. In addition applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above.  Applications are available at the Chamber office, 342 Perry Street, on the Chamber web site at www.fostoriachamber.com/safetycouncil or through the school counselor.  All completed applications must be received by April 14 to be eligible.

The Fostoria Area Safety Council is a facilitated through a partnership between the Ohio BWC and the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce.  The Fostoria Area Safety Council is a resource for local businesses to examine and resolve safety issues in the workplace, study reliable techniques and learn about safety related topics with the goal of creating and maintaining safe work environments.  For more information about Fostoria Area Safety Council visit www.fostoriaohio.org/fostoria-area-safety-council or call 419-435-0486.

 

It’s Electric…at Reineke Ford in Fostoria!

Join Reineke Family Dealerships and the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors
Bureau for an informational electric vehicle (EV) event on December 15th, 2022.

FOSTORIA, OHIO – An informational electrical vehicle event will be held at Reineke Ford in
Fostoria on December 15th, 2022. This event, hosted in cooperation with the Fostoria Area
Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, aims to educate, demonstrate, and answer any
questions around electrical vehicles, in both residential and commercial settings.
“We’re excited to present Ford’s lineup of electrical vehicles, including the all-new, and all-electric, Ford F-150 Lightning,” said Tom Reineke, Reineke Family Dealerships.
The electrical vehicle event at Reineke Ford in Fostoria is free and open to the public. It will take
place from 8 am – 10 am on December 15th, 2022 at Reineke Ford (1303 Perrysburg Road) in
Fostoria.
Vehicles on display will include the Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and the Ford
E-Transit. For more information about the event, please reach out to Greg Dell with Reineke
Family Dealerships or Sarah Stephens Krupp with the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce.


Christmas is Coming to Fostoria!

Fostoria will officially kick off the Christmas season with a flurry of events beginning Friday, December 2 which kicks of the Downtown Fostoria Holiday Open House weekend and a season of holiday happenings throughout the community.

A Downtown Fostoria Stuff Your Stocking Shopping Event will take place Friday, December 2 between 5:30 and 8 p.m. to coincide with the 6:30 p.m. Tree Lighting on the Municipal Building Lawn and the first evening of the Fostoria Proud Christmas Card Display in Market Square Park.  The shopping event will include 11 participating businesses at which shoppers may pick up a red Christmas stocking stuffed with contest rules and a chance to win a gift card from one of the participating businesses.  Shoppers may travel from participating business to business stuffing their stockings with holiday goodies and coupons.  Any shopper who spends $100 or more during the shopping event, may bring receipts to the Chamber office by December 8 and will be entered to win a Fostoria Basket with a value of $100.  Businesses participating in the event are Red’s Pizza, Savvy Hair Expressions, Beyond Laser Creations, Second Wind Music Center, American Legion, The UrbanWoody Brewery & The HoneyBee Winery, Flippin’ Jimmy’s, Thistle Exchange, Java’s Enchanted Bean, Downtown ReEVENTed and Power Up.  A complete list of participating businesses, contest rules and more details may be found on the Chamber website, www.fostoriachamber.com/stuff-your-stocking

 

On Saturday, December 3 the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce will host the Holiday Sip & Shop at the Fostoria Learning Center which will include 45 unique vendors and food from OTR Smokehouse.  The Holiday Sip & Shop runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with free admission.  Also beginning at 10 a.m., the Fostoria Eastern Star Chapter will host Breakfast with Santa until 12:30 p.m. at the Fostoria Masonic Center.  The cost is $5.00 per person.  They will also be collected new, unwrapped toys to be donated to a child in need.  From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Downtown ReEvented will host Cookies with the Clauses at Hope Lutheran Church, 151 W. Center St.  Reservations are suggested and a donation of a new, unwrapped toy is requested to attend.  Toys collected will be donated to Toys for Tots and used during A Christmas for Every Child in Fostoria.   At 1:30 p.m. The Fostoria Rotary Club will host the Annual Rotary Christmas Parade which will travel down Main Street.  Throughout the day, local businesses will be hosting holiday specials and the Chamber is encouraging shoppers to support small and local businesses when making their holiday purchases all season long.

 

For the 15th year, Fostoria Rail Preservation will host Santa at the Depot immediately following the parade and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. from November 29 through December 22.   FPRS will also host two Santa’s Wine & Cheese Tastings.  The first will be held Friday, December 2 and the second will be held Saturday, December 3.  Both will take place at the LE&W Depot, 128 W. North Street from 7-10 p.m.  Tickets are available by calling 419-435-1781. 

The Fostoria Community Arts Council is also encouraging the spread of holiday cheer with their “Light Up Fostoria” contest.  The contest judges submitted homes outside lighting and décor displays.  Decorations must be up by Monday, December 12 and stay lit until January 2 from 6-11 p.m.  Eligible homes must be located in the 44830 zip code and be officially submitted to the Arts Council via Facebook, email: fostoriaarts@gmail.com or by calling 419-436-2787 by December 10.  The first place winner will receive $100, second place $50 and third place $25.

 

For a list of things to see and do in Fostoria, visit www.FostoriaChamber.com.

Stuff Your Stocking Shopping Event

The Holidays are Almost Here!

December 2 and 3 Christmas officially comes to Fostoria and we would like to help your business boost sales and increase the number of customers through your doors this weekend and all season long.  

On Friday, December 2 the Annual Tree Lighting at the Municipal Building will take place at 6:30 p.m. and the Fostoria Proud Christmas Card Display will return.  On Saturday, December 3 the Holiday Sip & Shop at the Fostoria Learning Center will take place and the Rotary Christmas Parade will be held at 1:30 p.m. and Santa will return to the Depot.

Last year for Annual Tree Lighting, there were about 100 people downtown for the ceremony, and we anticipate more this year.  Therefore, we are encouraging all Downtown businesses to have evening hours.  We ask businesses to be open between 5:30 and 8 p.m. during which we will run, Shop Fostoria “Stuff your Stocking” event. 

How it Works :

Shoppers will visit participating business and pick up a Red Christmas Stockings between 5:30 and 8 p.m. on Friday, December 2 (limit one stocking per adult).  Each stocking will be pre-stuffed with a list of participating businesses and some stockings will also contain a gift card.  Shoppers will travel from business to business “Stuffing their Stockings” with items provided by the business and of course making purchases.  Suggested stocking stuffer items are candy, coupons, additional gift cards and small holiday items.  Think Christmas Trick or Treat with a chance to win a gift card pre-stuffed in the stocking.  Shoppers who travel to participating businesses and make qualifying purchases of $100 or more during the event will be entered to win a Downtown Fostoria Basket.  Shoppers will have to provide proof of qualifying purchases to the Chamber no later than December 8 to be entered to win.  Contest rules will be printed on the list of participating businesses in each stocking, published on the Chamber website and in a media release to the local newspaper.

To participate as business:

  1. Notify the Chamber of your intent to participate by Friday, November 11. You may call us at

419-435-0486 or email us at Sarah@FostoriaChamber.com to let us know.

  1. Contribute at least 2 gift cards to be stuffed in stockings for shoppers. All gift cards should be at the Chamber office no later than November 18.
  2. Provide small items for shoppers to “Stuff their Stockings” during the event

(see suggested items above).

  1. Be open on Friday, December 2 between 5:30 and 8 p.m.
  2. Help promote the event in store and on social media. We will provide graphics and flyers.

The Chamber is purchasing 288 stockings which will be pre-stuffed with a participating business list and contest rules.  Some randomly selected stockings will have gift cards in them as well (donated by participating businesses).  The stockings will be distributed to the participating businesses no later than November 30.  Any left-over stockings may be used as giveaways on December 3, but we ask you remove the business list with contest rules prior to giving away.  The Chamber will also publicize the event with media releases sent to local and regional news outlets and on social media. 

We hope you will consider participating as we designed this event to help you gain new customers and boost sales.  You do not need to be a Chamber member to participate.  If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please give us a call.