Shift your Shopping Passport

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

Shop Small and Shop Local this holiday season with a Shift your Shopping Passport. 

The Passport is full of savings and discounts at small, local, Chamber member businesses.  Pick up a passport at the Chamber office or one of the participating businesses and start shopping.  The Shift your Shopping Passports are valid from Small Business Saturday, November 25 through December 23.  Redeem your discounts and have your passport stamped.  After December 23 bring your stamped passport to the Chamber office and be entered into a grand prize drawing.  Each stamp enters you into the grand prize drawing The grand prize is a basket of items donated by the participating businesses.

For a list of participating businesses and the passport savings options click here.

Hi Scores Barcade & Grill Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed
Join us on Wednesday, November 15 as we celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Hi Scores Barcade & Grill, 224 N. Main Street.
The celebration will feature happy hour drink specials all day, 2 for $20 meals including an appetizer or dessert and soft drinks, free arcade games and special activities for kids. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Hopewell Loudon Spanish Club and their trip to France, Spain and Germany in the
summer of 2018. Come for the 4:30 ribbon cutting and stay for a delicious meal as well as crafts and activities for kids and families-a coloring contest, 8-bit bead art, and a photobooth! There will also be video game tournaments for Super Smash Bros Brawl, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Ultra Street Fighter 4, and Tekken 7!
Hi Scores Barcade and Grill LLC is a family friendly bar and grill located in downtown Fostoria next to the Level Up Games and More! They offer hand-pattied burgers and fresh-cut french fries along with a choice selection of sandwiches, subs, salads, desserts, and appetizers! Not only do they have a full service kitchen but there is also a full bar and arcade! The barcade area offers a varied assortment of draft, craft, and bottled beers along with top-shelf and house liquors for all your mixed drink and cocktail needs. Located in the barcade, soda shoppe, and dining room areas they have free wifi access and cable T.V. with dozens of FREE-TO-PLAY Arcade Cabinets and Gaming Consoles (NES, Sega, XBox 360, & more!). With weekly and daily specials on food and drink there is also Happy Hour 3pm – 6pm Monday through Saturday. They are open Monday through Thursday 11am – 11pm and Friday and Saturday 11am til 1am.

Menu

Like Hi Scores on Facebook

 

Chamber Launches Shop Small, Shop Local Campaign

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

If you don’t shop local, we won’t have local!

Small businesses are the heart of our community.

For every dollar spent locally $2 to $3.50 circulate around the community, helping boosting our economy through taxes which help our schools, safety forces, parks and neighborhoods.  Statistics show that 90% of small business owners donate money to charity while 70% donate time & money.  They are invested in our community and our community needs to invest in them.

The Chamber is launching a campaign to help raise awareness of who and what the small businesses are in our community and to help drive business their way.  It is a grassroots social media campaign designed to show the community the faces behind our local small businesses-the people you see at the grocery store, at school sporting events, at church and on the street- the business and individuals supporting our community non-profits and United Way, sponsoring your kids little league team and riding on a float in the holiday parade. You will begin seeing posts on our social media platforms and on our Shop Small, Shop Local tab on our web site featuring a local small business owner holding a red sign that says, “I AM SMALL BUSINESS” with the #ShopFostoria and #ThinkFostoria.  When you see these posts, please share them.  They only have an impact if we all share it, build awareness and take action by shifting our shopping.

So as you travel around town, you will begin to see red signs like this

in the windows of small businesses who are actively participating in the campaign.  Stop in and let them know you’ve seen their sign and will be sharing it on Social Media.

For the business it is free to participate.  They can complete a form on the Chamber website, www.fostoriaohio.org and we will send them free printables with the Shop Small Shop Local logo as well as thank you cards they can hand to customers that contain the #.  Once the business signs on I will stop out, get their photo holding the sign and post on Social media.

Small business invest in our community, let’s invest in them!  Shop Small, Shop Local Fostoria.

2017 Chamber General Election Guide

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

2017 General Election Guide

We encourage you to lift your voice and vote on November 7.  Fostoria sits in three counties which can make the voting process a little confusing.  Click on the link above for our “2017 General Election Guide” which will provide you with information on the issues as well as links about where to vote and what will appear on your ballot.

Also, be sure to pick up a copy of Thursday, October 19 edition of The Review Times for a comprehensive Election Guide including township trustees.

Small Business Roundtable

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

The Fostoria Chamber through a partnership with WSOS and their Economic Empowerment Project will host Hrishue Mahalaha, Managing Partner of Innovation Economy Partners, to facilitate a small business roundtable on Friday, October 13.  The roundtable will be held at the Fostoria Learning Center from noon -1:30 and its purpose is to gather key local business owners and managers to discuss ways in which their businesses could be better supported in the community.  The roundtable will discuss opportunities that reside in the regional ecology and those that lie within individual businesses.

Those interested in attending the Small Business Roundtable are asked to RSVP to the Chamber via email, sarah@fosotriachamber.com or by phone, 419-435-0486.

The Small Business roundtable as well as no cost short term business coaching are a few of the programs the Chamber is offering through the Economic Empowerment Project.

Fostoria is one of eight communities in the state participating in the Economic Empowerment Project with WSOS.  The project is grant funded through a Rural Development Initiative Grant.

Small Business Roundtable

Savvy Hair Expressions to Host Open House & Ribbon Cutting

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

On Tuesday, October 10,  Savvy Hair Expressions will host a Chamber Ribbon Cutting at 4 p.m. followed by an open house until 6 p.m.  Savvy Hair Expressions is located at 319 Perry Street and offers quality and affordability in hair, nail and skin care services for children to seniors, bringing a big city feel to their small studio salon–spa.

The open house and ribbon cutting is to celebrate three years in business and the salon’s new floor to ceiling facelift.  In addition, Savvy Hair Expressions received a Downtown Facade Enhancement Grant from the Community Improvement Corporation which allowed owner, Joy Walters to remove and replace unsightly and inefficient storefront windows as well as update signage.

The open house will have light refreshments and a raffle to win products and services.  Special guest, Tristan Thibodeau, of Honest To Goodness Health LLC, Scottsdale AZ. Masters in Science of Nutrition and Dietetics and Certified Holistic Health Coach will be on site sharing her unique specialties as well as participating in our raffle with the chance to win Free Personal Health, Nutrition and Wellness Consultations. All are invited to attend and help Savvy Hair Expressions as they celebrate three years, thank their existing customers, welcome new customers and show off their new and improved salon and spa.

Event Invitation

FASC to Bring Acclaimed Speaker Brad Hurtig

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

The Fostoria Area Safety Council will host acclaimed speaker, Brad Hurtig on Wednesday, November 15.  Brad’s message is “Find a Way”.  An accident shortly after finishing his sophomore year of high school resulted in the amputation of both of Brad’s hands.  Through hard work and determination he soon rejoined his football team.  In his senior year he lead his team defense, recording 111 tackles and received all-state honors while playing with no hands.  Brad has been featured on ESPN, has done a Ted Talk and comes highly recommended from other Ohio Safety Councils and the Ohio BWC.

In addition to speaking to the Fostoria Area Safety Council, Brad will present an assembly at Fostoria High School and will be sponsored by the council.

The November 15 Safety Council meeting is open to the public but RSVPs are required.  The cost to attend is $10 and lunch is provided.  All RSVPs must be received by October 26.  For more information about Fostoria Area Safety Council or to RSVP for the event, please call the Fostoria Area Chamber at 419-435-0486.

Downtown Business Owner Meeting

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

The Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau will host a Downtown Business Owner meeting Monday, October 2 at the Chamber offices, 121 N. Main St.  The purpose of the meeting is to bring together the Downtown business owners and discuss upcoming events including the holiday parade and plan meaningful business events to coincide with the holiday season.  Also to be discussed is the Chamber’s new Shop Small, Shop Local campaign and Small Business Saturday.  Please RSVP to Michele at the Chamber at 419-435-0486 or via email development@fostoriachamber.com

Thibodeau Seneca Lanes Announces Grand Re-Opening

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

FOSTORIA, OH- Thibodeau Seneca Lanes has undergone many new renovations and will celebrate with a Chamber Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, September 7 at 4:30 p.m.  The family fun center, located at 1090 U.S. 23, has added new signage and interior updates, improved machine operation, new ceilings and scoring monitors, big-screen TV’s and lane graphics. Traditional style leagues for seasoned bowlers will continue and more contemporary formats have been added for new bowlers.

Seneca Lanes has been managed by a member of the Thibodeau family for over 55 years.  Herb Thibodeau was recruited by Don Carter Lanes, Inc. and moved from Portland, Maine to Fostoria, Ohio in 1962 to manage Seneca Lanes, formerly on Route 18 (Columbus Avenue). Bowling was so popular in the 60’s a larger bowling center was soon needed. Ground was broken in 1974 for the new center on U.S. 23. An additional 8 lanes were added to make a 24-lane bowling center. Seneca Lanes opened at the current address in 1976. Herb managed Seneca Lanes until 2014 when he fell ill. At that time, Cas Anez filled in as manager. Upon his death, Herb’s wife Jan Thibodeau took over management of the bowling center.

Jan and the Thibodeau family wish to continue the legacy of service to customers in a family atmosphere for which Herb was so well-known. The two Assistant Managers, Jen Anez and Paula Sander have been committed to the operation since the 70’s. This was made possible when the opportunity to buy out corporate partners was recently presented.

Herb was best known for his dedication to his customers. Friends and family have said, “Herb wrote the book on customer service.” This is the legacy the Thibodeau family will use as a cornerstone moving forward.

The Thibodeau Family is very excited about the initial investment made this summer. Herb was a firm believer in investing in Fostoria and keeping his money local. There are more investments and enhancements planned.  The family invites the community to come out and see what’s new and happening and they welcome the opportunity to serve Fostoria and the surrounding communities in their premier entertainment center.

Event Invitation

For more information email Sarah@FostoriaChamber.com .

Farm to Table Dinner Tickets on Sale Now

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

FOSTORIA,OH- The Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce will host its first ever Farm to Table dinner.  The dinner, presented by Reineke Family Dealerships and Mr. and Mrs. Bill J. Bowling, will be held right on Main Street from 100 to 125 North Main Street and will be held Saturday, September 16 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

The dinner will help kick off the Chamber’s Shop Small, Shop Local initiative and will feature locally sourced foods prepared by Birchaven and Independence House Executive Chef Timothy Cooper.

“We are very excited for this event as guests will be amazed they are actually dining on the street.  Thanks to the creative efforts of Linda Bowling and Paula Walter, the event decorators, guests will be transported into a fall themed dining experience,” said Sarah Stephens Krupp, Chamber Director.

“Fostoria has a strong agribusiness base and we thought a Farm to Table dinner celebrating the season’s harvest would be a great way to kick off our Shop Small, Shop Local campaign while highlighting our local farmers and agribusiness community”.  According to Stephens Krupp, the campaign aims to educate the community about the importance of shopping at small local business.  “Money spent at small local business not only keeps businesses operational in our community but it greatly improves our local economy.”

The event will also feature wines from Chateau Tabeau winery.  Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Chamber office at 419-435-0846 or via the online registration site.