Brothers and Kings County economic development specialist Mark Strickland were in Greenwood Feb. 19 to kick off what Brothers called a county-wide business tour.
Over the past year, Brothers said, she visited Kings County wineries to talk about what barriers they might have and how the county might help.
Brothers says she felt the wine tour was a success, so she is expanding the idea to include Kings County businesses.
“We started the wine tour in the eastern end of the county, so we’ve decided to begin the business tour at the western end,” she said. The Feb. 19 meeting, the first in the series, was held at the Greenwood Mall.
“The focus is to let local businesses know Kings County is open for business,” Brothers said. “We’re here to listen to the experts – the business owners themselves – to find out what challenges they’re facing and how we might help. We want to hear their stories and their concerns.”
Brothers said that similar to the wine tour, “the positive thing is that it allows us to be proactive. If a business needs help or guidance, and we might be able to help, we want to know about it.”
Brothers designed the tour with the help of Adam Daniels, her executive co-ordinator, and Strickland, whose area of expertise is economic development.
“Mark, Adam and I are planning to hold meetings like this in different parts of the county. I happen to be the district councillor for Greenwood. I’ll be inviting the district councilors for each district to attend the meeting planned for their district.”
Kings County business owners, she said, “need a venue to express their concerns, talk about their successes, and tell us what they need help with.”
In terms of business in Kings County, Brothers acknowledged there are barriers.
“We already know that, and our staff is working on it as we speak,” she added.
The wine tour, she said, helped identify areas of concern and let the industry “know that the county is able and willing to help where it can.”
She is hopeful some of the same results can come out of the current tour.
“I’d like to think we’re serving our constituents in the best way possible,” Brothers said. “I think the best way of doing that is by meeting face-to-face.”
Among those in attendance at the meeting was Lorrie Penny from the Subway franchise in the Greenwood Mall.
“I’m hoping to be able to get more information on possibly expanding the area, and creating more opportunities to grow,” she said.
Neil Maxwell, of Maxwell’s Quality Footwear, which operates outlets both in the Greenwood Mall and in New Minas, also attended.
“I was asked by our marketing director to be here,” Maxwell said. “I’m interested in strategies for attracting more businesses to our local area.”
Maxwell described Kings County, and particularly Greenwood, as “a great place to do business. It was tough at the start, getting financing, but I think it would be just as tough, if not tougher, today.”
Both Brothers and Strickland said they were interested in helping make that process easier for local business owners and operators.
Mall marketing director Susan Tidman was pleased to hear the county is interested in helping local business.
“If new businesses approach us, maybe we should be suggesting they meet with you,” she said. “That could be very valuable.”
One of the questions Strickland had for those in attendance was the impact of 14 Wing Greenwood on local business.
“It has a huge impact,” Tidman said.
Mall manager Darrell Wade pointed out, “not having the base here would turn this end of the county into a ghost area.”
Penny added that military personnel “eat at our restaurant every day. You see a real impact when they aren’t there,” as was the case around the time of the shootings in Ottawa, when the military were discouraged from being out in public in uniform.
Brothers and Kings County economic development specialist Mark Strickland were in Greenwood Feb. 19 to kick off what Brothers called a county-wide business tour.
Over the past year, Brothers said, she visited Kings County wineries to talk about what barriers they might have and how the county might help.
Brothers says she felt the wine tour was a success, so she is expanding the idea to include Kings County businesses.
“We started the wine tour in the eastern end of the county, so we’ve decided to begin the business tour at the western end,” she said. The Feb. 19 meeting, the first in the series, was held at the Greenwood Mall.
“The focus is to let local businesses know Kings County is open for business,” Brothers said. “We’re here to listen to the experts – the business owners themselves – to find out what challenges they’re facing and how we might help. We want to hear their stories and their concerns.”
Brothers said that similar to the wine tour, “the positive thing is that it allows us to be proactive. If a business needs help or guidance, and we might be able to help, we want to know about it.”
Brothers designed the tour with the help of Adam Daniels, her executive co-ordinator, and Strickland, whose area of expertise is economic development.
“Mark, Adam and I are planning to hold meetings like this in different parts of the county. I happen to be the district councillor for Greenwood. I’ll be inviting the district councilors for each district to attend the meeting planned for their district.”
Kings County business owners, she said, “need a venue to express their concerns, talk about their successes, and tell us what they need help with.”
In terms of business in Kings County, Brothers acknowledged there are barriers.
“We already know that, and our staff is working on it as we speak,” she added.
The wine tour, she said, helped identify areas of concern and let the industry “know that the county is able and willing to help where it can.”
She is hopeful some of the same results can come out of the current tour.
“I’d like to think we’re serving our constituents in the best way possible,” Brothers said. “I think the best way of doing that is by meeting face-to-face.”
Among those in attendance at the meeting was Lorrie Penny from the Subway franchise in the Greenwood Mall.
“I’m hoping to be able to get more information on possibly expanding the area, and creating more opportunities to grow,” she said.
Neil Maxwell, of Maxwell’s Quality Footwear, which operates outlets both in the Greenwood Mall and in New Minas, also attended.
“I was asked by our marketing director to be here,” Maxwell said. “I’m interested in strategies for attracting more businesses to our local area.”
Maxwell described Kings County, and particularly Greenwood, as “a great place to do business. It was tough at the start, getting financing, but I think it would be just as tough, if not tougher, today.”
Both Brothers and Strickland said they were interested in helping make that process easier for local business owners and operators.
Mall marketing director Susan Tidman was pleased to hear the county is interested in helping local business.
“If new businesses approach us, maybe we should be suggesting they meet with you,” she said. “That could be very valuable.”
One of the questions Strickland had for those in attendance was the impact of 14 Wing Greenwood on local business.
“It has a huge impact,” Tidman said.
Mall manager Darrell Wade pointed out, “not having the base here would turn this end of the county into a ghost area.”
Penny added that military personnel “eat at our restaurant every day. You see a real impact when they aren’t there,” as was the case around the time of the shootings in Ottawa, when the military were discouraged from being out in public in uniform.
