Photo by Derek Red From left, Morgan Ondrik and Austin Steinman of Be Salon, Spa and Barber use their Mobilize 360 at the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on Thursday at the Highlands Sports Complex. We talk to Jake Young of .
Dozens of businesses from around the Ohio Valley gathered at the Highlands Sports Complex on Thursday for the return of the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce's Business Expo. Throughout the afternoon, people were able to browse various company exhibits and learn more about them, while also allowing them to network with each other.
Brooke Anderson, membership and marketing coordinator for the chamber, said the expo was a popular event several years ago, but for some reason it died down.
“Many companies have asked us to do something a little broader, something that all companies can participate in,” she says. “I think our community, especially the business community, has been very excited. There's been a wave of people wanting to come in and be a part of their community, show their faces, sign up for things like this. .”
Anderson said 52 tables were set up Thursday for 50 businesses. Among them were companies like LeafGuard, Bath Fitter, and Wheeling Nailers. Local services included Easterseals, YWCA Wheeling, and Crittenton Services.
Be Salon, Spa and Barber is not open yet. The plan is to have a grand opening at the new Waterfront Hall location in the coming months. However, the representatives there enjoyed the opportunity to show other companies what they plan to offer, as well as talk with other companies and gather some ideas.
“You can compare the similarities,” says Be's Morgan Ondrik. “And we get to bounce ideas off each other. It's great to meet other people on different occasions, consider different ideas, and definitely implement some new things into our practice. That’s it.”
Anderson said the chamber is pleased to create opportunities like this for the companies it represents.
“In many cases, it's difficult to create these opportunities for yourself,” she says. “So we want to give people an opportunity to meet management, employees and the community.”
