GBA Newsletter - April 2024

Thank you to our Lamppost Cleanup Volunteers!

A great business community effort from our friends at the City of Greenfield, Greenfield Garden Cinema, Greenfield High School Student Council, Franklin County Chamber & family, GCC, GBA Board & Members, & Local Residents. And a SPECIAL shout-out to Ryan & Casey for donating water bottles and the Franklin Community Co-op for donating snacks.

Looking to POST[ER] ABOUT YOUR EVENT?! Go to www.visitgreenfieldma.com to post AND find a list of physical loctions for your poster in Greenfield!

Thank you to our Newest Sponsors

PV Squared Solar!

GBA Sponsor

And

Patriot Care!

GBA Sponsor

Sponsor a BEE SIGN to Support the 14th Annual Bee Fest!

Did you know that the modern day bee hive was INVENTED in Greenfield and is now used internationally?! THAT is agricultural entrepreneurship at its finest and every year we celebrate with BEE FEST. On Saturday, May 18th, come on down to the Greenfield Farmer's Market (celebrating 50 years this year!) and buzz over to Bee Fest for music, the Bee Parade, hive painting, education, and so much more. Your BEE SIGN on the lamppost lets everyone know that your business supports the Bee Fest AND is a great way to get folks to walk in and learn more about YOUR business. Consider something fun and special for Bee Week leading up to Bee Fest - bring in some bee themed merchandise, have a honey themed special, or park a fleet of yellow and black trucks outside (great idea, Toyota of Greenfield!). Whatever shows off your business' Bee Pride, we'd love to see it!

Sponsor your Bee Sign below and get in touch to let us know how YOU celebrate Bee Week!

Get Your Business on the Map!

The GBA is organizing group ads again this year, getting your business on the map for only $75. These cute wayfinders are picked up by locals and visitors alike, and show off what's in the area in a fun, accessible way.

While we encourage every business to explore an independent ad, the group ad is a great way to get on the map for a lower cost. Fill out the interest form below to get on the Map!

As I looked around the intersection of Main, Federal, and Bank Row on Saturday, it filled my heart with joy, excitement, and pride. No, I wasn’t just sitting back admiring the newly decorated windows of Catalpa, or appreciating that the newly expanded Hens & Chicks - which just won Best Consignment Store in the Valley - honored their predecessor, Baker Office Supply, by keeping the same classy building sign design…no, I was watching in amazement as fifteen volunteers gave up three hours of their Saturday morning to painstakingly clean decades of tape and paper off the light poles.

Even more wonderful, this group represented business owners, residents, City officials, familiar downtown faces, and even the ED of the FC Chamber and the Mayor - who was the last volunteer of the day standing, engaging every constituent who walked by and chatting with me about next steps.

Because it’s a process, cleaning up the downtown, expanding business support throughout Greenfield, and turning the tide towards a positive experience and outlook of our little city. And turn it we are. Though the article covering the event focused mostly on what was said, as articles do, what I noticed most at the Business Community Mayoral Listening Session last Tuesday night was how the room slowly moved from crossed arms and furrowed brows, to nodding heads, murmurs of agreement, and even some hesitant smiles.

As Spring comes in and we prepare for the 14th Annual Bee Fest, see new stores opening all over Greenfield, and put out the call for Spring cleanups and engagements, I’m hearing every day that there is a refreshed sense of optimism and energy in Greenfield.

Greenfield is growing, continuing to recover the momentum we had when the pandemic hit, and my ethos around growth is that to do it responsibly and successfully, it is crucial that a community hone its identity. The more we know who we are, and can communicate it, the more development rallies around that identity and supports it. We have all the pieces of the puzzle here in Greenfield, it’s a matter now of coming together and working towards our common goals.

A colleague recently said something that has been rolling around in my head - “complexity is what it is, complicated is what we make it.” Growth and recovery are complex. At the GBA, that’s where I see us really shine - we are navigating the complexity of working with an awesome set of partners, listening deeply to our broad business community, and working to build a renewed sense of inclusion and forward motion for all our businesses - Members and Non-Members, For- and Not-for-profits, small to big, downtown to the very edges. Like a hive, the complex work is made easier and more positive by working together.

Thanks for reading!

Hannah C. Rechtschaffen, Director

Downtown Beautification Roundtable Discussion, April 30 @ 5 PM

Following up on the great Mayoral Listening Session and lamppost cleanup in March, the GBA is hosting a Business Community Roundtable Discussion on downtown beautification and maintenance. We will be discussing strategies and ideas, and come away with some action items for our Streetscapes committee to address this year. We appreciate your input!

Join Us On The Radio!

A fun new Membership perk is the opportunity to come on "Bear Country in the Morning" and share about your business. Whether you have an event coming up, a special announcement, or just want to talk about your business - the Bear County listeners would love to hear it. We can record around your schedule and the spot will air on a Tuesday morning. Listen to previous spots: https://bear953.com/2024/03/27/find-it-in-greenfield-hannah-from-the-greenfield-business-association/

Need Small Business Support?

Explore everything the Franklin County CDC has to offer:

From lending to business planning, the FCCDC can help take your business to the next level!

Want us to include something in the May Newsletter?!

Send it to gba.4greenfield@gmail.com

Not a GBA Member? Join Here!