Wednesday, October 1, 2008 9:32 PM CDT
Mattoon mall hosts annual business expo today
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
MATTOON — Theresa Gowin had her hands full as she carried items into the Cross County Mall for today’s Mattoon Chamber of Commerce Business Expo.
“That’s what you do when you have a small business. You do a lot of things yourself,” said Gowin, who is co-owner of Gowin Parc, a residential center for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
But preparing a booth is worth it, she said Wednesday.
“This is our third year here. This is how we got started at Gowin Parc. It’s how we got our name out.”
There is a spirit of cooperation during the annual expo, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the mall. It helps bring business owners together for exchanging ideas, said organizers.
“They can talk with fellow business owners. All the business owners are competing for customers but not necessarily with each other,” said Patty Peterson, business expo co-chair. “All of them are offering something different to the community. Some businesses do business with each other while they are out here.”
Other features of this expo include job fairs with some manufacturers and educational snippets on technology or skill subjects.
There is no admission fee to the expo. The only charges are for tickets to the Taste of Expo: $5 for six different entrees that highlight local restaurants from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. However, the number of tickets are limited for eating in the former Walgreens store site.
Taste of Expo participants are 2 Flowers Catering, Bliss BBQ Works, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cracker Barrel, Cody’s Roadhouse, Common Grounds, Domino’s Pizza, Don Sol, Harry & David, Heavenly Delight Cakes, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, Monical’s Pizza, Papa Murphy’s, Rockome Gardens, Steak & Shake and Stovepipe Grill & Smokehouse.
The variety is definitely not limited with about 70 exhibitors in the walkways of the mall today. Retail stores, service providers, utilities, civic organizations, media outlets, and educational institutions will have booths.
“This is the time of year everyone wants to fix their home. It’s the last stretch before it gets cold. We’re here more for generating the interest,” said Chad Ritter of Cramer Siding & Window, a Champaign-based company that does business throughout East Central Illinois. The company has exhibited at the Mattoon expo for the last few years.
“It’s a good turnout here and a good way to get across ideas on safety,” said Dennis Ray, marketing services specialist with Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative.
Dave Schilling of Securities America said he returns to the business expo each year for the friendly atmosphere among the visitors and exhibitors.
“I’m well pleased with the support the business community gives to this each year,” Schilling said. “For a city our size, this is a very successful expo.
“People come here because they do want to see the businesses we have,” he added. “They are surprised by the diversity of the products produced and sold here. Many times you are seeing your neighbor here. It’s a very friendly atmosphere.”
Peterson said the expo offers a chance for the public and for exhibitors alike to see how businesses have progressed over time, whether they specialize in retail, services or manufacturing.
“That’s why our theme is ‘portrait in progress.’ You get to see how some businesses have evolved over the years,” said Peterson.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
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