The Holbrook Chamber of Commerce met on Dec. 19 and among the items discussed was a project Secretary Colleen Marsh is collaborating on with board member Sarah Herve who’s with the Petrified Forest National Park. Marsh called it the Small Business Gap Assessment where they look at other towns that are similar to National Park gateway towns as well as other Southwest towns that are of similar size and resources to see how they categorize their businesses to determine if Holbrook is missing anything.
The effort being to see if there is a void that can be filled in the community by someone with entrepreneurial interests. Regarding the results Marsh stated, “Perhaps it will be something that we can put on the website and make available to everyone.”
Marsh also referred back to the previous meeting when the chamber discussed the Moonshot program offered through the Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NACET) that provides a six-month series of free entrepreneur workshops that lead up to a big, region-wide “Shark Tank” inspired Pioneer Pitch event for business entrepreneurs. “I would like to do some activities that enable some Holbrook folks to think about entrepreneurial opportunities,” said Marsh, believing that such activities may inspire some new businesses.
The board provided information on Holbrook’s Business of the Month program. Past winners are the Globe Trotter Lodge for November and Hatch’s Corner Stop for December. Winners receive their name on the digital marquee at the intersection of Hopi Drive and Navajo Blvd., and a metal plaque stating they were selected. Anyone can submit a business to be considered for the honor by voting on the chamber’s Facebook page or by picking up a form at the chamber office located at the Historic Navajo County Courthouse.
The chamber continues to work on the Holbrook drone video featuring the businesses in the Holbrook community with the script for the video currently being written by Marsh.
The Holbrook Ambassadors pilot program was also discussed. The program involves informing the front-line staff of the hospitality industry in Holbrook as to the many offerings the city has for visitors to enjoy. The chamber is hoping to partner with Northland Pioneer College to provide training. The board is determining how to reward staff that provide referrals and to potentially provide field trips to give employees first-hand knowledge of area attractions.
The chamber is also working to organize a Salsa Trail event that would involve patrons judging the salsa provided at seven of Holbrook’s eateries. The event is slated to begin in conjunction with the Taste of Holbrook in April and continue through to Old West Days in July.
The board approved a $500 bonus for Chamber Director Cindy Tafoya for the extra hours she put into the holiday events that were above and beyond her 20-hour work week. The board also agreed to each contribute personal funds for a gift card for Tafoya in appreciation of her hard work.
The board discussed purchasing a new decal/sticker for chamber members from Ray Alley who will be able to create one that will last longer and not deteriorate so quickly in store windows. They will also be getting a quote from him for the cost of vinyl banners to replace the cloth ones on the street signs.
Marsh noted that the Holbrook Animal Shelter is selling 2020 calendars as a fundraiser for the shelter for a cash donation of $20.
Petrified Forest National Park Superintendent Janine McElveen was in attendance at the meeting. In discussing the park, she noted that the Painted Desert complex will be receiving a renovation in the coming year.
Herve, who is the park’s Chief of Interpretation, noted a project that may be a benefit to Holbrook. The Arizona Department of Transportation will be closing a portion of the park road past Crystal Forest. As a result, travelers will not be able to drive directly through the park but will only be able to drive part way, then come through Holbrook to take the other entrance for the entire view of the park. The road work is expected to last through March. The entrance fee is good for seven days so it would be an opportunity to explore more of the area for an extended period of time and providing an opportunity for local hotels, restaurants and businesses to serve more visitors.
The board also discussed the success of the holiday events such as the Parade of Lights and the Festival of Trees, and expressed gratitude for those who volunteered their time and effort.
Tafoya noted that the events required a great deal of time, forcing other projects to be put aside that can now once again be addressed. Areas she referred to include the website, upcoming events and working on the community resource booklets. “We want to get those out to all of the restaurants and hotels, and include all the sights to see and all the things to do,” stated Tafoya.
In preparation for next year, the chamber has already chosen the parade theme, “Carols of Christmas.”
