FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES (North Jersey Media Group)
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Recruitment event attracts interest. Town is hoping there will be five new stores open by fall.
By DANIEL HAUSMANN
The Express-Times
PHILLIPSBURG | Even though last month's business recruitment seminar fell well below attendance goals, the program could bring in more business than expected.
Four shop owners who attended the function at Warren Hospital have interests in opening a business in the downtown. Urban Enterprise Zone Director Mark Portnoy said up to eight businesses have expressed serious interest.
"We would have preferred to have more people attend the seminar but we have some quality leads," Portnoy said.
The UEZ goal is to get five new stores open by fall on South Main Street. Portnoy said the companies interested in coming to Phillipsburg fall in line with the specialty stores the UEZ has catered to.
Among those are a toy store, paint store, pet store, interior design business and a jeweler.
"We're going to select specific jewelers we'd like to see," Portnoy said.
The town and UEZ budgeted $15,000 for the half-day program Feb. 12. The UEZ hoped to draw 100 businesses to the show; attendance that day was around 16.
"Some people who were interested thought it was just too far," UEZ board member Carole Diee said.
Portnoy said they will consider looking at changing the time of the event the next time around. He said the UEZ plans to take the show on the road to trade shows and continue the targeted mailings.
The next earliest recruiting seminar likely wouldn't be until 2008.
Diee said she has talked with professional event planners.
"Maybe if we decide to do this again we should try that," Diee said.
Other members of the UEZ board, most of whom are business owners, were impressed with what they saw Feb. 12.
"I thought the seminar was awesome," Gold Cup owner Ron Perio said. "I don't know if you could do a better job of putting that seminar on."
Portnoy is reluctant to name the businesses interested in a Phillipsburg address because he wants an opportunity to make a pitch to them.