The Clintonville Area Chamber of Commerce has completed its move to 1 S. Main Street after purchasing the building, which sits at the corner of 12th Street and Main Street.
“We had been pursuing an option to purchase our own building for the last few years,” explained CACC Director Sandy Yaeger. “We were looking for the right facility at the right location at the right price. We were very limited by our budget, so we had to consider all options. We had been renting our old office, and we were open to renting a different facility as well. The biggest issue was space-we just needed more room.”
Yaeger explained that rental spaces available were not large enough to suit the Chamber’s needs, so the Chamber Board of Directors worked with local realtors to find properties for sale. The building at 1 S. Main Street was one that was available.
“We weighed our options, the price, and our needs,” Yaeger stated. “This office has a 1.5 car garage and a full basement, which will allow us to store our materials in one place rather than renting a storage unit somewhere and having our things in numerous locations. This property made the most sense for our needs, so we made an offer. Our initial offer was accepted, and we closed on May 1. We did bid out the mortgage interest rate among our members who are lenders, and First State Bank won the bid.”
The Chamber began the moving process in May, and the first day occupying the new office was June 1. Some minor improvements were made, including new paint on some of the walls, installing a kitchenette area in the conference room, and upgrading some electrical components.
“The building was move-in ready, for the most part,” said Yaeger. “It’s nice having an entrance area that the administrative assistant can be in. It’s nice to have a separate, private office for the director. There is a window in the director’s office that looks out into the entrance that is very handy as well.”
The facility also has a separate office for storage, supplies, paper and a copy machine. A clean, neat, professional looking conference room is another added feature.
Two offices in the building are being rented out to MyMarketingDirector, a business owned and operated by Clintonville’s Bill Zeinert.
Yaeger said most office equipment from the old building has been moved to the new location, and items no longer of value to the Chamber have been sold. Some office furniture was donated to the Chamber, and Yaeger said it fit perfectly in the new building.
“It’s a wonderful location and a great building,” commented Yaeger. “It will fit our needs for years to come. We are having fun decorating and making the office more inviting and professional. We will enjoy having more space and lots of wonderful storage space.
“It’s great to keep the downtown area vibrant and full,” concluded Yaeger. “This is a viable use for the building, and it will help keep the downtown area looking good.”
Yaeger said in the future, they hope to upgrade the bathroom and do some cosmetic work on the outside of the building, facing 12th Street. Signage will be coming in the near future.
The Chamber will hold an Open House from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 24. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 5:15 p.m. All are welcome to attend. For more information, contact the Chamber at 715-823-4606.