By Janet Bear
The two Presidents of the local Chambers of Commerce (Larchmont and Mamaroneck) addressed the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit webinar on Tuesday, September 14th. They provided an update of the impact of the pandemic and recent floods on the local business communities and a snapshot of what services the local Chambers of Commerce provide.
Richard Leimgruber, President of the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce and owner of Avenue Financial Group, spoke about the double hit on Mamaroneck businesses with the recent monumental flooding from Hurricane Ida on top of the pandemic. Because many businesses experienced major destruction, the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce has established a GoFundMe page (which can be found on Facebook or at mamaroneckchamberofcommerce.org), hoping to raise $100,000 to help local businesses recover from the floods.
In Richard’s words the Chambers’ role is “to provide value for our businesses”, to promote and market local businesses and to be their advocate. In addition to a robust website, the Mamaroneck Chamber has introduced two new programs since the start of the pandemic – Business Networking Meetings, held in local restaurants and Mamaroneck Deals, weekly text messages to individuals’ phones offering local business deals. Residents can sign up for Mamaroneck Deals on the Chambers’ website. In its role as business advocate, the Mamaroneck Chamber successfully obtained a fee reduction from the Village of Mamaroneck for outdoor dining spaces this year.
Nancy White, President of the Larchmont Chamber of Commerce and owner of the Flower Bar, spoke about the incredible local support from residents and businesses during the pandemic. Many businesses pivoted to online sales and the Chamber introduced a local delivery service for businesses using taxis. She indicated that restaurants with outdoor seating have faired much better than those without.
The Larchmont Chamber recently launched a new website to promote local businesses and they have a robust social media presence. In addition to cutting their dues (from $120 to $60), they expanded their Holiday Program during the pandemic, introduced Arts on the Avenues and continued the Annual Sidewalk Sales. Nancy spoke of three problems facing many local merchants – staffing, supply chain delays and increasing shipping costs. While business in Larchmont is “sound”, merchants are struggling and we should remember to Shop Local.
During the Q&A session Nancy and Richard were asked about parking, the new meter system in Larchmont and the use of parking spaces for outdoor dining in both Villages. Both speakers indicated that the increased outdoor dining was a “lifesaver” for the restaurants, but retail merchants complained about the decrease in parking. Nancy said that in Larchmont, customers are getting used to the new meter system, but the role-out has been bumpy. The Village has made discounted employee parking available to businesses.
Richard and Nancy emphasized the importance of websites and social media to promote local businesses, and they appreciate the help that local residents, and the Mayors, Tom Murphy of Mamaroneck and Lorraine Walsh of Larchmont, have provided to the Chamber and local businesses. Nancy thanked the organization One Larchmont which, through generous donations from residents, has been aiding local businesses with small grants, helping them survive the pandemic.
There is always room for additional support for our local economy, so all are encouraged to shop local, eat local, and contribute to the GoFundMe effort to aid Mamaroneck businesses impacted by the recent floods.
The Local Summit thanks LMC Media for hosting this webinar. To learn more about The Local Summit visit: localsummitlm.org. To learn more about LMC Media visit: lmcmedia.org. The next Local Summit program will be Tuesday, October 12th, 8:00 am. More information about the program and a link to register will be available on the Local Summit website shortly.
