The Ballard Chamber of Commerce is working on a new “buy local” campaign thanks to the Office of Economic Development. The Chamber and four other business organizations throughout the city were awarded the opportunity to work with a professional marketing firm to create the neighborhood-specific shopping campaign.
This campaign will be different than the “Tuesdays in Ballard” marketing campaign that the In Ballard Merchants Association is launching for the second year in a row. “In many respects this will actually complement very well with the work that In Ballard is doing reaching out to other communities,” Michelle Rosenthal the President of the Chamber told the Ballard District Council at a recent meeting. “The idea is to really build on the efforts that we’ve been doing lately in terms of reaching out to our local businesses, finding out what they need so we can figure out how best to help them.” Stay tuned for more information on this campaign.
Screw the Chamber.
Tell to stop lawsuits against bike trails then maybe we’ll give a sh** about what Ms. Rosenthal has to say.
And boycott Seafoodfest, too.
The Chamber is doing far more harm to Ballard than good.
Most local businesses aren’t even part of it. It’s mostly a front for the oil and gravel companies.
Maybe they should call it “Sue Local”
Yeah I am pretty sick of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce pretending they care about the neighborhood.
They are a lobby group for Ballard Oil and Salmon Bay Gravel. They should just say so.
I’ll still go to Seafoodfest though. Just won’t spend any money ;)
But when will they build the missing cycle track down market? If they don’t finish it soon, all of our small business will leave for the Netherlands!
Edog that track down Market St. requires more environmental review.
I’d like to see one — just one! — local business owner come and say something nice about the Chamber of Commerce. The fact is, all the small businesses in Ballard think the Chamber is worthless.
In Ballard did a great job with their campaign though. I wonder how they feel about the Chamber ripping them off.
Are we going to see anti-Burke Gilman banners all over Ballard now?
I am kind of curious as to why they are getting money from the city. I thought that investments and profits funded marketing, not tax dollars.
Congratulations Chamber on another way to promote business’s, jobs, safety and family’s in Ballard. Ballard Oil, Salmon Bay and Gravel and the 300+ other Chamber members including small and retail business’s thank you and your volunteers for your tireless support. Just another way to help bring business in Ballard.
The only comment in support of the Chamber is from somebody who can’t even spell.
Ballard would be a safer and more livable neighborhood if the Ballard Chamber of Commerce would stop obstructing the bike trail.
I won’t be spending any money at Seafoodfest this year either.
wal,
First the Chamber wastes tax money suing to stop the bike trail.
Then they take even more tax money to promote the businesses that are suing to stop the bike trail.
What a racket!!
A lot of whiners on here. “I want my bike trail because I’m too stupid or uncoordinated enough to ride over a single rail track.” The fewer of you losers at downtown businesses the better. I expect the largest turnout for seafood fest ever. Take your $12 hr wage and spend it elsewhere. I ride over 3000 miles a year on bikes and think that a Chamber of COMMERCE should be focused on BUSINESSES not recreational issues. Who can they sue to get the bums moved out of the area. I’ll Donate $1k to that cause…
Well guess what…we need those parking spots on Shilshole to PARK!!! The bike trail should go on LEARY (a nice wide street that is READY for all forms of transportation!) For those of us that live on Ballard Avenue and patronize all our local businesses near by, (Chamber members or not) the bike trail is not a deal breaker….. Seafood Festival is another event for ALL, so enjoy it. LIFE IS SHORT, LIVE IN THE MOMENT!! Ride your bike, drive your carf or walk over and have fun and spend your money.
carf is like barf…
i love how those complaining about the chamber and promoting this boycott come across so whiny, kinda reminds me of my two year old who threw a fit because she didn’t get to watch Dora this morning.
is it me or do they just discredit themselves right from the beginning?
oh, and Ballardite, it would also be good to hear one – just one! – local business owner come and say something negative about the Chamber of Commerce.
I would be much more inclined to shop in Ballard if it wasn’t for the “Pay To Park” nonsense everywhere there. There are lots of other places where I can shop without really high parking fees, which simply amount to a surcharge on what I might spend in Ballard. No thanks.
Lots of free parking along the RR tracks. Except for in front of Salmon Bay & Gravel. They value those parking spots over public safety. I wish I had public land available for my business use.
motorrad, I drive by SBSG daily what public land are they using? Is it the angle parking that is in front of the retail shop or the drive way sections in front of the cement plant?
ironical,
I am a local business owner who can say some negative things about the BCC if you’d like.
By blocking constuction of the trail, they’ve made it much more difficult for me to do business here. Instead of bike commuting, I’m adding to the already lousy vehicular traffic around here. Shouldn’t their job be to facilitate my business?
yep, do you believe a bike trail will reduce traffic?
If (or when) the bike trail is built and assuming there is reduced traffic, will that lead to additional customers?
I would think less parking would have a greater impact on your customer base than reduced congestion.
What business do you own?
Yep, please verify the business you own.
Hi Yep,
Just because you can’t bike to work – how does that impact your business?
I neither bike nor drive when I hit the business district. From my perspective, it is a flourishing area. It will be interesting to see what form of outreach the chamber does with this $$$. I am kind of set in my ways, and doubt that a marketing campaign will change my chosen behavior. The Tuesdays in Ballard campaign was interesting, but – nothing was really that much better on Tuesday than any other day.
“Can’t we all just get along? “Perspective people… Focus on the gulf and how you can really help the environment immediately. Be nice today.
Hooray for Ballard Chamber! They aren’t wasting my tax dollars with the lawsuit, I’m all for the environmental review of the biketrail.
Let’s review the mission of a Chamber of Commerce : to promote business (retail and non retail) within a neighborhood. If there is something threatening business (and business is anything from selling sand and gravel, to working on boats to selling shoes) it is a Chamber’s mission to fight it.
As for Seafood fest, I was in a store on Ballard Ave Friday the woman working at the counter told me that they do as much business the weekend of Seafood Fest as they do THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. Do you know how many retailers would love to have two Decembers a year?? The Chamber makes that happen.
While some may feel that a bike trail would enhance business, I see it more as a throughfare for riders going out to Shilshoal rather than something that would drive (no pun) more people to Ballard who would spend money at Ballard businesses. The Chamber is all about assisting and ensuring the financial success of member businesses. that what any Chamber of Commerce does. I hope this award will help them to do that!
Anyone have a list of local ballard companies including restaurants, shops, stores, banks, salons, etc that are OWNED and OPERATED by local Seattle folks? If so, can you please post or send me a link? I’d like to have it handy….
This isn’t about a bike trail, this is about supporting our local business. Please take that POV offline or elsewhere, I’m just looking for ways to support folks who actually give folks jobs, pay local taxes, donate to teams, schools, etc. in our community, etc.
And I agree, Go Ballard Chamber. Thanks for putting in so much time, effort, money and energy to make our community better. For those of us who have lived here all our lives, we know the work you have done, so thank you.
Crybaby bike losers out in force. Surprise surprise. Nothing like cutting one’s own nose off to spite one’s face you guys. Most of you will no doubt be complaining when all the local businesses shut down and get replaced by more Subways and national chain restaurants.
The rest of us will be having a great time at Seafoodfest without you.
It’d almost easier to list those that AREN’T locally owned. Going through a mental map of downtown Ballard – Chase and Sterling Banks, JoAnnes Fabrics, Radio Shack, T Mobil and the check cashing place (although those might be franchises owned by locals) Fred Myer, Trader Joes and Office Max all seem to be companies headquartered outside of Seattle. And even those employ locals.
Most of the others up and down Market, Leary and Ballard Aves are owned by locals.
Matador and Habitude and hamburger Harrys are owned by locals, The Majestic Bay and Hi Life are too. Ballard has a good solid base of home grown retailers.
Bottom line is the BCC sucks.
How does the BCC suck?
Are you a member and are upset they are spending your membership dues on protecting the interests of the affected business?
Or is it only a matter of wanting the trail and since the BCC opposes your desired location you came to the conclusion that they must suck?
This Chamber shouldn’t win anything except for “Saddest Organization to Side with One Business, Hurt all the Others, and Give the Local Community the Bird”. Drop the lawsuit against the bike trail already and let’s move on already. This is waste of our time and money (local money goes to local businesses which goes to the Chamber which goes into lawyer’s pockets). What a ridiculous stand to take.
Children, please. Stop.
One can think of a dozen creative ways the Chamber could work constructively to support trail completion, actively promote alternative transportation, lessen demand on limited parking, and do it’s primary job of promoting and advancing commerce in Ballard. Maybe some of what this grant will do will lead to such creative thinking. One hopes so.
So, rather than make childish comments about the Chamber, those who disagree with their support of the lawsuit challenging the City’s efforts to complete the trail should pop in to the Chamber office and tell them you disagree – and do so in a respectful and polite way. You can choose to boycott, or say they ‘suck’, but the latter comment really deserves the scorn being heaped on it.
Having said that, you scorn heapers need to understand that completing the trail doesn’t equal loss of businesses, or the destruction of Ballard’s industrial fabric – many industrial businesses in the section of trail between 3rd NW and 11th moved to their current locations, on the canal side of the trail, AFTER the trail was built – of course all these modes of transportation can mix, as they do here and elsewhere in the region, and in the world.
Finally, it’s not a bike trail – it’s a trail. I don’t think there are any ‘bike trails’ in Seattle.
Most locally owned and operated businesses are NOT part of the Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber of Commerce does not care about retail, or whether there are franchises, or the mom and pop shops. The vast majority of mom and pop shops are not Chamber members!
The Chamber does not even list their members!!
RickDavis, Please name all of the business that are not members. Please back up your statement.
The sole purpose of the BCC is to promote Ballard business, retail, wholesale, service and professional business.
The promotion of BALLARD business is the reason the chamber of commerce exist. Every local camber in the country is there to support their local business. That’s why they were started.
Please provide more reasoning than the same old dogma.
bbb1, so which business specifically moved there after the trail funding was approved? Please enlighten us.
puck11, so drop the ridiculous bike path and move on already.
Seriously, what business are being hurt? Please be specific.
Side with one business? Please, all of the industries in Ballard are against this route.
Local money goes to local business that goes to the chamber that goes to lawyers? You really believe this shit? Seriously?
@RickDavis, did you even try to find out about any of the unsubstantiated claims you made before posting?
About three seconds of research will get you to the Chamber’s Ballard Business Directory, which includes hundreds of members and non-members that are easily identifiable. Included on the list are lots of locally owned businesses. Retailers, too.
I also have to disagree with your ridiculous statement about the Chamber not caring about retail business. I went to a breakfast meeting in May that was geared wholly toward the retail community and the sharing of marketing and cross-promotional ideas designed to help retailers and other local businesses take advantage of the influx of customers in July with the festival and the Sidewalk Sale. And did you notice that one of the Chamber’s Board members is a local retailer?
So I’m not really sure where you’re getting your information. What am I missing here?
RickDavis? Are you there?
Ballard CoC Staff, Board and Comittee:
I see a bunch of local businesses, including retail and a local/mobile hot dog stand, represented here:
President
Michelle Rosenthal (Garvey Schubert Barer)
Vice President, Finances
Carlye Teel (Northwest Senior Center)
Vice President, Issues
Barry Hawley (Hawley Realty)
Vice President, Membership
Jordan Van Horn (Axia)
Vice President, Programs & Special Events
Brent Siewert (Majestic Bay Theater)
Treasurer
Timo Nørring (Sterling Savings Bank)
Board of Directors
Kerri Lonergan (Lombardi’s Neighborhood Italian)
Darrell McManus (Merril Lynch)
Dante Rivera (Dante’s Inferno Dogs/Snack)
Erik Stangvik (Nordic Heritage Museum)
Greg Swanson (Viking Bank)
Monique Tran (La Tienda)
Executive Director
Beth Williamson Miller
Administrative Manager
Sue Allegra
Crimson Floyd
Businesses that moved all or part of their operations adjacent to the trail or on the water side of the trail, AFTER the section between 3rd NW and 8th NW was built, over a decade ago:
1-Kvichak Marine
2-Ferguson Terminals
3-Albert Lee Appliance
4-Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel (their main truck yard and ecology block creating facility)
5-New warehouse/office space built
The point is that the fears and concerns about lawsuits and safety have not been borne out in the real world – presumably no inusurance broker told these businesses they could not and would not be insured if they moved on the ‘wrong’ side of the trail. The trail was built, then these businesses moved to their current locations.