Greenwich Chamber Pivots To Boost Businesses Amid Coronavirus

GREENWICH, CT — When Meagan Feliz and her husband, Davis, were looking to open their new luxury salon in Greenwich this summer, they knew they would need local connections to help spread the word about it.

That's when the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce stepped in to help. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

According to Feliz, the chamber quickly posted the new salon's press release on its website and included it in an email blast to all of its members. The chamber also connected them with members of the media and offered to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to help them gain more exposure.

"In what can be a competitive industry," Feliz said, "it's wonderful to have an organization in the community who has your back and wants you to succeed."

According to chamber president Marcia O'Kane, Davis Feliz Salon is one of 60 new members to join the chamber in 2020, a year that has been "difficult and challenging" for businesses on a local and national level due to the coronavirus.

Since March, new and well-established businesses in town have had to reassess the way they would normally operate due to various restrictions and safety protocols put in place to combat the spread of the virus.

Even the chamber itself has had to change course a bit this year because of the virus, O'Kane said.

"Like many businesses out there, we have had to do a distinct pivot," O'Kane said. "We did it immediately in March as soon as nonessential organizations, including our chamber, were [temporarily] closed down."

The chamber typically operates as an event-driven organization, putting together in-person opportunities for local businesses to come together and network.

Due to restrictions on gatherings, O'Kane said, she and her team quickly realized they would need to focus on other ways to support chamber members in town this year.

"We immediately changed our business model from being an event-driven organization to being a community activist," O'Kane said, "and a resource for our members and the business community."

With this shift in focus, the team immediately started collecting information from restaurants, retailers and service providers in town, with an aim of letting residents know there were still ways to safely support local businesses, O'Kane said.

Information, such as which restaurants provided curbside and delivery options and what retailers were offering online shopping and services through their website, was then complied onto the chamber website for residents to reference.

The chamber also started the ongoing Greenwich AOK, or "Acts of Kindness," initiative.

"We asked people to tell us their stories that personify acts of kindness in our Greenwich community," O'Kane said. "That was a ray of sunshine during those dark times, when we could read about all the positive acts of kindness going on in our community."

Another spot of sunshine was a number of new businesses owners who decided to push through and open up shop in town this year, including Davis Feliz Salon, Lenny's Bagels in Cos Cob and The Piccolina Shop on Greenwich Avenue, among others.

"I've been doing more ribbon cuttings this year," O'Kane said. "While all businesses have been challenged by [the coronavirus], we're seeing a ray of light."

According to Richard Damato, co-owner of Lenny's Bagels, the chamber reached out to him before the family-run bagel shop opened in early October and suggested holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony. It also made a point to share the news of the shop's opening to various local social media platforms and newsletters.

"We've only been a [chamber] member for a few weeks now," Damato said, "but we definitely believe it's going to be beneficial for [our] future."

The Mission

The chamber operates under a strategy it refers to as APCE, which stands for "advocate, promote, connect and educate," according to O'Kane.

"Every chamber [of commerce] in the U.S. does something different," O'Kane said, "but we decided those four words best describe us."

"Advocacy" refers to how the chamber works in tandem with town government to keep its finger on the pulse of local businesses.

"We're the dotted line between our chamber members and Town Hall," O'Kane said.

According to O'Kane, the First Selectman's Office will often reach out to the chamber and ask it to poll businesses in town on certain subjects.

Patch has reached out to the First Selectman's Office for comment.

"Promote" refers to the chamber's efforts to spread the word about new and established businesses in town.

"As soon as you join [the chamber], we give you a lot of free advertising options and ways ... to get your name out," O'Kane said, "and I will customize an advertising package for you that will go throughout the full year of your membership."

"Connect" alludes to the chamber's various networking events and opportunities, which allow new and established business owners to collect contacts and other helpful information through conversations and handshakes.

"Educate" is the way the chamber works to inform business owners about various topics they may find beneficial.

"I will look through our newest members that have a topic of interest, whether it's how to start a new business, how to network or how to market your company better," O'Kane said, "and I will put on one-hour seminars [about those topics]. Those have been very well-received."

The chamber's APCE initiatives were helpful to Tashography LLC photographer and owner Natasha Miller as she worked to spread the word about the opening of her new studio on East Putnam Avenue last month.

Soon after joining the chamber, O'Kane invited Miller to join her on a morning radio show to talk about how her business operates in light of the coronavirus and to promote her services.

"We couldn't be more grateful for the added exposure," Miller said, "especially during these tough times when we were starting to go out and safely shoot [photos] again."

The chamber also provided Miller with access to a community of fellow local business owners, many of whom she is looking forward to growing relationships with, she said.

"Joining the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce was one of the best decisions I made when opening up my new photography studio," Miller said. "Not only have they provided me with access to a wonderful community of other local business owners, but Marcia and the team have also helped me spread the word about my studio opening via radio, social media and local news sites. I couldn't be more grateful for that, and look forward to growing my relationship with them and the Greenwich community."

O'Kane also stressed that the chamber's relationship with a new business in town doesn't end after it is up and running; it is a continuous, symbiotic relationship she is proud to be a part of.

"Whatever business joins us, they don't just join and go away," O'Kane said. "We're there to support them throughout the year, and throughout their membership."