For potential entrepreneurs looking to get in on Lower Burrell’s business district, an upcoming informational session may be a great first step, said Councilwoman Carley Logan.
On April 16 the Lower Burrell New Business Workshop will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Fisher Hall at Burrell Lake Park.
Logan, who is spearheading the program, said it’s intended for anyone who has had a thought of become a business owner, whether they are from the city or not.
“We are a more desirable location for businesses to open up. We have had a handful of new businesses open,” Logan said. “We really just want to promote the inclusivity of our area and our welcoming nature to new businesses, and we want to support them. We want them to succeed, not only as city representatives, but also as community members.”
Logan said people can register by emailing her at clogan@cityoflowerburrell.com. Registration will close April 11, five days before the event.
The program will include a panel of city officials, financial and legal advisors, a real estate agent and potentially entrepreneurs who have recently opened area businesses.
Logan said she has not yet confirmed which local businesses might contribute to the panel.
Mayor Chris Fabry said the speakers will provide information on zoning, funding, available properties and utility costs.
He hopes new commerce in the city will create momentum for future development and said the workshop is a “relaxed opportunity for potential business newcomers to learn, network and socialize.
“Business leads to business,” Fabry said.
When he took office, the city had a stigma of being unwelcoming to new businesses, Fabry said.
He said this workshop is a step in the right direction toward changing that mindset.
“I hope it kind of turns into a yearly thing,” Fabry said.
The panel will last about 45 minutes and will leave time for questions at the end, Logan said.
The city has seen business growth in the past two years, including the opening of Velvet Shears and TC Dance Collective, Logan said.
It also welcomed the opening of electric wholesale distributor Schadeler Yesco in the Burrell Plaza and is expecting a spring grand opening of Tractor Supply Co. in the Kinloch section of the city.