CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce is developing a coordinated response plan to support businesses along North Bridge Street that have been struggling with reduced foot traffic and customer access during ongoing road construction in the city.
Chamber President and CEO Mike Throne announced the effort Monday, saying the organization has spent the past several weeks listening to merchants in the affected corridor and working behind the scenes on a plan he expects to roll out in the coming days.
The response is expected to include three components. First, the Chamber plans to bring all North Bridge Street merchants together in a single meeting to have an open conversation about what kind of support would actually help, to build a plan with business owners rather than presenting one to them.
Second, the Chamber is already in conversations with funding partners, including the Small Business Administration and other small business resource organizations, to explore establishing a pool of relief resources for affected businesses. Throne said options being explored include bridge grants, low-interest lending, and direct financial assistance to help cover operating costs and retain staff while construction continues.
Third, the Chamber is developing a community-wide marketing campaign to drive consumers back to the corridor and keep affected businesses visible in local media.
Throne also said the plan will be scalable and that businesses along High Street and other areas impacted by construction-related disruption are welcome to be part of the conversation as well.
Business owners who want to be involved in the planning process can contact Throne directly at [email protected] or 740-702-2722.