Editorials
Town Chamber gets a roof over its head
There's no place like home for the holidays. And no one knows that better than the staff of the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has a brand new home at 349 N. Santa Cruz Ave. It sits at the gateway to downtown's historic district, inviting visitors to come in and learn about the community.
There are garlands and poinsettias in the windows and a Christmasy sign exhorting one and all to "shop local."
The 1,300 square-foot office boasts work space for executive and support staff as well as for volunteers. There's room for merchandise, brochures and maps and equipment. In the back, there's a board room where policy can be hammered out and where mailings can be spread out for work parties.
The Chamber has come a long ways since 1995 when local business people and community leaders came together with representatives of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce to discuss the need for an organization to represent the business interests of the community. Earlier the Chamber of Commerce, which had operated in Los Gatos for many years, found itself unable to meet its financial obligations and went out of business.
The solution was to create a new Chamber, one that would operate under the protective wing of the much larger San Jose organization.
Eventually, however, the new organization decided it was time to try its wings and fly on its own. On July 1, 1999, the Town Chamber declared its independence.
And now the new organization has a home. Thanks to the Bank of America, the Chamber did have a desk where visitors could come for information, and Executive Director Sheri Lewis had a tiny office in her brother's downtown business, but as everyone knows, there's no place like a real home.
The Chamber is now 400 members strong, and it has become a strong voice for the business community, but board and staff also take seriously their commitment to represent the community as a whole as well.
The Chamber will hold its grand opening on Dec. 13 with wine tasting and good food. Many people in the community should feel a sense of accomplishment.
Shop in Los Gatos
Judging by the cars making their way through Los Gatos' streets, it looks as if there's a lot of enthusiasm for shopping locally. Let's hope those who vowed last year never to come shopping again because of parking problems change their minds and give the town one more chance.
This year, the town hasn't been shy about promoting its free valet parking, and that has no doubt helped. Employees also seem more willing than in the past to leave close-in parking spaces for shoppers, and that, too, will help.
This is the season for those who fret about Los Gatos losing its small, one-of-a-kind shops to put their money where their mouths are.
|
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
