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Chamber means business, and has for 80 years

By Jennifer M. van der Kleut

The city of Saratoga may be 50 years old, but the Chamber of Commerce has decades on that--Oct. 4 marked the organization's 80th anniversary.

To celebrate the milestone, Saratoga City Council members and candidates, City Manager Dave Anderson, local residents, business owners, past mayors and Chamber staff members descended upon Hakone Gardens the evening of Oct. 26 for a festive party. Pat Smith's Extravaganza provided the food, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards brought the wine and raffle prizes were donated by Saratoga businesses. Chamber staff hung lights on the Christmas tree and took time to thank everyone.

"We just had a ball," says Christine Oakes, president and acting executive director of the Chamber. "It was a party to promote and thank everyone who has made this happen. We had fun with everyone, and we wanted to honor them for all their time and effort in making the Chamber what it is today."

Mayor Norman Kline bestowed the Chamber with a proclamation commemorating the occasion, and a representative from the office of state Sen. Abel Maldonado presented a certificate of recognition. The Chamber had its fair share of gifts to hand out as well--staff gave flowers to all the past presidents and Citizens of the Year in attendance, including Helen Brazil, wife of the city's first mayor, Dr. Burton Brazil.

Although Saratoga wasn't incorporated as a city until 1956, business has been carrying on locally for more than a century. A community group known as the Saratoga Village Improvement Association formed March 7, 1887, says April Halberstadt of the Saratoga Historical Foundation. Thought to be the first Saratoga booster association, its purpose was to improve community welfare. Its members were instrumental in helping Saratoga become a modern town. Their early goals were to beautify the area, including lobbying for many road improvements that helped make Highway 9 the economic thoroughfare it became, and providing access to the lumber mills in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Congress Springs. Members of the booster group continually strived to make Saratoga an attractive destination with such projects as the Saratoga Blossom Festival, which was introduced in 1900.

The group renamed itself the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce in 1926, and renamed Lumber Street as Big Basin Way soon after.

Throughout World War II, the group acted as a sort of unofficial town council, guiding the welfare of the community, until the threat of annexation into San Jose forced residents to organize and incorporate.

These days, the Chamber calls 14485 Big Basin Way its home and works to invigorate Saratoga business.

Oakes, who not only works a fulltime job managing the Barnes & Noble at West Valley College--one of the city's biggest sources of sales tax revenue--volunteers her time as both the president and interim executive director of the Chamber. She says Chamber changes are on the horizon.

"I really want the Chamber to be seen as the hub of the community," Oakes says.

Oakes has been putting in long hours attending council meetings, business seminars and workshops, and bending her ear to the pulse of Village business. She and her staff recently returned from a conference in Jackson, where they studied tips on growing businesses.

Oakes says she wants the Chamber to get back to basics, in which it welcomes new businesses to town and does its best to find out what owners need and want to help them be successful. The Chamber has been very involved with the community the past year, helping the city with its month-long 50th anniversary celebrations, working with CERT on disaster and emergency preparedness and promoting its member businesses with networking mixers, a monthly newsletter and email blasts whenever a member has a special promotion or sale. The Chamber also works regularly with the city and the Saratoga Village Development Council to help organize holiday celebrations.

Oakes says this year's Holiday Open House on Nov. 25 will feature carriage rides, carolers and a petting zoo, as well as the tree lighting.

Daryle Lupretta, owner of Lupretta's Delicatessen and Catering, says the Chamber's hard work has not gone unnoticed.

"This year, I've noticed a major turnabout with the Chamber. They're very noticeable on the street now, and they've proven they're just a phone call away. They always try to use us first in anything they do, whenever they can," he says.

Oakes says one of the Chamber's next goals is to hire a full-time executive director.

Visit the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce at 14485 Big Basin Way or www.saratogachamber.org. Call 408.867.0753.