Destination Newtown Showcases Local Businesses

By Kaaren Valenta

The Chamber of Commerce’s Business Showcase, Destination Newtown, filled the ballroom of the Fireside Inn on the evening of Thursday, November 10, providing an opportunity for the public and business owners to get to know each other better.

“This is great,” Irene Nolan said as she and her husband, Jerry, and their children, Ryan and Kayleigh, walked from booth to booth, gathering free information and sampling the fare of local restaurants.

“We’ve lived in Newtown for two years and we are still trying to get to know the area and the local businesses,” Mrs Nolan said. “I think this [event] was a great idea.”

More than 50 vendors took part in the four-hour expo including five restaurants — My Place, Compass Grill, Hot Shots Grille, Franco’s Pizza & Café, and the Fireside Inn — that provided free samples of their menu offerings.

“It was better than I hoped for,” said Barbara Terkildsen of BTI Interiors, LLC, who served on the chamber’s organizing committee. “The response of the public was great.”

“It has all been very exciting,” said Chamber President Pat Linnell of Linnell Real Estate. “There was lots and lots of cooperation. We had great door prizes and almost everyone had a raffle on their table.”

Kelly Urso used the opportunity to publicize both her tax and accounting business, Kelly Urso & Company, and the local chapter of Business & Professional Women, of which she is the treasurer.

“Everyone went all out with their displays,” said attorney Anne Ragusa, who gave a free mini workshop on maintaining an LLC or corporation. Other workshop presenters included Alan Clavette of Clavette Josselyn & Co; Matt Cuomo of Prudential Financial Services, and Pat Linnell.

The landmark event included chamber members from many categories of commerce including accounting, financial services and investing, insurance, mortgage consulting, computers and the Internet, printing and publishing, advertising and marketing, interior design, day care centers, day spas, and others.

“Even the businesses got a chance to meet each other,” said Bill Valenti, manager of the Newtown branch of Union Savings Bank. “I think it helped all the business in Newtown.”

Other members of the organizing committee included Tricia Farin of Jantris Marketing Services; Cheri Ross, Ross Consulting LLC; Matt Cuomo, Prudential Financial Services; Becky Bowes, Cumulus Media; and Mae Schmidle, the Children’s Adventure Center.