Colorful awnings, decorative displays and windows adorned with local flyers: These are the storefronts that line downtown Pleasantville. Businesses spanning from gift shops to restaurants offer the village a variety of local options, many stores of which belong to the town’s business network, the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber supports and promotes its 154 members who comprise an estimated 70 percent of the village’s businesses, according to Chamber President Bill Flooks. Information on the chamber’s website and social media pages, as well as its annual events and award ceremonies, helps make community members aware of what Pleasantville offers.
“We try to link the community with the businesses,” Flooks said. “That’s our goal, because that’s what you need for a successful business.”
On October 23, the chamber will honor businesses and service groups for their contributions to the village at the annual Chamber Appreciation Awards. Members also gather each April for the Business Person of the Year Event, a ceremony that celebrates the person who “consistently demonstrates business excellence, vision, innovation, leadership and community spirit,” according to their website. In addition to these events, the chamber holds six member meetings a year, which serve as “meet and greet” opportunities for local business owners and a way to communicate updates on community projects.
As apartments materialize on Washington Avenue and Memorial Plaza, the people who populate them will further the chamber’s goal of supporting local businesses, Flooks explained. The more people in the area, the more foot traffic.
“We’re trying to make Pleasantville a destination for people to come,” he said. “As we continue to grow, with what’s going on in the village, we will approach more businesses. And, hopefully more businesses will get involved when they realize that we can help promote them.”