The Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce (SVCC) recently relocated from Linden Street in Columbia to a space within the John Wright Restaurant in Wrightsville, and the new location will help the Chamber continue to serve the community even more effectively, said Rachel Stebbins, executive director.

The new site, located at 234 N. Front St., held a grand opening on May 4 and is an ideal location, she noted. "While it is undeniable that the building right off of Route 30 was very visible, guests had to want to come to the Chamber or Visitor Center specifically. There was no foot traffic," Stebbins noted. "At (John Wright Restaurant), we have something of a captive audience for our visitor's area in that thousands of guests come through the building each week." The new location features an office space, two TVs highlighting area businesses and events, and a space for promoting local attractions and gift items.

Several factors prompted the Chamber's move, Stebbins noted, including the inability to hold fundraisers in 2020 due to the pandemic. Former executive director Beverly Shank and the board had to take a hard look at the viability of the space in Columbia, which had seen a drastic reduction in visitors. "It really came down to the building being used mostly as a very expensive rest stop and oversized office for one to three staff," Stebbins explained. "Financially, that just didn't make sense."

The board considered several options for the Chamber's new space and also asked for input from Chamber members, but this didn't produce any viable choices, she said. Then the Chamber learned that the owner of the gift shop that had been renting the space at John Wright Restaurant was moving, and as Stebbins put it, "It all just clicked."

SVCC serves Columbia, Marietta and Wrightsville boroughs and the surrounding areas, and the new space will allow the Chamber to continue support of the community as well as to add some new programs. "Our goal is to strengthen the business environment in the boroughs by being a resource for information and education, providing networking opportunities and helping to promote businesses and their events," said Stebbins, who became executive director in January. "We are working to build educational breakfasts, networking opportunities and make more in-person visits around the three boroughs to get to know businesses and what they want from SVCC."

The visitor's area of the Chamber's office is open whenever the restaurant is open, and although Stebbins is the only full-time staff member for the Chamber, she emphasized that her schedule is flexible to meet the needs of businesses and organizations.

She added that the move to York County doesn't mean the Chamber is changing its focus. "The Chamber is doing our best to support all three boroughs," she stated. "Our physical location has to be somewhere, but I have a car, a driver's license and the desire to go meet with owners and managers and find out how we can work together. ... We're here to listen and help everyone."