Now that we have had the first snowfall of the season, many of us are considering what we may need to do around the house and yard to get ready for the winter ahead. It can be a fair amount of work, but you can find help from local small businesses and plenty of them are also available to hire through the winter for snow removal and other needs.

Maybe you no longer want to shovel that driveway and are ready to look at snowblowers. Check out local businesses first, including LandPro in Falconer, ROCKTerra in Westfield, and Tractor Supply Co. in Westfield. Or if you are ready for someone else to do the whole job for you, call some local companies for plowing including Bloomquist’s Landscaping in Jamestown, Greenbriar Property Management in Dewittville, and R & R Property Services in Mayville for snow and ice removal or winterizing.

Local hardware stores can provide both equipment sales and rental, as well as a staff that has a wealth of information to offer. Weather you need a new snow shovel, a snowbrush, or are ready to paint your dining room before Thanksgiving dinner, we can recommend that you stop at ADD Lumber in Dunkirk, Irving, or Westfield, or at Everyday’s True Value in Jamestown, Jamestown Pro Hardware, Service Hardware in Dunkirk, or Stewart’s Mayville Hardware.

Most of us have already cranked up our furnaces, but it’s never too late to get your heating equipment checked out for the season. Casale Plumbing & Heating in Dunkirk, D & M Heating & Cooling in Cherry Creek, and KRD Enterprises in Silver Creek can inspect and tune up heating systems, and Lictus Oil & Propane in Clymer can provide heating oil and propane for systems that require those fuel sources.

Our vehicles may also need some pre-winter attention. For rust control protection try Krown of Jamestown. For service and tune-ups try Mancuso Service Center in Fredonia, Mayville Service Center, or Ralph’s Pennzoil in Dunkirk. For snow tires check with Charlie’s Auto Center in Westfield, Kuppel Tire Service in Silver Creek, and Shults Express Lube & Tire in Lakewood. For full service, or if you need to trade up for a better overall vehicle to get your through the season ahead, check out Dave Warren Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram in Jamestown or Westfield, Fredonia Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram in Fredonia, Jim White’s Truck & Auto Center in Irving, LiteHouse Auto in Lakewood, or any Shults Auto Group location in Jamestown or Lakewood.

For any services or merchandise you may be seeking, we encourage you to check our online Business Directory at www.chautauquachamber.org where you can find all types of helpful businesses countywide. The Chamber is proud to count a wide variety of businesses among our more than 900 members, all in business to serve you. Supporting local businesses boosts our local economy and makes our county a great place to live and work.

BUSINESS BUILDER WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 6: HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE 2024 SOLAR ECLIPSE

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce has organized a special opportunity for local businesspeople to learn all about the total solar eclipse coming up April 8, 2024 and what it means for your local business. With an estimated 100,000 extra people expected to visit Chautauqua County for the eclipse next spring, the Business Builder Workshop is aimed at giving you the information you’ll need to promote your business and to gear up for the day. Our speakers will be Tom Traub, Chair of the Martz-Kohl Observatory Solar Eclipse Committee and NASA Eclipse Ambassador member; Noel Guttman, Chautauqua County Director of Emergency Services; and Andrew Nixon, President and CEO of the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau.

This workshop will be held at the JCC North Training Center, Bennett Road, Dunkirk, from 1-3pm, Monday, November 6. It is sponsored by CCVB, Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services, Jamestown Community College, and the Martz-Kohl Observatory. Please register through the Chamber’s online calendar at www.chqchamber.org.

The upcoming eclipse is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our region, and for your business to seize the moment. We hope you can join us for this workshop.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT SOUTHERN TIER BREWING IS NOVEMBER 14

Join us for a perennial favorite Business After Hours, November 14 at Southern Tier Brewing Company, 2072 Stoneman Circle, in Lakewood. Business After Hours is conveniently timed to meet your needs between workday and evening activities. It runs from 5-6:30pm, featuring appetizers, a cash bar, and a brief program that lets you know who’s who in the room. Remember to bring business cards for networking. Chamber member businesses can send two people at no charge. For non-members or anyone above the two-person limit, the price is $10. Advance registration is not required but is appreciated for our planning purposes. Sign up online now through our web calendar at www.chqchamber.org. This Business After Hours is sponsored by Southern Tier Brewing Company, DFT Communications, Jamestown Community College, LaBella Associates, Media One Radio Group, M&T Bank, OBSERVER, and The Post-Journal, and Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union.

THE CHAMBER IS READY TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce has a number of initiatives for the holiday season designed to drive shoppers into small local businesses.

The Holiday Window Decorating Contest is free to enter for any locally owned business in Chautauqua County – whether you are a Chamber member or not. You must register through our web calendar by November 10 to be included. Then decorate your business and send us a photo of your completed masterpiece. The Chamber will assign a number to each participating business, will share participating businesses on social media, and will create a Google Map showing all the locations. Votes will be texted in from November 17-December 16.

The Chamber will also encourage shoppers to visit small locally owned businesses on Small Business Saturday, November 25. When they do a Facebook or Instagram check-in and tag the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce they will be entered to win ShopLocalCHQ Gift Cards. By checking in, it helps to promote the small businesses where customers are shopping for Small Business Saturday. Each check-in will result in an additional entry, so the more small businesses you visit the more times you can enter the contest.

The Mayville-Chautauqua region will be holding a Holiday Open House November 18 – December 2, featuring a punch card that will help to bring customers to local retailers, and in Westfield the Chamber is organizing a Holiday Cookie Tour for December 16 and local businesses can sign up. To find all the details and get your business included, visit our Chamber online calendar.