Earlier this month, businesses and entrepreneurs from across the village of Cassadaga attended a small business expo at Valley Outdoors. The event was organized by the Cassadaga Community and Business Alliance, in conjunction with the Small Business Development Center at Jamestown Community College.

The event featured vendors from around the community, as well as prospective businesses owners and consumers, who all came together for an afternoon at Valley Outdoors, located at 16 S. Main St., in Cassadaga. Valley Outdoors has also recently become a host of the newly established Village Welcome Center.

“Thank you everyone for a fun and successful small business pop-up event in Cassadaga Lakes,” said Cassadaga Community and Business Alliance founding member Kim Collins. “We were so excited to team up with Jamestown Small Business Development Center to bring this amazing opportunity to our area and our brand new Welcome Center!”

Current and potential business owners were encouraged to attend to learn about support services available through local county, public and private organizations, such as the Small Business Development Center, offering small business advisement services, at no cost, to help entrepreneurs start and grow their business.

Cassadaga Community and Business Alliance members Susan Asquith, left, and Deborah Metzger, right, are pictured at a recent small business expo at Valley Outdoors in Cassadaga.

In addition to the Small Business Development Center, other organizations featured at the event were the Small Business Administration, Pursuit Lending, Southern Tier West, Laine Business Accelerator, Chautauqua County and Chautauqua County IDA, Chautauqua Workforce Development Board, and Chautauqua Opportunities. The event also featured food from Super Duper Catering and drinks by Taylor & Tonic.

“It was such a positive event. Blessed with lovely weather, awesome food and drink, and a sense of shared enthusiasm to support businesses,” said Cassadaga resident Judith Garncarek.

Cassadaga Community and Business Alliance founding member Susan Asquith called the event “a great success.” She offered thanks to Courtney Curatolo and her team from the Small Business Development Center for their efforts. Asquith and Curatolo came up with the idea for the event, as they serve together on the Chautauqua County Planning Board.

“It was an amazing venue and host, CCBA team members, enthusiastic business owners, fun food and beverage providers, friends, family and more coming together under sunny skies to benefit the community. This is the kind of activity we should be focused on to help our residents, businesses and visitors thrive,” Asquith said.

A recent small business expo at Valley Outdoors in Cassadaga was well-attended. Submitted photos