Community Wide Yard Sale

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Community Wide Yard Sale on April 7th, 2012. There will be booth space for rent and organizations, individuals and business are invited to rent a booth and some sell their junk.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce office at (903) 796-3296 or email lisa_thompson@atlantatexas.org for more information!

Follow the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook

The Chamber of Commerce has set up a page on Facebook that will keep our friends informed and active with the day-to-day happenings in the Atlanta Area. Please "like" us on Facebook so that we can connect with you better! Invite your friends to do the same!

Facebook Launches Small Business Boost Contest

Facebook quietly launched a contest Tuesday called Small Business Boost that will award $10,000 to 10 small businesses that gain the most new Likes by April 1.  Small business owners in the U.S. that manage pages on the social network can enter the contest through an app on the Facebook Marketing Solutions page. This contest is in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Read more about the contest here.

Chamber Office Closed

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce will close for the Christmas holidays on Friday, December 23rd, 2011 and Monday, December 26th, 2011.

For New Years, The Chamber Office will be closed on Monday, January 2nd, 2011.

Please have the merriest of Christmases and enjoy a very happy New Year with loved ones! Thank you for your continued support of the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce.

Subway hiring

A new Subway restaurant will be opening up in downtown Atlanta at the first of the year, and they are looking for a team of hard-workers to serve the community fresh and tasty food. If you are interested in applying for a job at Subway, please visit the Chamber of Commerce Office from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to pick up an application. The Chamber closes for lunch from 12:30 -1:30 p.m.

Collecting toys for needy children

Two of our members joined forces with the U.S. Marine Corps this week to collect Toys for Tots, and we could not be more proud of their results. Cass County Bank and KPYN, along with the United States Marines, collected 215 toys, ten bicylces and $350 cash for the needy children in our area this morning, December 9th, 2011 at Cass County Bank. Keep up the great work everyone!
 

New Restaurant Hiring

Luigi's Italian Restaurant has been working quickly to open the doors before the first of the year, and now they are ready to hire a team of qualified and dedicated employees. Applications for employement can be picked up at the Chamber office at 101 N. East Street in Atlanta, Texas and returned before Monday, December 5, 2011.

The Chamber of Commerce office is open from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and closes from 12:30- 1:30 for lunch.

Annual Christmas Parade

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce will host the 2011 Christmas Parade themed "The Gift of Christmas" on December 3rd, 2011 at 2 p.m. Entry forms will be accepted until November 30th, 2011. Everyone is encouraged to participate!

The star of the Christmas parade, Santa Claus, will be in Veteran's Memorial Plaza after the parade to meet children and pose for quick photos. We hope to see everyone on Saturday!

Small Business Saturday- November 26th, 2011

A Message from the President--
Please join me and the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce as we observe Small Business Saturday on November 26th. This day marks the second annual Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday (SBS) was created in 2010 in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: creating more demand for their products and services.



How Consumers can get on Board:

• Learn more about this effort by visiting the www.facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday. Join the 1.5 million people who “like” Small Business Saturday on Facebook. You can also give a shout-out for your favorite local shops and restaurants and encourage those in your social networks to shop at small businesses on November 26.

• Most of all, I encourage you to do some of your holiday and everyday shopping at small businesses, especially on Small Business Saturday.

• Whether you are a small business owner or a consumer, please join the Atlanta Area Chamber and participate in the second annual Small Business Saturday.


How Small Businesses can get Involved:

• Advertising, PR and Marketing
Small Business Saturday will be supported with national advertising and public relations highlighting the importance of supporting small businesses and driving consumers to shop there on November 26. The television and radio advertisements have already started! You will be able to download printable point-of-purchase and store-front marketing materials to let consumers know that you operate a local, independently-owned small business.

• Free Facebook Advertising
American Express will offer $100 in free Facebook advertising to 10,000 small businesses to help promote the day and any offers participating merchants are making to consumers.
There are many other ways for businesses to get involved.

Small Business Saturday Statistics:


A total of 1.5 million Facebook users, 130 public and private organizations, and 41 elected officials declared their support for SBS last year. More than 100,000 small businesses downloaded SBS marketing materials, 10,000 businesses signed up for free Facebook advertising that ran on SBS, and around 200,000 consumers registered their American Express cards to receive $25 statement credits when they shopped at a small business on SBS. American Express is the founding sponsor of Small Business Saturday.


Consumers Shop Main Street to Save Their Local Economies:

Source: The American Express OPEN Small Business Saturday Consumer Pulse (July 2011)

• 93% of US consumers believe it’s important to support the local small businesses
that they value in their community

• 87% believe that small businesses are a critical element
of the overall U.S. economic health

• 73% consciously shop at small businesses in their community
because they do not want them to go away


Thank you, and remember to SHOP SMALL!

Holiday Open House

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce will host the annual "Holiday Open House" on Sunday, November 20th, 2011 from 1pm – 5pm. Businesses can register by contacting the AACOC at 903-796-3296. The public is invited to attend this wonderful kick-off to the Christmas season and support local merchants. 

Christmas Window Contest

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Christmas Window Decorating Contest open to any and all businesses, which will end on November 15th. Any group can adopt a window; if they do not have a storefront to decorate., the Chamber will help you find a space.  The theme is "The Gift of Christmas". To register, contact the AACOC at 903-796-3296 or email porterfield_lisa@yahoo.com. The winner will receive a $100 prize. 

Lisa Porterfield Thompson named new President

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce has named Lisa Porterfield Thompson as the new President of the chamber. Thompson comes to the chamber from Texarkana College where she was the director of public relations. Thompson is a 2004 graduate of Queen City High School, has a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and Mass Communication from UCA Conway and a Masters of Public Service from the William J. Clinton School of Public Service, Little Rock, AR. Thompson is married to Brad Thompson who is an Atlanta fireman, and they have one son Porter.

The Chamber is hosting a reception Thursday Nov 10^th from 11-1pm at the Mattie Lanier Ritchey Center. The public is invited to come out and meet Thompson.

Christmas Parade set.

The Atlanta Christmas Parade has been set for Sat. Dec 3rd at 2 pm. The theme this year is ” The Gift of Christmas”. Prizes will be awarded to the top floats. To enter, visit the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce or for more information call 903-796-3296. Santa will be available for photos after the parade in the Veterans Memorial Plaza. 

Hoot and Holler BBQ Winners announced

The annual Hoot and Holler BBQ was held this weekend at the MLR center in Atlanta. Gary Rolf of Mt Pleasant was named the grand champion. Click here for the list of winners

Renew your Car Registration at the Chamber

You can renew your car tags at the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber offers this as a convenience to our residents and only charges a  $2.00 fee over the regular registration charge.

New Chamber Office Hours effective 7-5-11

Effective 7-5-11 the Chamber will be open from 9am-12:30pm & 1:30pm-4pm Monday- Friday.

 

Weight Watchers

Atlanta Weight Watchers meets at 6 p.m. Mondays at Horne Enterprise, 101 E. Pinecrest Drive and noons at First Methodist Church, 203 N. Louise St. Weigh-in begins 30 minutes prior to meeting. Call 800 521 5566