With the economic crisis and businesses around the country suffering, the Partnership for Haddonfield has strived to keep the borough flourishing with stores that complement each other.
“I think the economic challenges have not been easy for anyone in business today,” said Chairwoman Susan Hodges, Esq.
The Partnership, a management corporation for business improvements, works in committees, which are mostly volunteer efforts, to find ways to bring more to the community.
“Everything we do is something that is only done to hopefully enhance the businesses that we have and the things that we are able to provide,” Hodges said.
Every penny of the Partnership’s annual budget goes into boosting business growth, from town-wide events such as Girls Night Out and First Friday, to making sure that businesses complement each other.
The 2012 operating budget for the Partnership is $300,000, which is a decrease of about $55,000 from last year.
Their budget information can be found on www.haddonfieldnj.org.
“We don’t have a huge budget,” said Hodges. “It’s a tough position.”
There is a paid part time staffer in Remi Fortunato, the Partnership’s retail recruiter.
She took on the post in late April, she said, replacing longtime recruiter Lisa Hurd, who was recognized for her efforts over the years in Mayor Tish Colombi’s 2012 State of the Borough Address.
“One of the reasons we have a healthy downtown is that back in 2003 we decided to employ a person whose job it would be to recruit new businesses for Haddonfield. We had the good fortune to have among the applicants a resident who appeared to be perfect for the job. We hired her, and it turned out that she was perfect for the job,” Colombi said of Hurd in the address.
Fortunato, too, has had a personal interest in seeing Haddonfield succeed.
The Haddonfield resident owned Remi’s Café until 2001 at the current site of The Little Tuna on Kings Highway.
“It’s good to be back involved with the downtown,” she said.
Fortunato said she has a two-part job.
Her main focus is going out and recruiting stores in target markets to fill vacant lots in town.
Recruitment is a long process of finding the right merchant, she said.
She also focuses on retention, working as a liaison between stores that currently exist and the borough.
“We really try to use Remi in a way that gives people another way to get to us,” said Hodges.
Keeping communication open with merchants is key, Fortunato said, and she has an open door once a month at the visitor’s center to garner new ideas.
“I just try to keep it going,” she said.
Rosie Tizzano, Professionals Committee Chair, is responsible for encouraging business-to-business awareness.
To that end, the committee provides support and enrichment services, she said, through a variety of outlets.
Business owners can engage in networking meetings as well as major events through the year.
The committee was to present the annual Taste of Haddonfield on Tuesday, Oct. 2 and hosts a Spring Fling each year.
On Friday, Oct. 5, they are convening for a First Friday Networking event at Jersey Java and Tea, 140 Haddon Ave., from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
“We bring awareness to the events,” said Tizzano.
In addition, the committee updates their website, www.haddonfieldprofessionals.org, with town-wide events, a business directory and specials.
“We work very hard to develop our website,” she said, “and to promote the downtown professionals.
Haddonfield is different from many communities in that there is a corporation to help lead the business district, said Hodges.
“Most towns don’t have something like this,” she said. “We’re always working. We’re always willing to listen to our storeowners. I hope people know that. They can always reach out to us.”
Events to keep on the radar include Oct. 5’s First Friday, Nov. 7’s Professionals First Frist Networking, candlelight shopping from Nov. 23 to Dec. 24 and a Holiday House Tour on Dec. 13.
“We certainly are willing to listen to any ideas, and do our best with whatever we can to make downtown better,” said Hodges.
Learn more
To learn more about the Partnership for Haddonfield, call Remi Fortunato at (856) 429–4700 ext. 326 or visit www.ShopHaddonfieldNJ.com. A business directory, map of the downtown and retail coupons can be found on the website.
The Partnership is located in Borough Hall.
