Expo promotes area businesses
The El Mirage Senior Center was transformed Saturday into a business mecca, with dozens of local businesses gathering to display their goods and services. Marianne Archibald, economic development coordinator for the city, said they are hoping the business expo will continue to grow.
“We hold these four times a year,” she said. “Today we have about 60 businesses, and the turnout has been great considering the bad weather we’ve been having.”
The Free Small Business Expo was co-sponsored by the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce. Archibald said the aim of both parties is to make space available for any and all vendors who wish to participate.
“It is absolutely free to vendors,” she said. “If they want to be here, they can. We wanted to create an opportunity for our residents to meet their local businesses, learn about their services and of course encourage people to shop local.”
Jerry Bakke, national fund-raising chairman for the 1st Marine Division Association, was on hand to promote a charity golf tournament Feb. 20 at the Sun City Country Club. The 1st Marines is a group dedicated to helping current and former Marines, especially now, Bakke said, when so many are coming home from the Middle East.
