Five Downtown Business Owners/Managers Attend “Destination Business” Workshop

Five downtown business owners spent a day recently in Wake Forest learning how to make their business a ”destination business.” The Clayton Downtown Development Association was a community sponsor of a workshop with marketing expert and small business strategist Jon Schallert in downtown Wake Forest.

John McFadden (Jewelry Design Studio); Joyce Blackley (Blackley’s Printing); Michelle McCullen (Pizazz); Debi Austermuehle (Main Street Jewelers); and Debbie Hammond (Fancy That Gifts) attended the workshop and learned how to market their business as a destination. Schallert provided attendees with some very good tools and resources to use to help businesses in that process.

Michelle McCullen, manager of Pizazz, a clothing resale shop associated with Harbor Inc, said she considered the workshop with Jon Schallert to be very resourceful and thinks some of the lessons learned will help downtown businesses succeed and make Clayton itself a "Destination" town. She said, “It enlightened me on ways to strengthen our sales and get Pizazz out into the public eye as a "destination" business, and be seen as more than just a resale shop with the right attitude and the simplest of changes.”

Joyce Blackley, owner of Blackley’s Printing, and a former DDA Chair said, “The program was a great motivator and brought out a positive attitude in all of us.”

Since the workshop, the DDA has subscribed to Schallert’s “Destination University” and will provide opportunities to share information with downtown businesses.

For more information, contact Downtown Development Coordinator, Bruce Naegelen at 553-1545 or bnaegelen@townofclaytonnc.org.


In Photo: From left to right: John McFadden (Jewelry Design Studio); Joyce Blackley (Blackley’s Printing); Michelle McCullen (Pizazz); Debi Austermuehle (Main Street Jewelers); Debbie Hammond (Fancy That Gifts); Jon Schallert.