The Fentress County Chamber of Commerce has been supporting business and the community for 50 years and the chamber will celebrate this week.
Chamber Director Jacob Rosenbaum said Fentress County has a history of small business success, and it consistently ranks among the top counties for small businesses in Tennessee. Rosenbaum said local business leaders have helped propel the Chamber to this milestone.
“Those business owners see the value in being involved and supporting the Chamber, and working together to improve the overall business environment here in Jamestown and Fentress County,” Rosenbaum said. “And so we owe it all to the business people.”
Although there are several chains in Fentress County, Rosenbaum said small business support is woven into the culture. Rosenbaum said there are several long standing small businesses throughout the county.
“People here like to build relationships with their neighbors, and they’d rather do business with somebody that they know,” Rosenbaum said. “Somebody they have a history of doing business with that has a good reputation and is in good standing with the community than say, your more generic retail experience at a chain location.”
Furthermore, Rosenbam said local businesses add to the community. He said he appreciates that the community places high value on supporting small business.
Rosenbaum said the big retailers have things most small businesses lack, and they will always have their place in the economy. However, Rosenbaum said the Chamber tries to promote the idea of shopping small and keeping money local.
“A dollar that is spent at a locally owned business will circulate through the local economy seven times before it actually ends up going somewhere else,” Rosenbaum said. “If you go to a chain retailer, that dollar gets spent just once and goes into their bank account and becomes part of a corporate bottom line and doesn’t stay local.”
The Chamber officially turns 50 on Friday.
Rosenbaum said Fentress County and Jamestown’s local governments have been crucial to the Chamber’s success. He said they are supportive, generous, and great to work with.
