A publication from the Office of Economic Development | April 2015

IN THIS ISSUE
QUICK LINKS
SOCIAL MEDIA
JOIN OUR LIST
BARRE.[D] STUDIO OPENS IN DOWNTOWN C'VILLE

A new alternative fitness studio has opened its doors in Downtown Charlottesville at 216 West Water Street. Barre.[d] Studio, owned by Hanna Dobbels, opened in February and is helping increase awareness for barre-style fitness. Barre workouts utilize a traditional ballerina bar that incorporates various movements and techniques for a full body workout.

 

Drawing on her 10 years of barre experience, Hanna has designed a dynamic boutique fitness studio offering invigorating classes that will lift, tone, and strengthen the entire body. Hanna's barre methods are inspired by the techniques of pilates, yoga, and ballet. When Hanna decided to open her own studio, the Charlottesville environment is what attracted her to the downtown area. As Hanna explained, "I love small businesses and did not want to open a franchise only because I wanted a space that could partner with other fitness boutique studios as well as the small surrounding businesses. Charlottesville is a entrepreneurial hub and a perfect place for locally owned businesses; we are so grateful to be a part of the community here!"

 

Hanna has been planning her new business venture since 2014, and in early 2015, soon after Barre.[d]'s grand opening, she was accepted in the OED's ACE Program. The work between Hanna and OED staff resulted in several targeted growth strategies, the most significant being the addition of a childcare area. "I knew that in order for the studio to be a center for families and moms, I would have to establish that part of my business early on; with the help of the ACE Program, the build-out happened in less than 3 weeks and our studio is ready for new faces! The support and help of the city has been incredible to our studio's growth and increased potential to be able to serve our community with the gift of fitness," commented Hanna.

 

Barre.[d] Studio is having a Kick Off event for the new childcare space on Sunday, April 26th, starting at 3pm.

 

For more information about Barre.[d], please CLICK HERE.

2015 CITY BUSINESS SURVEY REPORT

The OED has completed its comprehensive 2015 City of Charlottesville Business Survey and released the accompanying report.  A few highlights of this year's key findings are:
  • 58.5% of businesses indicated 2014 sales were up when compared to 2013 sales
  • 82.4% of businesses do not have difficulties retaining employees
  • 83.0% of businesses plan to hire full-time workers in the next year
  • 86.7% of businesses believe that their future sales and business prospects will be either excellent or good

The 2015 Business Survey was the third installment in a series of biennial surveys. In 2011, the OED began conducting a survey of City businesses to assess perceptions of the business climate and determine the needs of City business owners. For more information about this survey, please contact Jason Ness at [email protected]. To view the Executive Summary, CLICK HERE

OED PUBLISHES BUSINESS RESOURCE

With several construction projects underway and more planned for the future, the OED has created a guide for local businesses to use during construction projects. This Construction Guide serves as a proactive tool for businesses facing large construction projects near their business location. The goal of the guide is to be a source of planning, offering strategies, and information to implement so that business owners can maintain customers, protect access, and successfully manage their business during the construction process. Jason Ness, the OED's Business Development Manager, stated, "The OED is dedicated to maintaining Charlottesville as a business-friendly community. We've spent the last several months organizing this guide in an effort to create this resource. We realize this guide isn't a solution to all construction project issues, but we intend it to be a point of reference for City business owners." In May, the guide will be available at oeddatatool.charlottesville.org. If you are interested in receiving a printed copy, please contact Jason at [email protected]

PARKING SURVEY UNDERWAY - INPUT NEEDED

The City of Charlottesville is working with Nelson Nygaard, an internationally recognized transportation consultant, to update parking inventory and utilization rates in and around downtown Charlottesville and in the University Corner area. 

 

As part of this process, the City is seeking input on parking and access from those who live, work, and visit downtown and the University Corner area.  The input provided through the surveys will directly inform the City's understanding of access needs and concerns. Please choose the most appropriate of the three surveys for your situation and feel free to share the survey links with others to ensure broad participation and representation of concerns.  All information is confidential and anonymous. 

 

General public (residents, visitors etc.), please take this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Cville_parking

 

Downtown employees, please take this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Cville_employee

 

Downtown business owners and employers, please take this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Cville_Business

CHARLOTTESVILLE COMMUNITY JOB FAIR - MAY 6, 2015

Job Fair People LogoIt's that time of year again! Join us at the 2015 Charlottesville Community Job Fair, which will be held on Wednesday, May 6th from 10:00am until 3:00pm at John Paul Jones Arena. As the largest job fair of its kind in Central Virginia, last year's Charlottesville Community Job Fair put more than 1,000 job seekers in contact with over 80 organizations. Attending will be the area's most prominent employers including: the University of Virginia, the City of Charlottesville, nTelos Wireless, Wal-Mart Logistics, and many more. The event is free and open to all job seekers, but pre-registration is strongly suggested. If you are an employer looking for qualified candidates to fill your open positions, employer registration information is available online at www.charlottesville.org/jobfair. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Hollie Lee in the City of Charlottesville's Office of Economic Development, at [email protected] or 434-970-3117.

 

To get the most out of the Charlottesville Community Job Fair, a job interview skills and etiquette workshop, hosted by the Downtown Job Center, will take place on Monday, April 27th from 1:30pm until 2:30pm at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (3rd floor, 201 E. Market Street). In this workshop, job seekers will learn how to prepare for an interview, what to wear, what types of questions to expect, and what types of questions to ask. At the end of the workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to apply what has been learned by participating in mock interviewing. These tips and tools will boost your potential and leave a lasting impression with recruiters. For more information about this event, please contact Cory Demchak in the Downtown Job Center at [email protected] or 434-970-3933.

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 28, 2015 - SBDC: Creating Jobs & Hiring Employees - 9:00AM-11:00AM

Learn from a panel of experts what it takes to design a new employee position; how to prepare to recruit for that position; steps in the selection and hiring process; some possible ways to help offset the costs associated with creating a new job, hiring someone to fill it, and training them to be productive; and tips on managing, motivating, and increasing the value of your new employee (and any existing employees) once they come on board.  To register for this event, CLICK HERE.

 

April 28, 2015 - SCORE: Commercial Leasing Seminar - 2:00PM-3:30PM

This seminar will provide an overview of the ins and outs of commercial lending. You will learn about the process to follow to satisfy your need for space and ways to avoid making costly mistakes. For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.

 

May 5, 2015 - Chamber: Business After Hours - 5:30PM-7:30PM

Join the Chamber at their May After Hours for food, drinks, and fun at the Old Metropolitan Hall on the Downtown Mall. For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.

 

May 12, 2015 - SBDC: Keeping the Books - 1:00PM-5:00PM

In this workshop, you'll learn the fundamentals of basic bookkeeping tasks and how to use your chart of accounts. You'll learn to record and match revenues & expenses, record receipts & disbursements, handle end-of-period closings, and read financial reports. For more information or to register, please CLICK HERE.

 

May 13 & 27, 2015 - SCORE: Branding Workshop - 2:00PM-4:30PM

This two-part workshop will discuss how to build a business idea into a brand and listen to the owners of two locally based great branded businesses tell their stories. For more information and to register, CLICK HERE.

 

May 14 & 19, 2015 - SBDC: QuickBooks for Small Business - 1:00PM-5:00PM

This hands-on course will teach you to set up and use a QuickBooks financial system.  You'll work with customer and vendor lists, forms, registers, and bank and credit card accounts; enter sales and payments; enter and pay bills; report and analyze financial data. A reference book for QuickBooks is included. For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.
 

May 21, 2015 - CBIC: Annual Awards Gala - 5:15PM-10:00PM

This year marks the 17th year that CBIC has celebrated entrepreneurship and innovation through its Annual CBIC Awards Gala. For more information or to register, please CLICK HERE.

 

June 4, 2015 - SBDC: Is Government Contracting Right For You? - TBD

If you're wondering whether selling to the federal, state, and/or local government would be a good strategy for your business, then plan to attend this all day seminar to learn what is involved with getting contracts to sell your products to a public agency.  There will be a panel of procurement experts representing the City of Charlottesville, County of Albemarle, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States federal government. For more details of the event, please CLICK HERE.

 

The Office of Economic Development (OED) is the City's primary vehicle for economic development services. The OED team works to enhance Charlottesville's economy, create quality jobs, increase per capita income, and improve the quality of life for residents. Economic Development staff promotes Charlottesville as a premier location for business and regularly works with entrepreneurs and existing businesses seeking to grow here. Staff members provide unique assistance at the municipal level, acting as facilitators between the business community and City, State agencies, private and public sector, academia, and more. It is the intent of the team to craft business-driven strategies that enhance workforce and business development throughout Charlottesville and the region. The Office also coordinates and administers the functions of the Charlottesville Economic Development Authority (CEDA). The Authority issues tax exempt revenue bonds for manufacturing and nonprofit expansions and assists with public private partnerships.

 

 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT US ONLINE