Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber initiative brings benefit to small businesses
An initiative organized by the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber late last year brought good fortune to area businesses as 2022 came to a close.
The initiative, called Ca$hmob, resulted in the busiest two hours that Oil & Vinegar owner Angela McMasters said she had ever had at her store, located at 522 Northpointe Circle, Seven Fields, on Dec. 13.
During a two-hour span, purchases amounted to more than $3,500, McMasters said. During that time, a sponsor would pay a portion of the cost of all purchases at select vendor tents throughout the Holiday Christmas Market event.
The sponsor, Comcast Business, covered $1,450, according to McMasters. The half-priced discounts attracted energetic purchases from shoppers, who poured into the store.
“That’s more than I would have done the entire day,” McMasters said. “So it was just a great event for us and really boosted our spirits, too.”
McMasters said she never left her register, adding that not many staff members were around to man the store. Her husband, aunt and a good friend from the chamber turned out to help her that day.
“It was advertised as ‘until the cash runs out,’ and we ran out,” she said.
A similar two-hour event was held the following day, Dec. 14, at Amy’s Embroidery and Much More, 20325 Route 19 Cranberry Gardens, Cranberry Township.
The events happened after the chamber drew the businesses names from a hat of 40 other business names at the Holiday Christmas Market at Cranberry Township Municipal Center.
Comcast approached the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber after hearing about a vendor event format in the eastern part of the state, said Jim Boltz, chamber president.
At the holiday market, a chamber representative would draw names from a hat every half-hour for a smaller version of the experience that the two other businesses had in mid-December.
For 15 minutes, Comcast would pay half the cost of all purchases at select vendor tents throughout the Holiday Christmas Market event.
McMasters, a member of the chamber, said the chamber stepped up to assist struggling businesses a great deal throughout the COVID-19 recession. The chamber formed task forces which brainstormed ways to help and established Facebook pages open to nonmember businesses, where people could discuss options with each other.
“That just said a lot to me about their character as an organization,” McMasters said. “The leaders who volunteer with the chamber — I know quite a few of them on the board — are just all really great people who are there to help and support, and they stepped up during COVID.”
McMasters also noted the chamber’s commitment toward women-owned businesses, with the chamber hosting online shopping events for such businesses throughout lockdown.
