Forward thinker, John Schulte, Hoschton City Council, saw the need for a group of business professionals to provide their perspective to the city council .For several months in late 2005 and early 2006, concerned business people in the city of Hoschton, GA met as a steering committee. The commitee took Mr. Shulte's idea, futher added components to protect Hoschton’s history and small town feel. At the same time keeping an eye on the growth of Georgia’s 6th fastest growing county ( Jackson County).
The steering committee sent an invitation, with the blessings of the local city council, to all businesses owners in
Hoschton, GA and with ten members in attendance at the first meeting, Mary Flowers, local realtor, was named Chairman of this fledgling group.
It didn’t take long for things to really get rolling. By August (2006) members were working on plans for the annual Hoschton Fall Festival, a slogan & theme for the city and to help a local business recover from a devastating burglary. In September plans were made for a welcome package to new businesses, a membership directory of local businesses and a joint meeting with City Council and the Historical Commission regarding the relocation of a historical building.
The next few months saw the following progress;
- Meetings with city planner regarding new (O&R) Office & Retail district to be named
- Raising $475 for the business recovery (A Kayak was donated for the raffle)
- The business alliance donated a tree and all the trimmings for a family who was burned out shortly before Christmas ( other members were instrumental in getting new clothes for the family)
- A real Fine Arts Festival was planned for the Spring
- Eleven new businesses were welcomed into town by the December meeting in 2007.
- Hoschton Business Alliance was incorporated and began accepting dues in February 2007
The Piedmont Arts Guild was contacted and work began on the First annual Fine Arts Show and
Sale set for April 21, 2007. Artists came from as far away as Tennessee and
Virginia displaying, paintings, glass work, wood working, jewelry, a silent auction and a wine tasting event. The show also contained a Hoschton Historical exhibit, floral designs, book signings and story telling as well as musical entertainment, thus covering most forms of local Fine Art. The day was a complete success. As you might expect not all businesses were in sink with the event.
The event was such a success that the city received letters of thanks from the exhibitors and many local businesses stating the it was the most well organized and well run event they had been apart of in a long time. The Hoschton Business Alliance not only sponsored the event, paid for all advertising, waste disposal and extra police protection but came out with money in their account to move forward with more plans for Hoschton’s recognition as “Everyone’s Destination”!
As the 4th year begins under the 2nd term leadership of Nancy Rhodes, Adonare Personal Service Salon, we are already helping to plan a two day antique Tractor Showto be combined with our new Two day Hoschton Arts & Folk Life Festival in April 2010. The HBA Directory continues to grow.and by the way, now would be a good time for you to join the Hoschton Business Alliance.
