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Chamber business expo draws crowd

Photos: Hamilton Chamber Expo

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By Richard O Jones, Staff Writer Updated 8:54 AM Friday, July 16, 2010

HAMILTON — It was a packed house at the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Business Expo Thursday, July 15, at Badin High School.

“We have 83 exhibitors,” said expo coordinator Laura Merrill. “We sold out this year and squeezed in a few others.”

It was also the 20th installment of the event, and this year, the chamber celebrates its 100th anniversary.

“The expo lets the public see what Hamilton has to offer,” Merrill said. “This year we have 15 businesses that have never participated before.”

One of the first-time exhibitors was Massage Envy, “a professional, affordable and convenient” facility located for two years in Bridgewater Falls, according to franchise owner Theresa Holderread, who said she recently joined the chamber.

“You can do all kinds of advertising, but you have to try different things — like this,” she said, “We realize that there are a lot of people who don’t know we exist.”

Merrill said that while it’s hard to get an exact count, the expo typically draws 500 to 700 people from the community in addition to exhibitors and chamber members. Many of them are drawn by the free food samples from member restaurants and caterers, but others come from habit and curiosity.

“I like to see what’s going on in the city,” said Hamilton resident Helen Hulshult, adding that she and her husband Donald used to come to the event every year, but after his passing in 2008, she’s been coming with friends.

“It looks like there’s a lot to do in Hamilton,” she said, “and we normally think there isn’t, that this is a dead city. But it’s not.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2188 or rjones@coxohio.com.

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