Harrison Chamber Cuts Ribbon on New Location

HARRISON – With a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 23, the Harrison Area Chamber of Commerce marked another step on the way to its ultimate home. Chamber President Kristine Stevens explained that 48 years ago, Tom Hecker of Harrison Realty donated a small building and installed it on the corner of the Clare County Fairground property at the corner of N. First and Fairlane streets in Harrison. He had the Fair Board’s permission, and it was an amicable arrangement, as the Chamber worked hard to provide avenues of growth and recognition for local businesses, while providing community-driven events.

Stevens explained there hadn’t really been anything said about the building taking up that corner space, because the people involved were all on various local committees and boards – working together closely. However, Stevens said the Fair Board had indicated a few years ago that it was time to look at making another arrangement.

“It really would not have been in their best interest to boot us and say ‘Chamber, you’re out of here,’” she said. “And it really wasn’t in the Chamber’s best interest to continue staying there.”

Over time, the demands on the Chamber had necessitated a move to a larger office, one with more work space, office space, and definitely storage space. The Chamber had essentially “outgrown” the building. And, as the Fair Board wanted the property back, it really was time.

“I don’t blame them at all,” Stevens said.

She asked the Fair Board to give the Chamber a few years, because it has been looking at renovating the old DNR building adjacent to Wilson State Park.

“That’s still in the works,” Stevens said, adding that she had asked insurance man Joel Hardy if he was interested in renting his former small office building to the Chamber. Stevens said that a couple weeks later, Hardy had called to offer a possible solution. That was when the Chamber first learned of the availability of Suite 103 in the Hardy-Bonham Building, 426 N. First St. After talking numbers and coming to a mutual understanding, the Chamber readily accepted the offered space. Still, it is planned to be a short-term rental, with the near-future goal of getting into the former DNR building.

Chamber staff got to work and spent a fair amount of time refurbishing the new office space, including changes to electrical work, removing “wall carpet,” applying shellac primer to treat water staining and then painting throughout with some light, bright and cheery colors. The only thing contracted out was laying of carpet.

“It’s just more functionally set up,” Stevens said, noting the new space is five rooms as opposed to three.

“The next step is to get that [original] building sold and moved off the property,” she said. “I don’t want the responsibility to fall on the Chamber to move it. And, there’s a certain amount of money that we need to walk away with, because we need to pay off that DNR building.”

Stevens said the Chamber is open to suggestions/volunteered equipment/time to move the structure, and also noted the obstacles to the move, such as low-hanging service wires. She said the Chamber is looking for a reasonable offer to move the building, including the mover taking on all the risk, which would allow for selling the building at a reasonable price.

“If there’s somebody out there who’s willing to move it for $4,000 – and do so legally, provide the insurance and bear the liability for it, we’re all ears,” she said. “We just want it to be a reasonable amount to move. If somebody can help us/give back to the Chamber, we can move forward and get this all resolved and off the property of the Fair Board – we’d love that.”

Stevens added that moving the building to the current purchaser would only mean a six-mile trip. She said that if someone can’t be found to move the building for $4,000 then the building sale could be opened up for auction, with a minimum bid of $10,000.

The timeline for completing the sale/move comes with some urgency, as the Chamber has made a commitment to the Fair Board to have the building off the property by Sept. 1. Stevens said it really should be moved by Sunday, Aug. 20 so as not to have the move caught up in Harrison Street Fair.

It was agreed that removing the building would allow for the Fair Board to do some welcoming landscaping, maybe place a changeable sign and, perhaps most importantly, open up the line-of-sight for vehicles pulling out from Fairlane onto N. First Street.

“We’ve opened a lot of doors, the Chamber,” Stevens said. “By keeping our word with the Fair Board and making steps just moving into this building.”

Stevens said she intends to keep her word and wants the Fair Board to know the Chamber is on board to help market the Clare County Fair, announce whatever things it has going on in Harrison – and that goes for other entities, as well.

“We’re not just all about The Chamber,” she said. “We want people to come to Harrison and know the events that are going on. It takes all of us working together and collaborating together.”

The Chamber works with MichiganWorks Region 7B and each summer takes on a youth intern, with the latest such hire having started work the week prior to the ribbon cutting.

Stevens has a vision for the DNR building which includes hosting weekly noon to 1 p.m. Lunch-n-Learn sessions to offer short-term training classes in Quick Books, sales techniques, social media marketing.

“Maybe $20 and we include lunch,” she said. “Come on out, grab a plate, eat, sit down, and watch and learn.”

That sort of training stems from Stevens’ desire to help small businesses grow, and to attract small businesses.

“I want to connect them with the Small Business Development Center where they can access to free training,” she said. “There’s so much more that we can do – we just need some space.”