Trenton Shines During Chamber of Commerce’s 'After Business, Ours'

They came. They ate. They networked.

And Trenton shined.

By all accounts, the monthly “After Business, Ours” event for members and guests of the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber was a huge success.

The evening get-together–known as “ABO” for short–was held on the upper level of Trenton’s on West Road. The event provided a chance for Trenton, its business people and its organizations to roll out the red carpet for fellow business people, residents and leaders from across the region.

“This was a really good ‘ABO,’” said Sandy Mull, president of the chamber of commerce. “It was very important to hold it in Trenton. They’ve got a lot going on and so many people are really involved in the business community promoting the city and the businesses here–and the chamber truly values that.”

The event was co-sponsored by the city of Trenton, the Trenton Business Association (TBA) and the Motor City Metal Jackets, a team from the North American Hockey League whose home arena is the Kennedy Recreation Center.

Kathy Kane, a chamber director and the administrator for the Trenton Business Association, coordinated the ABO through her Market Insights business. Her goal was “to promote the city and all the things we have going on.”

“People have been telling me they live in Trenton and haven’t been to (the Kennedy Recreation Center) in 10 years,” she said. “This was also a great way to promote our businesses and the Trenton Business Association.”

Joe Hoshaw Jr., who is Kane’s partner in the Trenton Trib monthly newspaper, said he enjoys showing off his hometown.

“It’s always great to have an opportunity like this to showcase the community and to bring people into the city, especially when you have a regional chamber with people from all over the area,” said Hoshaw, a chamber director and TBA board member who runs HPR Media and Promotional Services.

“This compliments what the Trenton Business Association tries to do: organize cooperative events with other business organizations. It elevates our organization when we team up with the chamber.”

Kane and Hoshaw said the emphasis on the Metal Jackets was important. In fact, Kane distributed free tickets to the team’s hockey games.

“Although their home base is here, the Metal Jackets are looking to develop more of a regional following,” Hoshaw said. “They play some pretty good hockey. We’ve got a lot of hockey fans in Trenton and outside Trenton. We want to give them a chance to grow and develop some roots here.”

Mark Slagle owns and operates Trenton business Mr. Handyman, which performs residential and commercial building maintenance and repairs. He said he counts on events hosted by the chamber of commerce and the TBA for exposure for his business.

“Just to have it here in Trenton, it’s good for the city,” Slagle said. “It’s good to give exposure to both the chamber and the Trenton Business Association, as well as the hockey rink and all the other things going on in our community. This brings people here and introduces them to other businesses.”

Slagle is active in the Chamber Connections networking group, which meets weekly to refer business to members of the group. The Connections had one of the many tables on the second floor of the arena.

“You’ll get more business from who you know than what you know,” Slagle said. “When you network with people and have a genuine interest in them and get to know them, they’re more likely to do business with you.”

Rob Bovitz of Bovitz CPA LLC in Trenton is a chamber director and treasurer of the TBA. Bovitz was president of the TBA the last time the After Business, Ours was held at the arena in 1997.

“You have representatives of the chamber’s 21 communities, 50 board members and influential business leaders coming to your city,” he said. “It’s all about collaboration and sharing. It’s regional. The Downriver communities are so close knit and they help each other.”

Jon Hodge, who moved to Trenton a year ago for the strong school system and other reasons, said the After Business, Hours event proved what he had discovered. Hodge, who grew up on Grosse Ile, is a financial adviser at the Edward Jones Investment office he operates in Wyandotte.

“Trenton’s a great town,” Hodge said. “The city has some of the best restaurants and some of the best small businesses to offer all people of the Downriver area. Elizabeth Park is great. That was our home course when I ran in high school.”

Five Trenton businesses provided food for the evening: Mom’s Kitchen, Sibley Gardens, Jeanne’s Catering, TV Grand and Savannah’s. The Dimopoulos family that has operated Mom’s Kitchen for 20 years said it was proud to be involved in the ABO and other Trenton events

“We love the community,” said Steven Dimopoulos, an attorney and the son of Mom’s Kitchen owners Sia and Gus. “We just expanded our restaurant and the community has been highly receptive. We’re happy to be here to support them as well.”

Sia Dimopoulos said it was great “to see so many familiar faces” at the recreation center event.

“This is wonderful,” she said. “There is such a great sense of community.”

Mull and TBA President Krishelle Kohler gave thumbs up to the ABO.

“It was a fabulous evening,” said Kohler, who is a chamber director and owns Coach Stop Manor in Trenton and Elder Care Home Care Group on Grosse Ile. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s well worth it.”

“Everybody had a great time,” Mull added. “There were lots of exhibits. The food was great. The location was excellent. Nobody wanted to go home.”