Old Town Tomball businesses have begun the process of create a formal business organization called the Old Town Tomball Business Alliance following a retail and restaurant workshop held Jan. 29.
What’s happening
Old Town Tomball business owners are in the process of putting together drafts of the commitment form and application for board members for the Old Town Tomball Business Alliance. Those drafts will be distributed to workshop participants, workshop facilitator Alysia Cook, who works for Opportunity Strategies, said at the Jan. 29 meeting.
Once those documents are finalized and distributed, business owners can apply to be a board member for a one-year, two-year or three-year term. Applications are due Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. Kelly Violette and Tiffani Wooten with the Tomball Economic Development Corp. will collect the application forms.
Board members will be elected during a second workshop meeting Feb. 26 from 1-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church. Each business will get one vote, and Cook will serve as the meeting facilitator again.
How we got here
An Old Town retail and restaurant workshop was held Jan. 29 at the First Baptist Church Tomball. The first half of the meeting featured Texas Downtown Association Executive Director Suzy Bryant going through the results of the organization’s downtown assessment. In her presentation, Bryant went through the organization’s recommendations, which included:
- Repair and foster stakeholder relations
- Establish and Old Town business/merchants association
- Enhance collaborative marketing efforts
- Continue infrastructure improvements
View the TDA Old Town Tomball assessment report below.
During the second half of the meeting, Cook facilitated the discussion about organizing a group for Old Town Tomball.
What they’re saying
- “The intention was to create a starting point,” Bryant said. “Our intention for you all was to just create a baseline, get everybody on the same page and then determine with Alysia how you would like to move forward.”
- “What we’re hoping that will come out of this is that our strengths will be our collaboration through this,” Violette said.
- “We’re happy to partner with you guys, support you guys, help get the word out about events and activities that are happening in downtown,” said Brandy Beyer, vice president of the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce. “That’s where we see our role, where we are most beneficial.”
Stay tuned
Board members for the Old Town Tomball Business Alliance will be elected during a second workshop meeting Feb. 26 from 1-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church. Each business gets one vote. Applications are due to the TEDC by Feb. 23 at 5 p.m.
