Your Logan County Chamber Of Commerce

117 Main St.………………… ……......….…… ..l…970-522-4800

Congratulations To

Zoe’s Nook

....Business Of The Week

324 Main St.…………… ……............….……..l…970-526-6901

The Logan County Chamber of Commerce is honoring Zoe’s Nook as the Business of the Week. On hand for the presentation were owner Nancy Pappas and Dorothy Unrein. Lori Hulbert (not pictured) also owns the business with her mother Nancy.

...Two women who loved to shop in unique small businesses along the Front Range and mountain towns in Colorado took that love and turned it into a vision of what is now known as Zoe’s Nook.

...This year 2023 will mark their 14th year in business; the last 9 1⁄2 years here in Sterling. The business is owned by Nancy Pappas and Lori Hulbert, a mother and daughter team.

......In 2009, they opened the store inside a Co-Op in Castle Rock with a few pieces of antique furniture, some home decor and a lot of passion to make this small business grow. After the first year Zoe’s Nook moved to the Brass Armadillo in Wheat Ridge.

...During the first year in Wheat Ridge, Lori along with her family moved to Sterling. They wanted to raise their children in a small hometown atmosphere. Three years later Nancy and her husband relocated to Sterling and purchased the building at 324 Main St., the new home for Zoe’s Nook.

...Nancy and Lori are so thankful to this community and those communities surrounding Sterling, Zoe’s Nook has flourished into a viable Small Business.

...Today Zoe’s Nook is known as the “Biggest Small Business Toy Store” in Northeast Colorado. People who enter their store for the first time are amazed by the number of toys they have to offer. In 2022, they brought in a new line of toys that specializes inter-active games from 8 to 18 years of age. Zoe’s Nook now offers toys, games, and books for 0 to 18 years of age.

...Zoe’s Nook still offers antiques, home decor, scrape booking and card making supplies. They have not given up on their original business plan. Zoe’s Nook has learned over the 14 years in business that in order to stay in business they need to change not only with the times but with the needs of the community.

...Zoe’s Nook is located in Historic Downtown Sterling at 324 Main St. They are open Mondays- Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Visit their Facebook page at Zoe’s Nook, call them at 970-526-6901 or email:nancy@zoenook.com

.Join Us In Congratulating

Zoe’s Nook

....Business Of The Week

#tyingthecommunitytogether

Zoe's Nook..................... Your Chamber of Commerce  

Annual Banquet...................... Your Chamber of Commerce  

Your Chamber of Commerce 

Your Chamber of Commerce  

Your Chamber of Commerce  

Sterling Creatives recently hosted a Business After Hours at the historic depot which houses the Logan County Chamber of Commerce. Along with highlighting Sterling Creatives, the event included food, friendship and networking opportunities. To learn about hosting a Business After Hours, call the Chamber at 522-5070.

Did you know that joining a chamber of commerce can help your company gain access to valuable resources and exposure in the community? A business's

visibility and trustworthiness in the community can improve greatly by joining the chamber of commerce. The mission of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce

is to strengthen business ties and foster economic development in the county.

For additional information on how joining the Logan County Chamber

can help your business, please call (970) 522- 5070.

Thank You For Joining Us In January 2023

Thank You For Renewing Your Membership In January 2023

Precision Homes, LLC

RE-1 Valley Schools

Area Wide Realty

Better Electric, Inc.

Furniture Mart

Hootenannies Inc.

Quilts-N-Creations

S & S Auto Repair, LLC

Sterling Livestock Commission

Sterling Salud Family Health Center

Brett Locke

Rocky Mountain Microfinance Institute

Your Chamber of Commerce  

Logan County Fair...................... Your Chamber of Commerce  

Merchandising Matters

While there are similarities to visually merchandising your in-store displays, store windows seem to be the bane of most retailers. Forgotten, alone, filled with odds and ends...and littered with dead flies. Yet proper retail merchandising techniques make your windows a destination on your Main Street, shopping mall, and town. 

Window Displays

Employee Ownership Grant

Applications are open and will close on May 12th. Employee Ownership is a pathway to attract and retain top talent and create a built in succession plan for your business. The Colorado Employee Ownership Grant is available to Colorado-headquartered small businesses interested in adding a broad-based employee ownership structure to their business. The grant reimburses fees paid for professional services required to transition the business to a Colorado Employee Owned Business. The professional services covered by this grant include accounting, legal, business valuation, and business transition services. This reimbursement grant awards up to 40 businesses per round and selects awardees based upon the completion of their application and eligibility requirements. Grant applications will be reviewed as they are received. Not all applicants who apply are guaranteed a grant. The grant application may close early, if all grant awardees have already been selected.

Introduction To Employee Ownership Course

The program is currently open. This programming is tailored to business owners who are interested in learning more about the formation of an employee-owned company. Learn about the different structures, the funding opportunities available, and the steps to convert. Employee-owned businesses promote a higher quality of life for employee-owners including higher wages, less turnover, access to better benefits, and job security. For the business owner, they get the benefit of a more engaged workforce, a guaranteed succession plan, and a way to attract and retain top talent. To learn more about the benefits and employee ownership options, the Employee Ownership Office has produced an introductory course. This is a free online course available 24 hours, 7 days a week accessible to small business owners interested in investigating employee ownership. To get started with this introductory course, available for 2 weeks, please click the link to register: Introduction to Employee Ownership.

Advanced Industries Collaborative Infrastructure Grant

Applications are open and close in April. This grant helps teams of Colorado-based advanced industries technology businesses and nonprofits develop the new large-scale infrastructure necessary to fill a gap in the advanced industries. Collaborative projects can receive up to $500,000. 

Cash Collaterol Support Program

The Cash Collateral Support program helps small and medium-sized businesses in Colorado access loans that they would otherwise not get because they do not have enough collateral. This credit enhancement uses small amounts of public resources to encourage private lenders to loan money to businesses. The program provides a cash deposit as collateral for a business loan or credit facility when the business cannot meet the lender’s collateral requirements. Lenders can apply for up to 25% of the loan amount or $250,000, whichever is less, in collateral to support business loan applications. The maximum loan size for this loan is $10 million.

Venture Capital Authority Supports Small Business

Colorado's Venture Capital Authority (VCA) has announced a renewed partnership with the Greater Colorado Venture Fund (GCVF) that will expand access to venture capital for Colorado entrepreneurs across the state. The VCA has committed $11,175,000 to GCVF, which has a proven track record of funding Colorado companies and creating jobs in the state’s rural communities. Over four years, GCVF's first fund made 29 investments in a wide range of Colorado brands that collectively raised over $40 million and created more than 150 jobs in rural Colorado.

Tourism Management Grant

Applications will end at 4 p.m. MST on March 2, 2023. The Colorado Tourism Office’s Tourism Management Grant provides funding for tourism-related projects that develop, enhance, or manage visitor experience in Colorado. The maximum grant amount is $20,000 and the required match is 4:1. For every $1 the qualifying grantee allocates to the proposed project, the Colorado Tourism Office will provide $4 in matching funds. For example, if your total project budget is $25,000, you can request a $20,000 grant and you will need to provide the remaining $5,000 as a cash match. Watch a recording of the webinar. Follow this link to view the FY22 Tourism Management Grant awardees.

Save The Dates

•Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) Summit will be held in Crested Butte on June 1-2.

Colorado Governor’s Tourism Conference is Sept. 27-29, 2023 in Fort Collins.

Details On Courses/Information Here

Owners Believe Business Is Health

Despite facing challenges like inflation, worker shortages, and supply chain disruptions, small business owners feel generally good about the health of their business right now, according to the latest MetLife and U.S. Chamber Small Business Index survey.  A full 89% of small businesses said their business is in average, good, or very good health in Q4 of 2022. Of those, 64% say their business is good or very good..................Business Optimistic

Magadrought Has Massive Implications

Despite recent storms in California, the fact still remains that the state, like the rest of the American West, remains gripped by an ongoing megadrought, the driest 22-year period in the last 1,200 years. While these storms may have temporarily eased drought conditions in California and topped up depleted water supplies, inadequate water infrastructure limits how much water can be captured and stored for drier periods rather than simply flowing out to sea. In any case, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, California is still experiencing drought conditions, and in some regions, such as the Imperial Valley, drought conditions and water cuts persist. Outside of California, much

of the West continues to wither in a prolonged drought, and as the drought moves east, the Mississippi River has dropped significantly while parts of the Missouri River are now at record lows. .............Strong Megadrought

Business Community Mobilizes Support

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has launched private-public coordination efforts to help the areas impacted by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. This includes a corporate aid tracker currently showing pledges from the U.S. business community totaling more than $33.1 million.  To support the earthquake response efforts, the Chamber’s Foundation and U.S.-Türkiye Business Council today united the business community, U.S. and Turkish Ambassadors, USAID, American Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye (AmCham Türkiye), and international non-government organizations for a coordination call to understand the current, emerging, and future needs where the corporate community can be of service. ............................................................Recovery Efforts

Magadrought Has Massive Implications

Despite recent storms in California, the fact still remains that the state, like the rest of the American West, remains gripped by an ongoing megadrought, the driest 22-year period in the last 1,200 years. While these storms may have temporarily eased drought conditions in California and topped up depleted water supplies, inadequate water infrastructure limits how much water can be captured and stored for drier periods rather than simply flowing out to sea. In any case, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, California is still experiencing drought conditions, and in some regions, such as the Imperial Valley, drought conditions and water cuts persist. Outside of California, much

of the West continues to wither in a prolonged drought, and as the drought moves east, the Mississippi River has dropped significantly while parts of the Missouri River are now at record lows. .............Strong Megadrought

Business Community Mobilizes Support

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has launched private-public coordination efforts to help the areas impacted by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. This includes a corporate aid tracker currently showing pledges from the U.S. business community totaling more than $33.1 million.  To support the earthquake response efforts, the Chamber’s Foundation and U.S.-Türkiye Business Council today united the business community, U.S. and Turkish Ambassadors, USAID, American Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye (AmCham Türkiye), and international non-government organizations for a coordination call to understand the current, emerging, and future needs where the corporate community can be of service. ............................................................Recovery Efforts

Remote Work Becoming Permanent

Three years after the start of the pandemic, remote work is becoming a permanent fixture among American middle market businesses, according to the RSM US Middle Market Business Index (MMBI) Workforce Special Report, released today by RSM US LLP (“RSM”) in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The report shares findings from a special set of questions about the workplace and hiring that were included in RSM’s quarterly MMBI survey, and the results reflect a dramatic shift in the way midsize businesses operate, affecting everything from operations to recruitment and culture. ...................................................................................... Remote Work

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Colorado's U.S. Senators Committees

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)

• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources (Chairman)
• Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research
• Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy
• Committee on Finance
• Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure
• Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
• Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight (Chairman)
• Subcommittee On Intelligence

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.)

•Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

• Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation
• Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband
• Subcommittee on Space and Science (Chairman)
• Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Subcommittee on Energy
• Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
• Subcommittee on Water and Power
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
• Subcommittee on Children and Families
• Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety (Chairman)
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.........................................................................Sen. John Hickenlooper

Entries Welcome For

Regional Art Show

Area artists are invited to enter artwork in the Northeastern Colorado Regional Art Show to be held at Northeastern Junior College. The show will be held Feb. 20-March 15. 

Event Information...................... Entry Form

The first History Café of  2023 will feature a distinguished panel of Western History authors on Wed. Feb. 22 at 10:30 a.m. The panel will include Matt Vincent, Jean Gray and Luann Koester. The three authors have all written and published books about the history of the Northeastern Colorado plains. The authors will discuss the whole writing and publishing process and will include information about writing your own personal family history. Reservations are not required but are strongly encouraged as the programs have limited seating. Call the Museum at 970-522-3895 to reserve your spot. We hope you will join us for muffins,

History Cafe ............February Newsletter ................. Overland Trail Museum

.Your Chamber of Commerce.

.First Presbyterian Church.

"Decades of Design - fashion from the late 1800s through the 1970s" is a new temporary exhibit now on display in the Hamil building at the Overland Trail Museum.

February Newsletter ................. Overland Trail Museum

Country music superstar Josh Turner will be taking center stage at the 2023 Logan County Fair Night Show on Aug. 5. Turner’s appearance in Sterling will be part of his Long Black Train 20th Anniversary Tour, which kicks off on March 4 in Dothan, Ala.

.Logan County Fair.................. Josh Turner Concert

Book Launch Details ............February Newsletter ................. Overland Trail Museum

CSU Regional Engagement Center

Logan County Emergency Management

Northeastern Junior College

The Sportsman Experience

Why Join The Chamber?