What Are We Up To?
Strengthening Local Business Through Partnership and Stewardship.
Update from the Board:
"Together, we’re building something meaningful – and we’re just getting started."
At your Quincy Chamber of Commerce, our mission is to uplift and strengthen Quincy’s economy through partnership, innovation, and thoughtful action. We do understand and respect the concerns that have been raised and are committed to doing better every day. We invite all business owners, including those who have been critical, to participate in shaping what comes next.
The Quincy Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Indian Valley Innovation Hub and with support from Plumas County Tourism, Alliance for Workforce Development, the Common Good Community Foundation, Feather River Community Fund, Bread for the Journey and Plumas Bank, has recently opened The Quincy Hub to re-establish a physical Chamber office (the first office space we’ve had in over a decade!). Besides providing information for visitors, local shoppers and businesspeople, The Quincy Hub offers a welcoming retail space for local businesses and artists, including those impacted by the Dixie Fire. In the short time that The Quincy Hub has been open, there has been over $27,000 in sales for their products. Besides this affordable retail space, The Quincy Hub also provides a well-appointed conference space for local organizations. Together with our new partner, your Chamber has found, furnished and staffed a beautiful storefront location in downtown Quincy that we share equally, each covering half the cost.
Through this partnership, we’ve
· Opened a downtown storefront with retail and two public restrooms (one of which is ADA compliant), open 7 days a week. Between December 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, The Quincy Hub welcomed over 5,700 people. Opening this new facility has not only provided a much-needed service to visitors to our town, but it has also created one full-time and two part-time jobs. This includes a Chamber employee who is available to speak with local shoppers, businesspeople and tourists 5 days a week and staffing for a Visitors Center in collaboration with Plumas County Tourism. This was identified as one of the top five goals of the RERC (Recreation Economy for Rural Communities) planning grant that was awarded in 2022.
· Continued to publish a weekly on-line newsletter whose readership has tripled since The Quincy Hub opened;
· Continued sponsoring four major local events, all of which act as economic drivers for our area:
The Groundhog Festival in February
The Plumas-Sierra County Fair Parade in July
Safe Trick or Treat at Halloween, and
Sparkle in December;
· Promoted Plumas County tourism and recreation through collaborations with Plumas County Tourism, the Lost Sierra Visitors Center and Feather River College;
· Partnered in providing free business skills workshops both in person and online, in partnership with Indian Valley Innovation Hub, ChicoStart, and other regional partners;
· Organized First Friday events alongside Plumas Arts and Main Street Artists to support local artists, makers, and businesses;
· Brought back Chamber Mixers, which give local business owners an opportunity to network and build relationships with the community and other business owners and managers;
· Provided the manpower and equipment to pick up, transport from a nursery in Janesville, hang, irrigate (on a daily basis during hot spells), fertilize and return to the nursery, some 89 flower baskets that grace our businesses here in Quincy each Summer. Sponsorships are sold for memorial plaques on basket support poles to those who want to create a remembrance for a loved one and to businesses who want a basket. This practice is one of the few opportunities that the Quincy Chamber has at its disposal to recoup the cost of a Chamber activity.
Meeting these goals didn’t just answer some of the problems identified through the RERC project, but also directly resolved some of the issues identified in the Sierra Economic Development District Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). For more information and to view the current CEDS, visit our website at www.quincychamber.com/economic-development.
Thanks to the leadership of our staff at The Quincy Hub, we’ve amassed a team of 16 volunteers supporting daily operations there. This approach, made possible by partnerships, volunteer efforts, and the incredible support of our community, has dramatically expanded our capacity while keeping operating costs low – allowing us to preserve funds for future projects and investments that truly strengthen our business community.
Regarding the expenditure of wildfire recovery funds: We acknowledge that managing these funds carries immense responsibility. It would have been perhaps less troublesome to parse out this fund and avoid the criticism that seems to accompany an allotment of this size and nature. We are fortunate, however, to have an experienced, fiscally responsible group of volunteers on our Board, who have prioritized careful planning to ensure that these dollars will provide a lasting impact. This is why, in 2023, we earmarked money to help establish the Chamber Coalition; and in 2024, we voted to earmark $120,000 toward the Visitors Center project. Establishing The Quincy Hub, building programs, and growing capacity is just our first step. As we continue expanding our services and programs, more funds will be invested in the community – thoughtfully, strategically, transparently, and with input from our member businesses.
We are in the process right now of developing our Strategic Plan for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, which will include planning for the most beneficial use of more of our wildfire recovery funds. If you have any thoughts, suggestions or ideas on what the Chamber should be focusing on for the new fiscal year, we encourage you to submit your suggestions to us via email at info@quincychamber.com. We also invite business owners and community members to get involved, share ideas, and work with us to build an even stronger future for Quincy and all of Plumas County.
It’s true that running a business in rural California isn’t easy. That’s why your Chamber exists—to be a partner, advocate, and connector. And while we know we’re not perfect, we are proud of the progress we’ve made and excited about what’s ahead. Together, we’re building something meaningful – and we’re just getting started.
If you have any questions, we encourage you to speak with any of our Board members: President Kevin Trutna, Vice President Cheryl Kolb, Secretary Kris Miravalle, Treasurer Susan Scarlett, or Directors Robin Wight and Lisa Lester; provide us with your input for our strategic planning session on May 6th or join us at our next regular board meeting on May 20th.
Quincy Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 215
Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 394-0541
www.quincychamber.com
