Market Place receives mixed response Market Place receives mixed response (May 28, 2004)

Customers are lacking at business expo

By Jon Wiener

Eighty-six businesses displayed their wares and gave away free promotional items at the Mountain View Market Place, a first-time fundraiser event for the Chamber of Commerce. Local restaurants, professional services, nonprofits, media outlets and direct marketers hawking miracle pills spread out at Shoreline Amphitheatre on Tuesday, hoping to interest passersby in their businesses.

Attendees could sample white chocolate ginger-flavored ice cream from Rick's of Palo Alto or get quick and painful five-minute spinal adjustments from local chiropractors. At other booths they could sign up for swimming lessons, apply for jobs or get financial advice.

"This is a great opportunity for people to come check out local businesses, and to find the goods and services they need," said Allison Nelson, the chamber's program and events manager.

The idea for Market Place was hatched in November. The event was intended to be a larger version of a popular indoor expo the chamber used to hold at Michael's of Shoreline.

But despite an extensive advertising campaign by the chamber, exhibitors seemed to heavily outnumber members of the general public. One vendor referred to it as a "really expensive mixer," but appreciated the opportunity to see what other businesses are about in more detail.

The chamber had hoped for a turnout between 1,000 to 2,000 people. Although an official head count was not available by press time, it was clear the chamber had not met its goal. But the event did draw dozens of area high school students who browsed the exhibits before filing inside the concert area to watch the semifinals for a Battle of the Bands competition.

Roy Menchavez, who owns a Mountain View dealership of Mitex mattress-cleaning service, was standing in front of his booth most of the afternoon, trying to catch people as they went by.

"I have to be vocal and try to get people to notice me, otherwise they just sort of pass by," he said. Echoing several other exhibitors and some from the general public, Menchavez said one of his main reasons for attending the event was to see what it was all about.

A representative from the Stanford Medical School Blood Center said she was pleased with the response from potential donors. Participation in mobile blood drives at employer-run health fairs has dropped drastically due to layoffs and increased workload, and Market Place provided a health-fair style event in a larger and more relaxed setting, she said.

Chamber CEO Carol Olsen said she was thrilled with the response from the business community for the inaugural event. Exhibitors came from as far away as Oakland, and other businesses sponsored the event in various ways. Shoreline donated use of its facility, and ALZA Corporation gave shopping bags to each person who came.

"Our motto is 'connecting the business community since 1921,'" said Olsen. "We are focusing more right now on not just shopping locally but also doing business locally.

"This really is a good way for us to showcase all that the community has to offer."

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