A bit of good news concerning our Oneonta business & event directory: In May/June we had over 840 visitors to our website! Word is getting around and we’ve had a flurry of activity and hits on Oneonta events. Thanks to all the businesses taking time to submit events; your work is not in vain.
July brings the Annual Oneonta Hometown 4th of July Celebration and fireworks in Neahwa Park. Check our event calendar for MORE area 4th of July happenings.
July 6 is a special Oneonta Tigers Baseball game vs. Aberdeen, at 7:05 pm. It’s Sam Nader Bobblehead night: Honoring a Legend. First 1,000 fans with paid admission get a Sam Nader Bobblehead. Gates open at 5:45 pm.
OneontaOnTheMap.com would like to celebrate July Independence & Festivities by turning our attention this month to promoting locally owned and operated businesses. What can be more American?
Here’s a personal testimony about how one can live in a small town for 19 years and yet still discover a gem of a business. In June, Rick & I celebrated our 27th anniversary and Rick went to buy flowers at Wyckoff’s to surprise me. The florist noticed Rick’s hat with SUSE Linux embroidered on it, and they began talking about Linux, which led to Rick talking about OneontaOnTheMap. Flowers were paid for and later that evening Wyckoff’s added their business to our website database.
Wyckoff's Florist, the oldest business in Oneonta, NY still in its original location
Here’s what they entered for their info:
Wyckoff’s Florist is the oldest business in Oneonta still in its original location. We have a 128 year tradition of supplying beautiful fresh cut, arranged and wedding flowers to the Oneonta area.
Wyckoff’s Florist is committed to more that just beautiful flowers. First we must state that money is not everything “For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” [Matthew 16;26]. Taking a lead from Paul Newman, we have decided to give all of our 2009 profits to charities & schools. Yes, that’s right, 100%, … we hold nothing back. ” Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belt, take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or staff; for the worker is worth his keep.” Mat 10;9
Now, in these days, you can go to a grocery or department store and get flowers at cost. You will pay less, true, but by also sacrificing quality and care that goes into every arrangement. As well, it begs the question as to what we have done to the “mom & pop shop”, “family” or “neighborhood business” in America? For the sake of paying a few cents or a few dollars less, we have sent nearly all of our production & manufacturing overseas and we go to a single “mega store” to get everything. The products are cheap, of poor quality (even dangerous at times) and need to be replaced in a year. Spending in this way sends all the proceeds to a corporation that cares nothing about the community, personal relationships & customer care that the mom & pop shop focuses on. When buying your flowers here at Wyckoff’s, you can rest assured that the few dollars extra you might have paid will go to good causes and people in need, not an executive’s pocket or an overseas dictatorship.
Wyckoff’s Florist is also trying to make a change for our country & economy. We’re working hard to ensure all products sold from Wyckoff’s are made in the USA. We are not there yet, but we’re making choices toward this goal. We’ll update this post when we’re 100% in this area too.
Wow, talk about local and green:) and giving to our community (it is almost too good to be true); Wyckoff’s Florist says it all. I think this is part of a new business model of which we are seeing more and more; I am reminded of Go Wireless Community Appreciation Day, The Daily Star Ice Cream Social and Oneonta World of Learning events.
At OneontaOnTheMap, our coupon feature is nearing completion, and we are looking to highlight locally owned/operated businesses by marking them with a star icon, or flag if the product is made here in Oneonta. We’re getting excited about business here and hope you are too. Holler!
Finally, don’t forget the 2009 Oneonta City Summer Music Series Thursday concerts in Neahwa Park, a great way to unwind from hot humid days. Concerts are free; thank you City of Oneonta.
See you around town,
Rick & Mary Robinson
www.OneontaOnTheMap.com
YOUR HOMETOWN HOMEPAGE / MADE IN ONEONTA