News

Chamber closes Rockport satellite

By Jonathan L'Ecuyer
Staff Writer
Published: January 13, 2009

ROCKPORT — The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce satellite office at Whistlestop Mall has closed its doors, and employees have been transferred to the Chamber's main office on Commercial Street in Gloucester.

The move is the culmination of a multi-year review by the Rockport Chamber of Commerce board of directors, chaired by Jay Smith, in an effort to consolidate administrative operations and reduce expenses, new Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bob Hastings said yesterday.

"When the (Rockport and Cape Ann chambers) merged three years ago, it was always the plan to consolidate," Hastings said, yesterday. "Rockport is important to us, it will remain a high priority as it has been."

Peter Webber, who will remain as Rockport division manager, said the move won't greatly affect Chamber members or visitors.

"In terms of services to members and visitors, it's really a minimal change," Webber said.

The Chamber had been renting space in Whistlestop Mall for the past three years from Rockport Real Estate, which is owned by Jay Smith's family and located adjacent to the Rockport MBTA train station.

The town's information booth on Upper Main Street, next to the Rockport Police Station, will remain and is scheduled to undergo renovations designed to keep the booth open an additional two months a year.

"Hastings has a lot of great ideas for making that space bigger and more accessible to visitors coming for information and as a good base of operations for me about eight months of the year," Webber said. "Use of the information booth will expand; even when it is unstaffed, it will be a convenient spot for (Chamber) members to drop off and pick up materials."

Hastings said there are plans to weatherize and insulate the information booth, allowing it to open in early April and remain open until November. Another proposal calls for enclosing the porch and creating an indoor space for visitors.

"We're aiming for greater efficiency, we are cutting some expenses as every business and organization needs to do in tight times," Webber said. "But we're doing it in a way that allows us to maintain, and even improve, on the services we provide our members and community."

Hastings said the substantial savings generated by the consolidation — estimated to be more than $10,000 — enables the Chamber to keep costs down to members in terms of dues. The new director has already spent two days in Rockport since assuming the role on Jan. 5.

"I've been spending an awful lot of time trying to be absorbed into the culture of the community," Hastings said. "I've seen there's been a downward trend the last three or four years in room sales and I'll work to reverse that."

Hastings said it's the Chamber's job to utilize the resources here to draw people away from the other cape to the south.

"We see how popular Cape Cod is, and yet Cape Ann has fantastic beaches and unbelievably outstanding restaurants," Hastings said. "It seems to me all we need to do is get some of the people escaping to the other cape to spend their time on Cape Ann. How to do that remains to be seen."

The Rockport Chamber of Commerce merged with the Cape Ann Chamber in 2005; before the merger, the independent Rockport Chamber office moved among several downtown locations.

The Rockport Chamber telephone number, 978-546-6575, assigned to the now defunct 3 Whistlestop Mall location will continue to work; callers will automatically be connected to Rockport Chamber administrative assistant Susan Lucas in Gloucester. The www.rockportusa.com Web site will also remain operational, officials said.

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

c_