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Last week’s Easton Local Merchants’ Fair succeeded in its goal of providing the Lafayette community with a look at the numerous services and products Easton has to offer, as almost 200 students attended the event.
The fair, which was held Nov. 13 in the Marlo Room of Farinon College Center, was put together by Lafayette’s Technology Clinic and the Easton Business Association (EBA).
“The event was tremendously successful,” says Paul Luongo, EBA treasurer. “The merchants appreciated the opportunity to be involved with the College. We hope to build on to this concept in coming years and would like to see the room filled with merchants in the future.”
The merchants, who represented the diverse variety of services and businesses in Easton, provided information about their establishments, product samples, and giveaways.
A total 20 businesses attended including: AAMCO Transmissions of Easton, American Male of Easton, Cosmic Cup Café, Easton Business Association/Main Street Initiative, Easton Clayworks, Emanuel Travel, Fox’s Pizza Den, Full Throttle Tattoo, Garden of Easton, Imagine Cards N’ Gifts, Just Around The Corner, Lehigh Valley Magazine, New Attitude Salon, Panache Hair Designers, Partyology, Paul Douglas Home Furnishings, Polly Wally Clown Entertainment, Quadrant Book Mart & Coffee House, Southampton Fish & Chips, and the State Theatre for the Arts.
“The merchant’s fair was great. As a local, I actually learned more about Easton which is astonishing,” says Tech Clinic student Karen Ruggles ’08 (Easton, Pa.), an English and art double major. “Downtown has so much to offer. I hope the Technology Clinic was able to show students and merchants that Easton has more to offer up and down the hill.”
EBA has also partnered with Lafayette on a number of other initiatives. The group’s First Weekend in Easton features numerous activities ranging from concerts to art exhibits on the first weekend of every month. Also, the All Access Pass to Easton is an incentive-based program which provides customers with discounts and giveaways at 66 Easton establishments.
According to Luongo, EBA will also be starting a merchant referral network in the spring. This program will entail a number of very short business “workshops” where Easton businesses will learn about products and services available within the community. Merchants will then be able refer customers to other merchants with possible incentives or discounts.
“This will build a community connection and help keep business inside Easton,” he says.
The Tech Clinic has been focusing its efforts on a revival of downtown Easton and improving campus and community relations. The course’s year-long cycle began last semester and will finish at the end of this semester. Some of the other projects the group is working on are the Ambassador Program, the Artist-in-the-Window Program, and the designing of a website focusing on an entertainment and real estate inventory of Easton. The website will provide an avenue for customers to search for restaurants, galleries, or shops in the Easton area, as well as allow prospective business owners with a look at available locations.
Students enrolled in the course are Tom Harju ’07 (Richardson, Tex.), a mathematics major; George Armah ’08 (Accra, Ghana), a mathematics and computer science double major; Marquis Scholar Danielle Koupf ’08 (Randolph, N.J.), an English major; Lauren Menges ’08, (Vestal, N.Y.), an English major; and Ruggles. The facilitators are Larry Malinconico, associate professor of geology and environmental geosciences, and Dan Bauer, professor of anthropology and sociology.
Along with EBA, the Tech Clinic has worked closely with Kim Kmetz, manager of the Main Street Initiative Program, as well as Richard McAteer, vice president of the Easton Heritage Alliance board of directors.