Bushong plans multiple downtown events as new head of Pelham Chamber

By Michael Salama, Staff Reporter|July 9, 2018

Michael Salama

Clay Bushong inside Cantina Lobos, the downtown restaurant he co-founded.

Newly appointed Chamber of Commerce President Clay Bushong is eager to take Pelham’s business “to a new phase,” he told the Pelham Examiner. The long-time Pelham resident and business owner is already making plans to better market the town and its businesses through his position in the Chamber.

According to Bushong, he will work with the Chamber to help build a new level of communication between Pelham businesses and their potential customers. “We have a solid base of great businesses in Pelham,” he said. “We just need to get the word out, and do it in a smart way.”

Some of these plans to showcase what Pelham has to offer are already in motion. Bushong and the Chamber of Commerce are currently organizing Wolf’s Walk, a one block street festival to be held Sept. 8. The fair will allow all Pelham businesses and restaurants to set up tables and offer food to customers, accompanied by outside vendors, live performances by local bands, Pelham Art Center arts and crafts activities, and a free movie provided by the Pelham Picture House.

“It will be a great way for people to reconnect, meet friends and get a bite to eat from local restaurants,” said Bushong. “And hopefully, by June of 2019, we will be able to bring back the downtown street fair in a way that can maximize the success of businesses in that area.”

Between the new street fairs, a biannual restaurant week, out-of-town advertising and the return of the October painting of school windows, Bushong said the Chamber of Commerce is working to incorporate old Pelham traditions and events into the effort to “help businesses streamline their marketing,” another core aspect of his plans.

With so many ways for people to stay on top of what happens in Pelham–newspapers, Burbio, social media and newsletters–Bushong aims to centralize the outreach about town businesses and events to residents who aren’t subscribed to these various media sources. He said he plans to start a weekly PDF subscription, along with a bi-monthly podcast, that will put information about all of Pelham’s events in one place.

“I want the Chamber to be the lynchpin that brings it all together,” Bushong said. “That’s what I want to do with the Chamber of Commerce. Really pull all of these great factions together and support Pelham the best way we can.”