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Upcoming Events
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For a complete calendar of events, click HERE. |
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Community Links
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We will be building an archive of the last 8 issues of Main Street Matters. Just click on the date to view.
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What time is the Zombie Walk?
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 Find out what Matters in Rochester...
Welcome to Rochester Main Street's weekly e-mail update. This newsletter contains information with downtown happenings and upcoming events.
If you are a business or non-profit in our community that would like to contribute to this weekly update, please contact Mike Provost at director@rochestermainstreet.org
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September 16, 2010
Dear Neighbor,
Downtown Rochester! Just the place to get that home-town feeling while you do your shopping, or dining, or if you have to take care of other business!
We are a full-service downtown - banks and credit unions - retail shops - studios - restaurants - live theater - Real Estate - professional services...everything you might need is all within our downtown.
An active Nationally Certified Main Street Program promotes and serves all downtown businesses. Rochester Main Street is working for you.
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Question of the Week Contest!
This week's question:
What time is the Zombie Walk?
Find the answer to the weekly question in this newsletter! Simply email the correct answer to director@rochestermainstreet.org. A weekly winner will be drawn from all correct answers and will be qualified for our quarterly drawing. The quarterly drawing winner will receive new Rochester Main Street Gift Certificates, valued at $50. These certificates can be redeemed at participating Rochester businesses! Entries must be received no later than the Monday following the date of the Main Street Matters newsletter. Weekly winners will be announced in each subsequent Main Street Matters and the first quarterly winner will be drawn on Wednesday, June 30th. |
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Congratulations Brenda Harrington!
Brenda from Charter Trust Company was the winner of last week's subject line question in the Main Street Matters email. She correctly answered that OctoberFest on October 9th will take place on Hanson Street, Central Square and in Factory Court. Her name will now be entered into a quarterly drawing for $50 in Rochester Gift Certificates! Don't miss out your chance to enter...just answer the question (answer found in the Main Street Matters articles) and email us for a chance to win!
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Chamber of Commerce Offers Facebook Seminar for Businesses - Scholarships Available! Call today - Urgent!
Sponsored by Rochester Economic Development at the American legion Hall on Eastern Avenue from 8:00-11:00 am on Friday, September 17. Pre-register at 603-332-5080 and then contact the Rochester Economic Development Office for scholarship info at 603-335-7522. Cost is $35 for chamber members/$50 for non-members. This is a hands on workshop that will: help build a business facebook fan page, create a vanity URL, custom badge, landing pages and tabs, create and promote events, and browse third party applications and how to install them. You should be familiar with facebook and may bring a laptop, but it is not necessary. You will leave with all of these tools to help promote your business! Taught by Patti Fousek of Creative Mind Search Marketing.
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Volunteers & Booths Needed for OctoberFest, October 9 - Apple & Pumpkin Pie Contest Featured
Main Street volunteers are seeking help for Saturday, October 9th for the second annual OctoberFest. Volunteers are needed to help set up, for traffic control, staffing booths, facepainting, popcorn sales, running games and breaking down the event. If you have a couple of hours to spare, please contact the office at 603-330-3208 or email director@rochestermainstreet.org.
A new addition this year is an Apple and Pumpkin Pie Contest. Who in Rochester has the best apple and pumpkin pie? There is no charge to enter. Participants should bring their entries to the pie booth on Hanson Street no later than 11:00 am on Saturday, October 9th. Judging will take place at high noon! Medals will be awarded for the Best Pies!
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HELP! Main Street Looking for Old Clothes and Wire Coat Hangers
Volunteers at Rochester Main Street are seeking help in finding black shirts, pants and dresses for a scarecrows project for the downtown area for this fall. We are also in need of about ten dozen wire coat hangers. Donations may be left with Susan at the Portable Pantry on Hanson Street or Ralph at Jetpack Comics on North Main Street. The name of the project is "Scarecrows on the Cocheco" . Men's or Womens small to medium sizes and child large sizes are preferred.
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Horribles Parade/Trick Or Treat On The Town/Zombie Walk all set for Friday, October 29th
Volunteer planners are working on a special event for Friday, October 29: Children's Horribles Parade/Trick Or Treat on the Town, 4:15 to 6:15 pm, meet at Union Street Parking Lot for treat bags and maps, Children 10 and under with parent please. Zombie Walk (adult costume parade), Meet at 7:00pm (groups please pre-register) in Union Street Parking Lot to proceeed to Common for a small bonfire, cider & donuts, and of course...brains! Volunteers are needed, please contact Rochester Main Street at 603-330-3208 or email director@rochestermainstreet.org for more information or to volunteer.
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Motor Booty Affair Dance Party at Rochester Opera House - September 17th
Get down and groove to the funk with Motor Booty Affair as they kick off the season at the Rochester Opera House with their funktastic disco dance party on Friday, September 17, 2010 at 8:00 PM. The orchestra seats are removed and the floor is leveled for plenty of room to dance the night away. The four funkateers burn up stages across the country with their 70s extravaganza of disco sound and lights mixed with style and attitude. Afros, bell bottoms, and platform shoes...wear them if you dare...and dance to the grooviest 70s hits from bands like Earth Wind and Fire, The Bee Gees, Abba, KC and the Sunshine Band and The Commodores. Reserve tickets online at http://www.rochesteroperahouse.com/, call the box office at (603) 335-1992 or stop by M/W/F from 10-5. Beer and wine is available. Age 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
The show is sponsored in part by Eastern Propane & Oil, L. Wynn Sound, Foster's Daily Democrat, Citadel Broadcasting Corporation and Broadview Animal Hospital. The Rochester Opera House is located in City Hall, 31 Wakefield Street, Rochester NH. The season continues with one more fantastic dance parties: Hard rock with Tantric, Burn Halo & Flaw on 9/25/10 and Please NOTE: Pink Voyd's Theatrical Pink Floyd Tribute on 10/2/10 has been cancelled. Tickets: $16 |
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Rochester Recreation Publishes Fall Calendar!
Lots of skating lessons, public skate, free hockey, preschool programs and, of course, basketball. Sign ups can be taken in the Rec Office or print the registration form from our web site and mail it in. Visit www.rochesterrec.com for more information and to view the calendar.
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Information On Tap At Rochester Downtown Open House, Saturday - September 25th from 10am - 2pm
Spread the word! The Economic Restructuring Committee volunteers at Rochester Main Street and the Rochester Economic Development Commission have gathered a host of local civic and government agencies to be on hand to answer questions of prospective investors, entrepreneurs, and realtors at the Roberge Center on Saturday, September 25 from 10 am until 2 pm. Rochester Economic Development Commission, Code Enforcement, Fire Marshal, Planning Department, Historic District Commission, NH Small Business Development Center, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and Rochester Main Street will be on hand to answer questions and talk about sign & façade grants of $1,000, low interest business loans, free training for businesses and employees, low cost cooperative advertising and special events throughout the year. Those attending will also receive a welcome bag with information on the businesses and local community.
The volunteers have been working with the owners that have spaces that are available for sale, lease or rent. This event is intended for investors, brokers, agents, entrepreneurs, people who are interested in starting a business or considering expanding a business or moving to another location. Guests are asked to check in at the Roberge Center, located off Bridge Street, to receive maps of available spaces. Landlords, leasing agents or property owners will be on hand at the properties and have them properties open for inspection by the guests. There is no charge to participate, and free parking is available nearby at the Union Street and North Main Street Parking Lots or in the Fosters Parking Lot. For more information on the Open House or to sign up to participate, please contact the Rochester Main Street Office at 603-330-3208 or email director@rochestermainstreet.org. The contact number the day of the event is 603-781-7116. |
Bridge Construction Advisory: Week of September 13-17:
Unitil Begins Work at North Main Street Bridge Site
Rain may move electrical outage to Wednesday; masons complete arch repairs, repointing of span 2
Below is a look at work expected to take place at the North Main Street Bridge rehabilitation work site this week:
· Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) has completed installation of the new electrical conduit in the upstream side of the bridge. A brief electrical outage is planned for Tuesday, September 14, from 3 a.m. - 6 a.m. During that time, PSNH crews will disconnect the lines at the old location in the downstream sidewalk and reconnect them at their new location.
· Currently the forecast calls for rain. If weather does not allow crews to complete the work safely, a rain date for the outage is set for Wednesday morning, September 15, 3 a.m. - 6 a.m.
· Unitil's natural gas distribution division is on the North Main Street Bridge site, starting today, September 13, to begin and complete the relocation of the existing intermediate pressure gas main. The main provides service to Unitil's natural gas customers in North Rochester. The company plans have a dedicated crew on site for approximately seven to 10 days to weld and assemble the steel sleeve that will lay on the bridge arches and be inserted with a new gas main.
· After the new main is completed and connected to the existing system on the north and south side of the bridge, the two (2) affected customers will then be transferred to the new main with a service interruption of no more than three (3) hours. The service interruption will be coordinated with each customer for their convenience. Unitil will be working in close cooperation with bridge contractor Wyman & Simpson to minimize the time required to complete the project.
· Masons last week completed work repairing the tops of the arches and today(Monday, September 13) crews are bringing in gravel to the site and will grade the area and lay a membrane over the top of the bridge. The membrane will help protect the brick-and-stone arches from water and salt damage.
· Masons have completed work repointing brick on the underside of span 2. Crews will continue grinding and repointing on span 3.
· This week, Wyman & Simpson expects to receive shipments of rebar and granite curbing for the new sidewalks. A crew already has prefabricated plywood forms for the sidewalks and will move the forms into place on the upstream side of the
bridge after Unitil completes its work at the site.
For more information about the bridge rehabilitation project, visit the Rochester Public Works Department bridge web site |
Beatlemania Again At Rochester Opera House, October 15th
Come Together and Get Back with Beatlemania Again at the Rochester Opera House on Friday, October 15 at 8:00 PM for an incredible Beatles' musical recreation complete with costume changes and authentic instruments & amplifiers. The band captures the sound and the aura of the Beatles in three transfixing acts Meet the Beatles, Sgt. Pepper and Get Back that transport the audience into the unforgettable phenomenon of the world's greatest band!
This show is sponsored in part by Eastern Propane & Oil, L. Wynn Sound, Foster's Daily Democrat, Dos Amigos Burritos and Radio Station WBLM. Reserve tickets online at http://www.rochesteroperahouse.com/, call the box office at (603) 335-1992 or stop by M/W/F from 10-5. The Rochester Opera House is located in City Hall, 31 Wakefield Street, Rochester NH. The season continues with Dracula from 10/21-31, Captured: The Journey Show on 11/6 and Illusion Quest on 11/13. Tickets: $26/$24
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Retail Opportunity! Statewide "NH Open Doors" Shopping Event Readied - Nov. 6-7
More than 150 New Hampshire businesses, artists and retail stores will open their doors the first weekend of November as part of NH Open Doors, a statewide shopping and touring event designed to showcase all the state's unique offerings. The event, to be held Nov. 6-7, will feature the work of artists, craftspeople and cultural organizations, as well as retail shops, art galleries, restaurants, wineries, lodging establishments and local businesses. The self-guided tour can be mapped out on the NH Open Doors Web site, nhopendoors.com, which has an interactive map that lists participants by region, with detailed descriptions of each participant's offering and driving directions. Rochester Main Street is purchasing an umbrella membership which will allow us to list your business on the website and provide access to postcards for mailing to your customers and the google mapping. In return, you MUST be open on Saturday and Sunday, November 6 & 7 for this event. This is a cooperative marketing event for downtown Rochester. Please contact the office directly at 603-330-3208 or email director@rochestermainstreet.org if you are interested in participating.
Participants will host special events, including craft workshops and demonstrations, hayrides, food samplings, menus featuring local foods, musical performances, lodging packages and more. Hundreds of visitors from New Hampshire and New England attended last year. "It's just after leaf-peeping season and it's a good opportunity for people to get a jump-start on their holiday shopping," says Carol Fusaro, a marketing consultant for the New Hampshire League of Craftsmen and New Hampshire Made, who are co-hosting the event. "The great thing about NH Open Doors is that it gives people an opportunity to connect with and purchase directly from farmers, producers and artists," said Diane Souther, owner of Apple Hill Farm in Concord and Open Doors participant. "Our visitors told us how much they enjoyed exploring the back roads and neighborhoods of New Hampshire."
New vendors are still being added; to apply for your business to participate in NH Open Doors, visit nhopendoors.com/signup.php. -- KATHLEEN CALLAHAN/NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW
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Congratulations Federal Savings Bank on Celebrating One Year in Rochester!
Despite opening a new branch in the midst of a challenging economy, Federal Savings Bank has experienced tremendous growth and success since opening the doors of its Rochester office just one year ago.
The Rochester branch, which features the 'dialogue banking concept,' that includes individual teller stations, internet and coffee kiosks and a full-service drive-up, was the first of its kind to be opened in the seacoast. The new design concept has been well received by customers and members of the community. Fiserv, a national banking technology firm, recently highlighted FSB's Rochester branch in their company newsletter. "While the branch features some of the latest banking technologies available today, customers continue to comment on how "comfortable" it feels. This was our goal all along, according to FSB President and CEO, James J. O'Neill, Jr. "We wanted to combine technology while remaining committed to local, community banking and we achieved just that," he added. With new deposits nearing the $10 million mark, FSB has been overwhelmed by the success of its fifth and newest branch. "To achieve this level of success so quickly and in this economic environment has been wonderful. Our success is unquestionably attributed to our experienced Rochester staff and the support of the greater community," O'Neill noted. Many of the new accounts opened during the first year were for small business owners. David Keefe, Vice President and Commercial Lending Officer, has seen an increase in small business owners looking to bank with a local financial institution. "In light of what has occurred in the banking industry over the last couple of years, I'm finding that more and more business owners appreciate local decision making and local servicing," he said. "When we open a new loan account for a business owner, they are happy to switch their deposit relationship to FSB as well. It's really a win-win for everyone," he added. In addition to Keefe, the Rochester staff includes Branch Manager, Mary Henderson; Assistant Branch Manager, Karen Barker and Teller/CSRs, Rita Laurion, Tina Goulet, Amanda Duckworth and Bertha Ross.
Federal Savings Bank has enjoyed becoming involved in the Rochester community. The bank has supported several non-profit organizations and community events throughout the year including Frisbee Memorial Hospital, Rochester Main Street, Rochester Chamber of Commerce, the Opera House, the SHARE Fund, Rochester District VNA and the Rochester Historical Society, just to name a few. Rochester Main Street recognized FSB with its "Most Improved Building" award at their annual meeting this year. "This is a very loyal and supportive community and we're proud to play a role in the continued success of this growing city," stated O'Neill. Recently, the FSB Board of Directors appointed long-time Rochester business owner, Art Nickless, to the Bank's Board. His experience and familiarity with the City of Rochester reinforces the Bank's commitment to positively impacting the community going forward. In celebration of their one-year anniversary, the Rochester branch will host an after- hours celebration in September and plans to announce a significant contribution to a Rochester based non-profit organization in the coming weeks. Looking ahead, Federal Savings Bank plans to become even more active in the community. "We've made a substantial presence in just one year, but our commitment to providing residents of the greater Rochester community with true community banking services will continue. We're excited about the growth opportunities within this City and will continue to invest in its future," stated O'Neill.
Since 1890, Federal Savings Bank has operated as a true community bank. Recently awarded Business of the Year by the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce as well as the prestigious Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics by the Better Business Bureau, the Bank has offices in Dover, Barrington, Durham, Portsmouth and Rochester. For more information, visit http://www.fsbdover.com/, call toll-free 1-800-462-2265 or visit www.facebook.com/federalsavingsbank.
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Rochester Main Street Downtown Calendar
Thursday, September 16- Rochester Farmer's Market, 3-6 PM, Foster's Parking Lot
Friday, September 17- Motor Booty Dance Affair, Rochester Opera House, 8 pm
Saturday, September 18-6th Annual SleepOut For the Homeless, Register 3-5, Common
Tuesday, September 21- Rochester Farmer's Market, 3-6 PM, Foster's Parking Lot
Thursday, September 23- Rochester Farmer's Market, 3-6 PM, Foster's Parking Lot
Saturday, September 25- Rochester Business Open House, 10-2, Meet at Roberge Center
Saturday, October 9-OctoberFest, Hanson Street, Central Square and Factory Court, 10-2
Saturday, October 16- "Out of the Darkness" Walk, Hanson Pines, 8-11 AM
Friday, October 29-Horribles Parade/Trick or Treat On The Town, 4:15-6:15 pm
Zombie Walk (adult parade) 7:00 pm, Union Street Lot to Common
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If you have any questions regarding the content of this newsletter or any upcoming events, please contact Mike Provost at (603) 330-3208 or director@rochestermainstreet.org
Sincerely,
Rochester Main Street
603-330-3208
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Rochester Main Street | 18 South Main Street | Rochester | NH | 03867
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