Civil Municipal - April 2024

LaChapelle, that area has brightened. Maintaining the status quo and helping the existing businesses succeed is important, even as the city eyes expansion. “We shouldn’t underestimate not only retaining those businesses that are not as cool and flashy, but also helping them to expand,” LaChapelle says. Beyond that, LaChapelle has supported the mill owners’ efforts to connect with additional manufacturers and retailers. One owner leased out their space to a vertically stacked cannabis company, the first of its kind in Easthampton. Ideally, Easthampton’s economic growth will lure in bigger businesses down the road. Outside the mill district, the city of Easthampton secured a grant to host a co-starter program where mom-and-pop stores, especially side businesses that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, receive online support. These stores are particularly key to the small-town economy, as each owner has a vested interest in the community and can offer personalized products and services while preserving Easthampton’s year-round charm. That means if an Easthampton entrepreneur is keen on starting a small business, they’ll get help with their business plan, fire and building inspections, and other ground-level services that’ll allow them to thrive. The Easthampton Chamber of Commerce is recruiting business owners now with the goal of launching the co-starter program in two months, LaChapelle says. 75 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 04 EASTHAMPTON, MA