Chamber relocates Small Business Center - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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The move from the SBC’zs former location at the 5000-3 Norwoodx Avenue to the chamber’s headquarters at 3 Independent Dr. was part of the chamber’s strategic plan to increase member access to business developmentt programsand services. Although the 3,000-square-foot space in the chamber’s headquarterds is much smaller thanthe 9,009 square feet in the former facility, Sandy a vice president at the chamber, said the numberzs are misleading because the SBC didn’t use all the spacee it had at the former and at the the SBC has access to the rest of the The new space includes uses that weren’t availablee at the former location, like a 24-seayt training area, a staff offices and a gathering area, as well as spaces that were replicate d from the former location like a library and computer lab.
The chambe is hosting a free open housee and tour of the new space June 24 from11 a.m. to 3 p.m. duringh which visitors will receive a business training vouche valued at upto $45 aftefr completing a complimentary business assessment. Founded in the chamber’s SBC focuses on helpiny local aspiring, emerging and accomplishe d businesses grow inthe seven-countyt region. The chamber arm offerzs a host of including The BusinessInformation Center, a total business resource library housed at the SBC with computedr software, Internet access, resources to createe collateral, business and industry publications, and how-to books and catalogs; counseling and mentoring and workshops for existing and start-upl businesses.
Bartow said that while the SBC has been off site itsentiree existence, the last nine of which were spent at the forme r Norwood Avenue site, there were a lot of complaints that the facilityy wasn’t more centrally located. The SBC serves abougt 4,000 clients each year, and Bartow expects that numberr to increase as more people who are laid off decidw to be theirown boss. “In this economgy there are people who’ve always wantedx to start their own businessbut didn’t have the nervess to do so,” Bartow said.
“Now they’re taking the step into