Small-business owners take first steps toward Business Association

Roughly a dozen small-business owners are in the early stages of forming a Wareham Business Association.

On Monday, March 31, the members elected Kendall Peabody, owner of Lucky Goat Brewing, as president of the association.

Annie Jerome, Cafe Soleil employee, was elected treasurer while Katie Thomas, owner of IV Wellness and Health is the clerk. The owners of Narrows Crossing, Warren’s Harborview and several other businesses have also joined the association.

While the group has yet to vote on the specifics of their mission, members have outlined some goals for the organization.

In general the members seek to “combat community deterioration.” To do that the association wants to introduce more community events to Wareham such as farmers markets, a Christmas market, a harvest festival and a summer seafood event.

Additionally, the group would serve as a resource for Wareham business owners to organize promotional events, share information on licensing and other regulations and work on improvements to Wareham.

“Overall, this is a place for businesses to help each other, work with each other and work with community members and the town,” Peabody said.

The members plan to incorporate the association as a 501(c)3 non-profit.

Several other organizations have a similar function to this new hub for business. The Onset Bay Association is also a non-profit dedicated to creating and hosting community events while the Wareham Village Association plans and runs the Christmas parade and several Halloween events.

At the March 31 meeting, members of the new business association expressed a desire to collaborate with similar organizations.

“We are all here because we think Wareham is awesome and we want to make it awesomer,” said Select Board liaison to the association, Sarah Corbitt.