Junction City Main Street and the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce recently returned from the Colorado-based “Destination Business BootCamp,” an intensive business marketing workshop focused on helping communities attract more customers and visitors. During the two-and-a-half-day, 20-hour training, participants learned innovative strategies to position businesses and communities as destination experiences that draw people from across the region.
A group of 11 local business owners and two community leaders attended the workshop, including Patti Noriega of Notable Staging, Rose Dahlgren of Acorns Resort, Sonia Garcia of Nail Professor, Brittney York of Rea of Sunshine, Ryan Hufcut with Scouting America’s Coronado Area Council, Makena Krause of Flint and Vine, Yurii Zhuphnyk of By Yurii’s Pizza, Rick Cinco of The Spot Karaoke, Dani Pulido of Bites LLC, and Elliot Rodriguez of Squid Syndicate. Community leadership representation also included Terry Butler, Board President of Junction City Main Street, and Kelly Cook, Membership Director for the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Destination Business BootCamp was created by nationally recognized destination marketing consultant Jon Schallert, who teaches independent business owners how to reposition their businesses as “consumer destinations.” According to Schallert, businesses using these strategies are able to compete more effectively with larger retailers and online competitors by creating unique experiences that encourage visitors to travel specifically to their community. Schallert notes that destination businesses often spark broader economic growth by attracting customers from well beyond a community’s traditional market area.
“With the ideas and strategies gained through Destination BootCamp, we see tremendous opportunity to strengthen Junction City’s business community, create more engaging visitor experiences, and continue building downtown as a destination for both residents and travelers,” said Terry Butler.
Kelly Cook added, “What we learned reinforced that communities like ours can attract visitors from across the region by leaning into our unique assets, supporting entrepreneurs, and creating experiences people cannot find anywhere else.”
The Membership Division of the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce supports local businesses through networking, advocacy, referrals, and professional development opportunities that strengthen the overall business climate. Participation in Destination BootCamp provided valuable insight into destination marketing, customer experience, and community branding strategies that can help local businesses attract more visitors, customers, and investment to the area.
Junction City Main Street focuses on downtown revitalization through economic development, placemaking, historic preservation, events, and small business support. The BootCamp directly aligned with Main Street’s mission by providing tools and strategies to strengthen Junction City’s identity as a destination community, enhance visitor experiences, and leverage local assets to drive tourism, entrepreneurship, and economic growth downtown.
Schallert’s company, The Schallert Group, Inc., is based in Colorado. Since 1983, Schallert has worked with independent business owners and speaks to thousands of entrepreneurs and community leaders each year. One newspaper referred to Schallert as “the marketing guru rooting for the retail underdogs.” More information can be found at www.JonSchallert.com.