Nearly twenty local businesses and community partners came together recently for a Geneseo Retail & Restaurant Roundtable, focused on strengthening communication, collaboration, and visibility across the local business community.

Katie Katsunis of GWK Enterprises discusses community events at her table.

The discussion brought together a diverse group of business owners—from retail and dining to service providers—along with representatives from the City of Geneseo and other local organizations.

A representative from Erdman Construction discussion marketing strategies utilized in the past.

One of the clearest takeaways from the conversation was the importance of creating experiences that people remember. Business owners noted that events and promotions tend to perform best when they are family-friendly, community-centered, and give people a clear reason to get out and participate.

Timing and consistency in promotion were also key themes. Many participants emphasized that successful events are rarely last-minute efforts, but instead benefit from intentional promotion over several weeks, particularly through social media and local media outlets.

Many businesses expressed openness to working together more intentionally—whether through shared promotions, coordinated events, or simply supporting one another’s efforts. At the same time, business owners noted the importance of being thoughtful and strategic about partnerships to ensure they are meaningful and mutually beneficial.

The meeting was held at Exchange St. Works.

The roundtable highlighted both the strength of Geneseo’s local business community and the opportunity to build on that foundation. With continued collaboration and a shared focus on communication, participants expressed optimism about creating even more visibility, engagement, and support for local businesses in the months ahead.