Hello [First Name],

This is the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce, Pierre Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Pierre Economic Development Corporation's February 2022 E-Newsletter.

Take a few moments to enjoy an update from the Chamber as we promote prosperity, growth, and our way of life in the lower Oahe region.

-Your Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce Staff

One of the things that I love to do during my free time is photography. As a self-proclaimed amateur, I have spent countless hours of research by way of google and the good old fashioned trial and error to try and get a little bit better. Overall, I love the sense of adventure when it comes to trying to get a memorable shot.

However, to me it’s more than just snapping a photo. I want to escape the normal and capture something unique. To do this effectively, I have a small bag of various lenses along with no reservations when it comes to getting a little dirty. Various lenses have different purposes which can yield different results. From wide angle, to zoom and everything in between, there is bound to be a lens while lying on the ground to get what I am looking for.

So where am I going with all of this? Yes, the Pierre area offers a wide range of beauty when exploring the outdoors. But it also has a nice variety of local gems that we sometimes miss. If we continually focus on the same thing with the same lens, we are sure to miss out on discovering something new. By seeing through a different lens you might focus in and see detail that you never saw before or maybe get a wider view, bringing something new into play.

Have you ever seen an Oahe Capital’s hockey game at the Expo Center, ice level? Or maybe a local play production? Walk, jog or Bike on a different trail. Go down the slide in the Aquatics Center (you’re never too old). Or try out a new item at a restaurant? The list could go on.

As we push into 2022, my goal is to experience our local community with a different lens and I hope you do, too. We already know that the Pierre area is such a great place to live, work and play; but you might be surprised to discover some hidden gems or a new passion as well.

The results of a recent survey commissioned by GoDaddy and conducted by OnePoll of 2,000 Americans and what they want from small business going forward, shouldn’t surprise business owners. But if you’ve been thinking that some of the things you did for safety purposes can be phased out once we start beating the numbers on this virus, you may be in for a rude awakening.
 
Just like our kids on summer vacation, our customers have gotten used to a certain way of life and they expect businesses to help them maintain it.

What Customers Want

First, customers appreciated how most small businesses changed their offerings and ways of doing business with the pandemic.
 
Here are the eight things that are most important to buyers:

1. Contactless payment options
2. Curbside pickup
3. Online stores
4. Self-checkout
5. Virtual/digital loyalty cards
6. Mobile apps
7. Ordering ahead online
8. QR code menus

Not surprisingly, 68% of respondents said they would shop from small local stores more often if they could purchase items online.

What Do the Results Mean for Small Business?

There’s very little interpretation needed here. Consumers are in love with convenience methods.
 
You may have originally implemented these conveniences for safety protocol, but it turns out many of us like having food and items brought to our cars. We love tapping credit cards at payment terminals and we like ordering things in our PJs and having them delivered.
 
Wise businesses have likely already invested in these things, but they may have done it with the idea that these protocols would be temporary.
 
Knowing this is what many customers prefer may have small businesses everywhere rethinking a few things.
 
These preferences may change:

• The size of buildings businesses operate in – more carryout or online shopping means less need for room for eating or browsing. Some businesses may give up brick and mortar all together. Some restaurants may close dining altogether and offer a Sonic-like, carhop model of service.
• The number of staff they employ and how they are allocated – more desire in online shopping means fewer jobs in face-to-face sales in some industries and more options in online tech.
• A good majority of employees working online will be able to relocate to areas where their type of work may have been (previously) hard to find, like tech employees moving to the beach.
• Work hours may become more flexible, outside of the 9-5 or even traditional retail hours. Focus will be on productivity, not clock punching; task oriented, not time oriented.
• Bandwidth and internet, areas may start looking at offering increased free public internet (most of Australia’s major cities, for instance, have already adopted and made major investments in this).

Some people still enjoy getting out of the house. Others love the instant availability of purchasing things in-store.
 
Finally, it’s important to note that all this desire for easy ways to shop from home is predicated on several factors including the ability for businesses to find employees, navigate the supply chain issues (so availability can still be used as a unique value proposition over waiting for an online delivery), and other side effects of the pandemic.
 
Will you continue these customer favorites once we come out on the other side of this pandemic, or will you go back to how you used to do things years ago?

Did you know that it's possible to continue testing positive for COVID-19 for several weeks, even after you are no longer contagious? Find more information and tips for your business and employees by clicking HERE.

We’re back to one commercial air service carrier in Pierre. Don’t fret! I know the community enjoyed having four daily flights out of Pierre and is disappointed to lose local SkyWest service. Nonetheless, our commercial service in Pierre remains very strong!

Overall, I have heard very positive reviews from people who have flown Denver Air Connection. The 50-seat jets are impeccably maintained, the staff is very friendly, and you get to pick your own full-sized snack!

Operationally, Denver Air is breaking the curve! Denver Air is a very safe operator, and its reliability record in Pierre is great. They have cancelled no flights, and their on-time flights sit at 92%; that’s above the industry average.

One-way tickets to Denver are as low as $60. With prices like that, it might be less expensive to get to Denver International Airport from Pierre than it is from downtown Denver –and faster too! 

The change in service does, however, mean a change in ticketing. How you book flights depends on where you’re flying.

If Denver is your terminal location, you can book through DenverAirConnection.com or any major travel site.

If you’re connecting through Denver but your final destination is somewhere else in the country, you can book through United.com or any major travel site. Your bags will transfer, as long as you remain on United flights.

If you’re connecting through Denver, but flying internationally, you’ll need to book the Pierre to Denver leg via DenverAirConnection.com and then the remainder of your flight via the airline you’re using or a major travel site. Denver Air Connection doesn’t have international flying status and consequently isn’t recognized during the booking process.

Any of our local travel agents can help make arrangements for each of these scenarios as well.

Our commercial air service carrier will remain Denver Air Connection through the spring of 2023. At that point, the federal contract will be up for grabs again. We fully anticipate a competitive bidding process which will likely start the end of this year; it will be led by the USDOT.

Until then, know that we have a safe, reliable air carrier serving central South Dakota, and please continue to fly Pierre!

Sometimes, the goal you achieve may not be exactly what you had planned, but in the long run, it may result in a better outcome. This is true in our personal lives, and can be true in city government.

We have been having discussions, both within the City, and with Fort Pierre Development, about the need for more housing, particularly at the workforce level. Last March, the Council entered into a contract with HME, a Brookings company that has invested capital in both Pierre and Fort Pierre. Our intended goal was to develop TIF-supported housing in the area that lies north of Hwy 14 and east of Hwy 1806.

That is still our goal, but another project has developed first, simply because this new alternative was the first one that had a willing seller and a price that was agreeable to both buyer and seller.

HME has a signed purchase agreement with Jerry and Clint Schimkat for their property, bounded by Yellowstone Street and East 9th Avenue, with the intention to build a senior living campus, one that would feature independent living apartments with garages, assisted living units, and memory care units. A future phase includes multi-family living.

The City unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding to move forward on the project. The first step will be to rezone the property from agricultural to multi-family. The second step will be to define a boundary for a TIF district, as well as agree on costs to be included in a TIF plan (generally infrastructure costs the City would pay for anyway.)

HME is committed to investing $20 million over the course of the next five years to build a senior living campus as well as multifamily projects. The initial project will create up to 25-30 jobs with an annual payroll of $1.5 million.  

The economic impact on the City is significant, but my enthusiasm and support for the project go far beyond dollars. We all understand that the best way to relieve the financial burden of our residents is by growth in the community, to spread the cost of providing essential services to more people.

Perhaps most importantly, this development will allow our residents to stay here in Fort Pierre, among their families and friends, with their physician, with their church, for as long as they wish. And as people retire and move into a comfortable new home in a senior living facility, they will be making their home available for new families.

These are indeed exciting times for Fort Pierre!

January has been a busy month for the CVB! At the beginning of the month, I traveled to Grapevine, TX to attend the American Bus Association (ABA) Marketplace. The ABA Marketplace is considered to be the hub for the group travel industry. I had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with tour operators to tell them everything Pierre has to offer their customers. The appointments are the main focus of the event; however, I also attended numerous networking opportunities and educational seminars.

The South Dakota Tourism Conference was held last week and was a great success. The conference offered keynote speakers and several breakout sessions. The attendees walked away with solid steps we can all use to improve tourism in our communities. Pierre is very fortunate to have this conference. The economic impact is evident with money being spent for lodging, food, gas, and shopping.

A special congratulations to Karen Kern, former Executive Director of Missouri River Tourism, for being awarded the Ben Black Elk award. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to South Dakota’s tourism industry. Karen recently retired and devoted her career to promoting Pierre and the state of South Dakota. She couldn’t be more deserving of this award. Congrats, Karen!!!

In the next coming months, the CVB will be working to get the 2022 peak season marketing campaign ready to go and distributing the 2022 Pierre Visitor Guide. We are also planning and preparing for upcoming sport shows in St. Cloud, MN; Omaha, NE; Eau Claire, WI; and Denver, CO.

Business After Hours will be in full swing on February 10th from 4-6pm in the Dakota Room at River Cities Public Transit. We invite the community to attend Business After Hours and learn what all six participating businesses have to offer. RCPT will be our host location and will be giving tours of their buildings while explaining all the services they provide to area residents. Other businesses participating include Lynn’s Dakotamart, Dakota Plains Federal Credit Union, Elleworx Massage & Wellness, TEAMMATES Mentoring Program, and Pierre Closets. Build relationships in a relaxed environment as you enjoy food and beverages provided. As always, there will be door prizes at the end of the event, so be sure to visit each booth and get your registration card marked. You do not need to be present at the time of the drawing to win, and you do not need to be a Chamber member to attend the free event.

We love our members, and February 14th is the day we like to shout it from the rooftops! The Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce, with the help of our Capital Area Networking group, will once again be distributing our new 2022 Membership Plaques throughout the day to thank you for investing in your chamber. 

The Chamber’s mission is to further the interests of businesses – to advocate on their behalf and provide needed services and opportunities for growth. We want to be your voice; we are eager to help you succeed, and we believe that when you’re successful, our entire community benefits from that success. Displaying your membership plaque in your window or on your door for your customer to see helps solidify that mission.  

We can’t wait to see you on Valentine’s Day! If your member business is located outside of city limits, be watching for your plaque in the mail.

Katie Johnson 

Membership Director

As a financial advisor, it is my job to help make your financial goals and dreams come true. My office team and I want to understand what is most important to you. Only then can we work together to build personalized strategies to keep you on track to achieve your goals and dreams.

From couches and tables to little antiques and nick knacks; get what you need at Lindan Used Furniture and More!!!

The Hair Affair is a family friendly salon. We strive to cater to the hair care needs of everyone in the family.

The Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce will be closed on Monday, February 21 in observance of Presidents Day. We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday at 8 AM.

Light Up the Pierre Area 2021 Winners

Congratulations to our 2021 Light Up the Pierre Area winners! After over 500 votes were cast between Dec. 7-30, the homes and business above came out on top. Thank you to all who participated - you truly brought holiday magic to the Pierre area and its residents!

Legislative Welcome 2022

Thank you to our Legislative Welcome Box sponsors for helping us to give our South Dakota lawmakers a warm welcome back to the Pierre area for the 97th Legislative Session!

Ribbon Cutting & Open House

The ribbon has been CUT at Lindan Used Furniture and More! Stop by 342 S Pierre Street Monday through Saturday, 10a-4p to shop couches, tables, antiques, nick knacks and more at a reasonable price.

Leadership Pierre 2021-2022

 Leadership Pierre enjoyed their fifth session on Jan. 13, which focused on healthcare services in the Pierre area. The objective of the session was to learn about the various ways in which you can seek help for mental and physical illnesses, and how those services impact our community and its residents.

Get Involved in What's to Come

You can view the Facebook Live video from the Saturday, Jan. 29 Legislative Coffee HERE.

Thursday, February 24, 2022 in Pierre. Find details and registration HERE.

• City of Pierre Recreation Chair Exercise Class (2/1/2022)
• HS Basketball (2/1/2022)
• Runnings Celebrates 75 Years! (2/2/2022 to 2/4/2022)
• City of Pierre Recreation Seasoned Citizen Zumba Gold and Tai Chi Classes (Every M/W) 
• River City Toastmasters (Every Wednesday)
• Pierre Senior Center Potluck and Entertainment (Every Wednesday)
• Breast Cancer Support Group (2/3/2022)
• Winter Fishing Weekend (2/4/2022 to 2/5/2022)
• HS Basketball (2/4/2022)
• Eagles and Bagels (2/5/2022)
• Pink the Rink (2/5/2022)
• Pierre-Fort Pierre Kiwanis Concert (2/5/2022)
• Feeding South Dakota Needs VOLUNTEERS (2/7/2022)
• SOUPer Bowl Drive-thru (2/7/2022)
• Early Childhood Provider Training (2/9/2022)
• Mobile Food Distribution - Volunteers needed (2/9/2022)
• Winter Business After Hours (2/10/2022)
• Pierre Ducks Unlimited Membership Banquet (2/10/2022)
• Growing Up Together Breastfeeding Class (2/10/2022)
• Women's Cancer Support (2/11/2022)
• Author Talk (2/11/2022)
• Love is in the Air Vendor Event (2/12/2022)
• Legislative Coffee (2/12/2022)
• Stately Stitchers Guild Meeting (2/14/2022)
• Breast Cancer Support Group (2/17/2022)
• Memory Connections (2/17/2022)
• CPR (2/17/2022)
• Oahe Home Builders Association Fun Nite Benefit (2/18/2022)
• Post 8 Baseball Pancake Feed (2/19/2022)
• Pierre Players Preview Performance: "Making God Laugh" (2/23/2022)
• Business Day at the Legislature (2/24/2022)
• Pierre Players Presents "Making God Laugh" (2/25/2022 to 2/26/2022)
• 50th Annual Farm, Home & Sport Show (2/26/2022 to 2/27/2022)
• Pierre Players Presents "Making God Laugh" (2/27/2022)