Place 60 Bluffton residents in a room, provide them with a free breakfast, divide them into seven tables, designate one person to take notes, then ask four questions, with six minutes to address each question.

Using this format, the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce held a brainstorming session on how to improve the community. The discussion included lots of ideas (see responses below).

CLICK HERE FOR A SUMMARY OF 2013 CHAMBER PROJECTS AND 2014 PLANS

And the discussion is not over. The session continues from noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5, in the third floor of the town hall. The discussion, called a “brown bag lunch roundtable” invites any community member to participate.

Fred Steiner of the chamber planned the Jan. 17 chamber breakfast after several similar discussions took place this fall and winter on much smaller levels.

“The chamber will continue to hold a monthly brown bag roundtable so that we can decide what priorities the community wants to focus on in several areas,” said Steiner.

“Every discussion point is on the table,” Steiner said. “The chamber realizes that Bluffton has several qualities that area communities our size envy. This point of this exercise is to build on the strengths our community already possesses. We want to advance to the next level.”

Following are the questions and responses from each table at the Jan. 17 breakfast. Sometimes responses repeat simply because the ideas came up at several tables. Some of the ideas are phrases, or simply words.

Question 1: What can we do to attract more shoppers downtown and what can we do to make Bluffton a destination?

Responses:
Create special multi-stores sales, “sidewalk sales.” Keep major events spaced out instead of combining them into one event. Does Bluffton have a motto? Increase advertising the events in Bluffton.

Transportation from airport to downtown is needed. Place an outlet mall in Allen County. Have better signage and access to Bluffton on I-75.

Maybe the bike path will happen. Expand and connect it to surrounding communities like Pandora and Columbus Grove. Get a bike shop in town. Hold a May 31 Andy Chaffee triatholon. The chamber needs a retail development group to help plan for downtown growth. Can we expand “sideways” as well as up and down Main Street? Taste of Celina is run by its Lions Club. It’s a ticket-based event and food-based event. Maybe we should try that in Bluffton. We need better communication with the community about what all is planned here. Get a billboard map of Bluffton visible in various places. Put a mural on the A to Z Meats building.

Create a virtual tour of Bluffton on the chamber website. Create a “holiday walk.” Put signs on I-75 announcing the Blaze of Lights.

A bike shop, unique shops, Swiss heritage, bicycle tour or race, shops and storefronts open during special events. Loyalty program. Downtown business association.

To attract more shoppers we need signs at I-75 and State Route 103. We need “way finding” signs. We need parking signs on both sides of Main Street. Out-of-town employees don’t know where things are in Bluffton. We need to create online reviews of Bluffton. There are several websites that can help us with these.  Maybe launch a “Fourth” Friday where things happen downtown in the summer.

A kiosk showing what downtown businesses offer at the theatre would be nice. Let’s put signs by fast food restaurants leading to downtown. Create a Welcome Wagon with cards of businesses and samples of business products. Create a business newspaper with coupons.

Question 2: What is Bluffton missing?

Responses:
We need a good family restaurant. Exposure at I-75 with signage and landscaping. Make visitors feel welcome. Greet visitors. Improve the entrance into Bluffton off I-75. Update the north side of I-75. Clean it up.

We have an outdated master calendar. It needs revised. We need e-mail blasts with text alerts about events. We need an Office Depot, better communications between the community and businesses, expanded business hours.

Community gardens. A place for sit down dining. Open hangar night at the airport, perhaps with a car show. A historical museum. Self-guided tour depicting Swiss heritage possibly during fall festival month.

Self-guided tours depicting history of buildings (Lima does this at Halloween describing history of buildings.).

Downtown amptheatre, evening shopping, promote upstairs living, entrance signs to the community, historical house/building walking tours.

We need a women’s clothing store, a family restaurant, replace the Eagle’s Nest restaurant, better signage about Bluffton on State Route 103 and 235. ONU signage is at that location.

Family restaurant and bakery, spa, electronics store, sit down pizza place, bike shop, photo copy location, challenge businesses to decorate items and auction them off as a promotion.

We need better parking, a downtown park to sit in, development along Riley Creek (walking paths, a park), mini-clothing store.

Question 3: What’s the greatest community need that the chamber can provide or assist in?

Responses:
Improve downtown properties. Buy properties for improvements. A summer fireworks. Community block part to come and meet your neighbors. Communication and organize and coordinate all events including the car show and craft show. The chamber could create a bike tour map.

Two school issues needed addressed are that bullying at school has increased, and a stay strong and free drug abuse program is needed.

Transportation to Bluffton events, push the benefits of shopping local, raise awareness of local shops. A brochure showing places to eat in Bluffton. Better use of Icon and the community calendar in promoting events.

Question 4: What additional benefits should the chamber provide for its members?

Responses:
Keep dues down. Continue growing. Keep membership informed of opportunities coming up. Seek volunteers from membership for help. Texting service and a master calendar.

Workers’ compensation – discount for being a member. Discount on medical insurance. Continue to invite outside organizations to chamber events and meetings. Continue promoting Bluffton. Show what the chamber offers to businesses, families and other organizations.