The North Augusta Chamber of Commerce is pleased and honored to be a community organizer for the American Express National Small Business Saturday Campaign.  In an effort to energize, encourage, and strengthen the campaign in our local community, The North Augusta Chamber of Commerce has branded their efforts around the “What’s your local-motive for shopping small” theme and created The Chamber Express!

What is the Chamber Express??

The Chamber Express is a unique travel experience in which you will find the best deals, one-of-a kind finds, fun, and gifts for that hard to buy for great uncle twice removed! Use your travel book to log your whistle stops, special adventures, and Chamber Express events! Turn that completed travel book into spending cash at our Shopping Extravaganza on November 25th! One lucky winner will receive a $100 CASH and 5 lucky winners will receive $20 Cash! 

How the Chamber Express travel book works:

1. Stop by the Chamber (406 West Avenue) on Wednesday, November 1st from 9am to 1pm for our Chamber Express Kickoff Party & pick up your Chamber Express Travel Book. *Don’t worry if you can’t make this event, you can pick up a travel book anytime the Chamber is open before Nov 22nd*

2. Visit each Whistle-stop on the Chamber Express Line before 2pm on November 25 to receive your special Stamp.

3. Attend Chamber events throughout the month for additional perks/gifts when traveling with your travel book! (Be sure to keep it on you for the entire month - at any time a Chamber Employee, board member or Ambassador could ask if anyone has a travel book on them & you’ll get special goodies!!)

4. Visit the Shopping Extravaganza on Saturday, November 25th between 10am and 2:30pm at St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church (471 W. Martintown Road). Be sure to get your travel book stamps at this event as well.

5. Be sure to turn in your completed travel book to the Chamber Booth and place it inside Charlie the Chamber Gnome’s special gift box by 2:30pm. 

6. At 2:50pm - PROMPTLY - The 6 Lucky winners will be drawn and announced. (You do NOT have to be present to win)

Please join the NACoC at any or all of the following events that are open to the public and are part of our Chamber Express Campaign.

Kick-Off Event                      Wed., November 1^st                9am to 1pm (Open House Style)                     FREE

Come for the milk and cookies - stay for the craft and movie - or just drop in and say hi! Join us for the Chamber Express open house Wednesday, November 1^st between 9am and 1pm! Pick up your Chamber Express Travel Book to begin your journey to the best deals in North Augusta!

Workshop:  Design A Brochure Workshop          Thur., November 2nd              6pm to 8pm          Cost: $25

Bring your laptop and prepare to work with our Chamber Professionals on designing a brochure (or other marketing material) for your small business.  This will be a small workshop setting; attendance is limited to 10 attendees.  Register through Eventbrite at:  https://brochureworkshop.eventbrite.com

Whistle Stop #1 – High Cotton Downtown                        Fri., November 3rd                 11am to 1pm               FREE

The first Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at High Cotton Downtown, 336 Georgia Avenue #101, North Augusta, SC.  Join us for refreshments, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and 10% off all purchases during the Whistle Stop event!

Whistle Stop #2 – Beach Medical Weight Loss      Tues., November 7th               11am to 1pm               FREE

The second Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at Beach Medical Weight Loss, 220 Edgefield Road, North Augusta, SC.  Join us for refreshments, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and 20% off all purchases during the Whistle Stop event!

Workshop:  Social Media 101~from a Millennial Perspective     

Thur., November 9th               6:30pm to 8pm      Cost: $15

Join us for an informative workshop on Social Media 101. We will have Evan Read, CEO and Founder of Eximia Marketing, here to break down Social Media for those needing a little help getting a handle on the whole concept. Learn what applications fit your needs best and get a little help from a Millennial who knows a thing or two!  This will be a small workshop setting; attendance is limited to 15 attendees.  Register through Eventbrite at:  https://smbuswkshop.eventbrite.com

Whistle Stop #3 – Bush Flower Shop                     Sat., November 11th               10am to 12pm             FREE

The third Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at Bush Flower Shop, 111 W. Pine Grove Ave., North Augusta, SC.  Join us for refreshments, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and 20% off all purchases during the Whistle Stop event!

Workshop:  Table Top Display Clinic                    Mon., November 13th             6pm to 7:30pm      Cost: $10

Join us to learn how to maximize, attract attention, and create the best table top display for your business.  The Chamber Professionals will teach you tips, tricks, and basic principles to create the best EXPO/Craft Fair/ Vendor Table Top Display tailored for you!  This will be a small workshop setting;  attendance is limited to 10 attendees.  Register and pay through Eventbrite at:  https://displayclinic.eventbrite.com

Whistle Stop #4 – The Pink Dipper                        Thurs., November 16th           1pm to 4pm                 FREE

The fourth Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at The Pink Dipper, 501 Georgia Ave., North Augusta, SC.  Join us for samples of the Café Intencional Products, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and a great hot dog combo!  Purchase a hot dog combo and get a FREE scoop of Ice Cream.  Free scoop can be redeemed same day or at a later date.

Whistle Stop #5 – A Paw Above Pet Emporium    Thurs., November 16th           4pm to 6pm                 FREE

The fifth Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at A Paw Above, 507 A. Georgia Ave., North Augusta, SC.  Join us in your PJs!  It’s a pajama party for people and pets!  We will have people and pet refreshments, Dog-Nog, Teddy the Chamber Elf and an amazing gift certificate shopping incentive during the Whistle Stop!  For every $20 in Gift Certificates purchased, receive $5 in Bark Bucks FREE!

Whistle Stop #6 – Wine World                                Fri., November 17th                3pm to 5pm                 FREE

The sixth Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at Wine World, 133 Georgia Ave., North Augusta, SC.  Join us for refreshments, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and 10% off entire store during the Whistle Stop event and a 15% case discount!

Whistle Stop #7 – DiVino Ristorante                      Sat., November 18th               11am to 1pm               FREE

The seventh Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at DiVino Ristorante, 465 Railroad Ave. #100, North Augusta, SC.  Join us for refreshments, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and a fantastic gift certificate shopping incentive during the Whistle Stop event!  For every $20 in Gift Certificates purchased, receive $5 in gift certificates FREE!

Workshop:  Headshot Lounge                                Mon., November 20th             12pm to 5pm          Cost: $10

Sign up for a 15 minute timeslot during our Headshot Lounge workshop.  Many organizations today require professional headshots. For a very affordable rate, you can get a digital download of your headshot to print in any size at your convenience.  Register and pay using the following link: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/508044FABA822A6FC1-headshot

Whistle Stop #8 – Stan Johnson Jewelers              Fri., November 24th                2pm to 4pm                 FREE

The eighth Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at Stan Johnson Jewelers, 315 Edgefield Road. North Augusta, SC.  Join us for refreshments, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and 35% off all in stock merchandise (some exclusions apply) during the Whistle Stop event!

Whistle Stop #9 – Jim Bush Flower Shop              Sat., November 25th               9:30am to 11:30pm     FREE

The ninth Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at Jim Bush Flower Shop, 501 W. Martintown Road, North Augusta, SC.  Join us for refreshments, door prizes, Teddy the Chamber Elf and 10% off all purchases during the Whistle Stop event!

Whistle Stop #10 – Antonio’s Italian Eatery         Nov 1^st – Nov 25^th                                                      FREE

The tenth Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at Antonio’s Italian Eatery, 336 Georgia Ave #103, North Augusta, SC.  Stop by any time throughout the month to get your travel books stamped and see what Antonio’s has to offer.

Whistle Stop #11 – Quality Printing & Graphics  Nov 1^st – Nov 25^th                                                      FREE

The eleventh Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express is located at Quality Printing and Graphics, 502 Edgefield Road, North Augusta, SC.  Stop by any time throughout the month to get your travel books stamped and 10% off custom Holiday Cards.

Last Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express Line Sat., Nov 25^th              10am to 3pm                           FREE

The last and final Whistle Stop on the Chamber Express Line is located at St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church, 471 West Martintown Road, North Augusta, SC.  The entire Chamber Express Campaign will culminate with a large community event NACoC Shopping Extravaganza.  This is the first time NACoC has organized this “exact” event.  Previously it has just been a small event held at the Chamber offices with average attendance from 150-200 people.  Because of demand and requests from our members and the community, we are working to expand this event exponentially.

The event highlights are currently as follows:

• Indoor & Outdoor vendor fair full of artists, crafters, direct-sales, authors, you name it!

• Gift Wrapping Station provided by Chamber Ambassadors

• Raffles – Drawing at 2:50pm – Need not be present to win

• Chamber Express Travel Book - Drawing at 2:50pm – Need not be present to win

• Swag bags to first 50 people attending the Shopping Extravaganza

We are even working to add the addition of the following:

• Entertainment – performers from singles & duets to entire bands

• Child Entertainment Booths (think carnival type-booths)

• Our elves are working to ensure Santa has time in his schedule to stop by and take some photos

*For those who visited with Tinkerbell and Elena of Avalor at the Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee, our elves are working to get in contact with them to see if they would be available for this event as well.

Vendors, Crafters and Artisans wanting to be a part of this event can contact Jennifer Marner, Member Events Manager at [email protected].

Clubs, Church Groups, Business Organizations, and Community Members interested in providing a Child Entertainment Booth can also contact Jennifer Marner, Member Events Manager at [email protected] for more information.

Entertainment Acts (carolers, bands, choirs, duets, ensembles, and singers) interested in performing at the community event should contact Jennifer Marner, Member Events Manager at [email protected] for more information.