They looked so familiar — the hundreds of gaily attired visitors milling among the exhibits yesterday afternoon in the Vets Auditorium at the Chamber of Commerce’s Culver Expo.
Your friends and neighbors – nearly a thousand of them came to the three-hour display of the shiniest wares, and tastiest foods, of Culver City businesses.
Still, this was not your father’s Culver Expo. If your last Expo stop-by was 20 years ago, changes in values and tastes would have been obvious.
What made the Culver Expo a success?
Steve Rose listed three reasons.
“Our social media marketing is working effectively, along with city banners (strung across the street) and interest in shopping locally,” said the Chamber’s CEO/president.
“Shopping locally” is a newfangled, late arriving concept, Mr. Rose said.
Familiar faces, yes? But different rhythms.
“The economy is changing, and people’s needs and interests are changing,” said Mr. Rose. “There were two home health companies, two insurance companies that specialize in Social Security matters.”
Now, about the different or missing exhibits.
Mr. Rose received an email from a lady disappointed by the absence of home-repair displays. She wanted to contact a plumber.
None in sight is a positive sign, the Chamber executive concluded.
“Their absence is an interesting observation,” said Mr. Rose. “It says the local trades are so busy they don’t have time to participate in an exhibit.”
Eleven restaurants were among the 80 exhibitors, Mr. Rose said, and half of them are new, indicators that times are on the move.
Some old friends were absent, notably Southern California Edison and the gas company.
“The only two utilities that participated, and they are not really utilities anymore, were two cell phone companies,” Mr. Rose said.
