Sussex Chamber of Commerce Offices Move to be Finished Soon

If all goes according to plan, the Sussex Chamber of Commerce offices will be fully moved into their new location in the lower level of by Friday.

The Chamber, which is currently located at N64W24050 Main St., will occupy space at village hall vacated by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department when police services moved into the new at N63W24335 Main St.

A project to renovate the Chamber’s new office space was recently completed and a few desks have already been moved to the new location.  Once work on the telephone lines is finished, the rest of the furniture and file cabinets will be moved in so the offices will be fully operational.

“We were offered an opportunity to move there and thought that it would be a good opportunity for us to partner with the village,” said Kathryn Wagner, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. “As new businesses come into the area, they can actually stop right in our office right away and get some information. It’s kind of a one-stop shop in a way.”

Village President Greg Goetz pointed said the Village Board wanted the chamber to make the move as part of the board’s commitment to improving the business climate in Sussex. The Board approached the chamber with the idea towards the end of last year.

“We want a closer working relationship with the business community,” said Goetz. “I personally wanted to restart a committee that was disbanded -- the economic development committee -- which will work closely with the chamber for not only developing new business but I also want to help existing businesses that could possibly be struggling in the village and help them to stay in the village.

“I think providing space for (the chamber) shows that the village has a commitment to working with the chamber and that’s what we wanted. We are truly committed to working with the business community to help improve business in Sussex."

Wagner said that she and her colleagues are very much looking forward to the move.

“The office area is actually ready,” she said. “We’re organizing ourselves to get in there.  We’re hoping to be fully moved in by the end of next week.

“We’re a volunteer organization and it takes awhile to move all of the files and things. We want to make sure that we’re pretty much up and running when we say we’re going to move.”

Though no events have been formally planned, Wagner said the chamber plans to hold an official open house gathering following a Village Board meeting in the near future.

“I know our board of directors is excited because it will give us an opportunity to be more in the forefront of companies coming to Sussex, give them information and work with them on their move,” Wagner said.