125 meeting attendees

Marshall Snively opened the meeting by warmly welcoming everyone and sharing how thrilled he was to have each person present for this special Milestone Awards gathering. He emphasized the importance of the occasion, as it honors and celebrates the achievements of 50 exceptional small businesses and community partners.

He thanked all of the attendees and encouraged continued participation, inviting everyone to make these meetings a regular part of their schedule—and to bring a friend. These gatherings are open to all small business owners and nonprofit leaders in the City of Lancaster and are held on the third Wednesday of each month.

Marshall shared that Milestone Awards are one of his favorite LCA gatherings, noting that the strength of Lancaster lies in the small business owners about to be honored in this room. He expressed his deep gratitude to everyone for their ongoing support of LCA and the City of Lancaster.

Marshall continued by wishing everyone a Happy PRIDE Month! Reminding them that Lancaster PRIDE Festival takes place on Saturday, June 28, at the Lancaster County Convention Center from noon until 6 pm. He wished all attendees a joyful and safe celebration. 

Marshall then welcomed Mayor Danene Sorace to join us today to present these awards and invite her to say her own words of welcome.

Mayor Danene Sorace began the Milestone Awards Merchant Meeting, expressing how much she looks forward to this event each year. It provides a unique opportunity to honor and celebrate the dynamic small business community that lies at the heart of Lancaster City. She announced that the Tourism Master Plan is on the way and highlighted the vital role our independent retailers play in making Lancaster a warm and welcoming destination. She encouraged attendees to connect with DJ Ramsay to pick up the new 2025 Visitor Guides and to be ready to warmly greet visitors at their businesses. DJ can be reached at dramsay@cityoflancasterpa.gov 

Mayor Sorace also wished everyone a Happy Pride Month and noted the Pride flag raising event on June 2, as well as the upcoming Juneteenth flag raising. For more information on these events and others, she invited everyone to visit the City of Lancaster’s website 

Marshall Snively expressed gratitude to our Legacy Sponsors for their generous support, which enables these meetings, along with acknowledgment of our Visionary Sponsors listed on the agenda. He gave a warm welcome to Mike Weztel, representing Legacy sponsor Franklin & Marshall College. He also welcomed a few of our LCA Board members: Dave Hornberger, Jack Crowley, Jim Wagner, and Alex Ebert, as our newest DID Board member. 

Dave Aichele extended appreciation to our Community Partners: Millersville University at The Ware Center for hosting our meetings, Discover Lancaster for sponsoring the merchant meetings, and Colonial Parking for providing parking in the lot across Prince Street.  

Elspeth Moffatt reviewed the helpful guidelines to make each meeting a success and reminded all attendees to have a positive and productive experience at our merchant meetings. 

Kathlene was delighted to remind the group that VeloCity 2025 will return on Thursday, September 18! Mark your calendars for the hottest party of the year as Lancaster City Alliance does a takeover of Tellus 360 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. VIP tickets will sell out fast, so don’t delay if you want that Rooftop Party experience! There are exciting VeloCity Sponsorship opportunities available this year. Discover all of the details at VeloCity2025.

Presentation: Connecting Millersville Students to the City of Lancaster

Marshall Snively introduced Douglas Zander, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Dean of Admissions. Douglas highlighted meaningful opportunities for local businesses to engage Millersville students—inviting them to shop, dine, explore, and feel at home in our vibrant downtown. By building strong relationships between students and the small business community, we not only enhance the student experience but also support the growth and vitality of our local economy.

If you’re interested in exploring how your business can connect with Millersville students, Doug welcomes your outreach:
📧 douglaszander@millersville.edu
📞 717-871-7537

Let’s work together to make Lancaster City a destination of choice for the next generation!

Lancaster City Indie Retail Week – July 11 – 19

Marshall introduced DJ Ramsey, City of Lancaster, who provided the group with information on the 2025 Indie Retail Week: Rooted In Local event. It highlights the significance of supporting local businesses and encourages followers to participate in Indie Retail Week Events. There will be a strong ad marketing campaign and a raffle contest. All retailers are to sign-up by June 25, 2025, to participate. Register now for the 2025 Indie Retail Week!

Member Introductions

• Chris Ballentine, Community Relations Manager, Willow Valley Community Center, reminded the group that Trivia Night is every Wednesday and Music Trivia every Thursday from 7 to 9 PM at Southern Market! 
• Tessa Balencic, Impact Advancement Director, Prima Theater, was excited to share that 80s by Request, LIVE! is playing now through June 29! 
• Corinne Foster, Development Director, Lancaster-Lebanon Girls on the Run wanted the group to know that the Kickin’ Up Kindness fundraiser scheduled for Friday, September 26, has sponsorship opportunities available.  Reach out to Corinne at corinne.foster@girlsontherun.org
• Victoria Abadir, Owner, Lancaster Art Vault, was delighted to announce that “Paint the City” will return on Saturday, June 21, to galleries, museums, and artist studios around the City of Lancaster. Stroll downtown to watch local artists paint al fresco from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Learn more about the event here.
• Jeremy Young, Acting Managing Director, Lancaster CRIZ Authority, reminded the local retailers in the CRIZ authority that their reporting is due June 15, and PA State is fining companies who miss the deadline. 
• Mayor Sorace was excited to see the many ways that Ewell Plaza is used as a transformative space for the community to learn, engage, and celebrate culture. Learn more about sponsorship events happening downtown here
• Marion Coleman, artist, PAVAA Gallery, was proud to tell those assembled that “we teach, we educate through art and music.”
• Lori Johnson, Community Outreach Coordinator, The Candy Factory, was excited to announce that there are now two vibrant coworking spaces in the City of Lancaster – TCF at 325 N. Queen Street and TCF at 812 N. Prince. 
• Olivia Schmid, Decades – opening outdoor Ice Cream Bar soon – stay tuned!
• Corey Woods, owner, Soulcialize – with a Stand at Lancaster Central Market and recently expanded inside Long’s Park.
• Michelle Littrell, Travel Advisor, City of Lancaster Welcome Center, wants to send the 15,000 tourists to the small business owners who attend these meetings, or who read the minutes. Stop by the Welcome Center in the lobby of the Penn Square Marriott to learn how the Welcome Center staff can help promote your business. 
• Carol Masier, VisionCorps thanked everyone for the success of the 2025 EyeDrop Fundraiser
  • Mike Sturdivant, owner, People & Things Vintage at 17 N. Prince Street (on top of Prince Street Café ) invites all to stop by for some easy listening to R&B and early 2000s hip hop while shopping for some lit vintage fashions!

   

Member Milestone Awards

We honored 50 local businesses—marking milestones from one to 120 years—as shining examples of dedication and community spirit in Lancaster. We were delighted to have Mayor Danene Sorace join us in presenting these awards. Congratulations to all 2025 Milestone Award recipients. Your resilience and commitment continue to shape and strengthen our city’s vibrant business landscape.
See a complete list of all awardees here.

Closing Comments

Marshall Snively thanked everyone for their attendance this morning. He encouraged everyone to mark their calendars for the third Wednesday of each month until November and bring a friend to share in the networking connections.   

Next Merchant Meeting – June 11,  2025 – The Ware Center