New Retail Recruiter Sees Chestnut Hill as Exciting Challenge

Travelling to other business districts is part of what makes her job fun, said Laurie Wightman, talking about her new job as Chestnut Hill’s retail recruiter.

“I get to go to these beautiful communities and talk to the nicest people. Independent business owners are always the nicest people,” Wightman said.

Scoping out other main street shopping districts in places like Haddonfield, Princeton and Collingswood, Wightman talks to small businesses looking to expand. She fills them in on everything Chestnut Hill has to offer.

“Getting voted best main street shopping really helped. I’m having postcard printed up with that on it,” Wightman said. “There a lot of kudos that go out to a lot of people in Chestnut Hill for that. But it also speak to Eileen Reilly and all of the work she did here.”

Reilly, who preceded Wightman as retail recruiter, still stays in touch. Reilly trained Wightman for the position when she left, and continues to stay involved. She is even taking a Labor Day Weekend trip with Wightman to shore towns in New Jersey to talk to business owners down there.

“There’s a lot of really great little places in Avalon, Ocean City and Stone Harbor,” Wightman said.

And while it’s not all fun and travel, Wightman sees the challenge- of talking small businesses into expanding, adding another shop and adding it in Chestnut Hill- as exciting.

“If you know someone is thinking about expanding, just knowing that is a great lead, and it can take a year, but it’s not a difficult challenge,” Wightman said.

The first feather under her cap is Primo’s Hoagies, which is a shared effort between she and Reilly. The shop had been looking in Chestnut Hill, and the final decisions were made after the transition period between the two recruiters.

“Eileen said I want you to get the credit for it,” Wightman said.

Check back later this week for more on Wightman’s vision for Chestnut Hill’s business district.