Possible Return of Ishpeming Chamber

The Ishpeming area has been without a chamber of commerce dedicated to it for about 10 years now.

But business owners in the city would like to change that.

The Ishpeming Business Association is kicking around the idea of re-forming the Ishpeming Area Chamber of Commerce.

They say they don’t have anything against the Lake Superior Community Partnership, which acts as a de factor chamber of commerce for Marquette County.

The IBA’s chairman says projects like the re-use plans for the old Bell Hospital show that the 2 groups can do different kinds of work.

Charlie Anderson says the IBA’s goal is to reshape itself into a chamber of commerce dedicated to the small businesses in downtown Ishpeming rather than taking the LSCP’s catch-all approach.

Anderson says if they can re-form the Chamber, the goal would be to eventually stretch its coverage from Negaunee to Michigamme.

The IBA is looking for a permanent home.

But until it finds one, it has its meetings every Thursday morning at 8:30 at Old School Music on Cleveland Avenue.