In this unique episode, Gina Mussett, owner of The Cottage Rose and board member for the Edinboro Community and Economic Development group (ECED), joins us to talk about the organization’s newly minted tourism website that was developed by the Edinboro Beehive.
That website is the largest project for the 'Boro hive to date, so we talked to Gina before and after its launch. The episode structure reflects that with a follow-up interview.
Other topics include Mussett's personal business experience and COVID-19.
Sponsored by: Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership
Music: Kevin Macleod’s "pamgaea" available via Creative Commons Attribution-International 4.0. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, No changes were made.
Music by audionautix.com. Audionautix's "Roboskater" by Jason Shaw available via Creative Commons Attribution-International 4.0. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, No changes were made.
Transcript
GINA MUSSETT: We approached it in a very positive way in that when we first formed, we had a meeting last year, last spring, and invited community members to come in kind of in as an open forum. And we had them share what they loved about our community, and then what are some opportunities or some things that they would like to see change.
NARRATOR: That's Gina Mussett, board member for the Edinboro Community and Economic Development Group, otherwise known as ECED. In addition, she is the owner of The Cottage Rose, a charming boutique located on Meadville Street in Edinboro. Mussett is the latest guest on Buzz, Generated, a show that introduces listeners to businesses and community leaders that collaborate with the Northwest Pennsylvania Innovation Beehive Network. Mussett stopped by the studio earlier this year to discuss visitEdinboroPA.com, the brand new regional tourism website built for ECED through the Edinboro Beehive.
Our conversation covers the website's development, along with opening The Cottage Rose, and the business strengths of the Edinboro region. Join host Tony Peyronel, the Executive Director for Entrepreneurial Development at Edinboro's Center for Branding and Strategic Communication, as he sits down with our guest. Together, let's discover what the "buzz" is all about.
TONY PEYRONEL: We're joined on the podcast today by Gina Mussett, owner of The Cottage Rose and vice-chairperson of Edinburgh Community and Economic Development, more often referred to as ECED. Gina, it's a pleasure to have you on the show, and welcome.
GINA MUSSETT: Thank you so much, Tony. I appreciate you having me here.
TONY PEYRONEL: We typically start the show by giving our listeners an opportunity to hear our guest's personal story. I believe you are originally from Cleveland and moved with your family to Edinboro in 2006. I'm wondering what motivated the move from northeast Ohio to northwest Pennsylvania and if you'll tell us how that transition's gone.
GINA MUSSETT: So I am originally from a suburb of Cleveland, Independence, Ohio. And my husband and I lived in Akron area for about 20 years. He is originally from Erie, and about 15 years ago his brother recruited him back to Erie to run his medical practice. We were looking for a place for him to stay while he was here working. And we found a wonderful cottage on Edinboro Lake where, incidentally, his mother actually grew up in Edinboro, and I had never been here before that point.
TONY PEYRONEL: Oh, wow.
GINA MUSSETT: So it's kind of a full circle kind of thing. So we started our renovations, and it was initially just for him to stay here and eventually be our retirement home. But through the years we ended up just falling in love with the community, fell in love with the lake, the people were all so nice. We called it our Mayberry. It was our getaway.
So we made it our permanent residence about eight years ago. Transferred our daughter in third grade. So then I began commuting. So I worked in Ohio, but still coming home to Edinboro and our cottage was like coming home to a vacation spot. And we just fell in love with it, so it made it all worthwhile.
TONY PEYRONEL: Wow, that is quite a story. That's very interesting. And not a simple one, there's a lot of layers.
GINA MUSSETT: There was, there was. And on top of that, we just sold our home in Akron just about four and 1/2 years ago. So at that time, the building came up for sale downtown, and we literally closed on our house one day and the next day closed on the building that we purchased that is now The Cottage Rose--
TONY PEYRONEL: Right, right.
GINA MUSSETT: --so that was exciting.
TONY PEYRONEL: Great. Now speaking of The Cottage Rose, we want our listeners to know it's a vintage home decor and accessories shop. It's new, but you, and you've touched on this with your commute, you are hardly new to working in retail sales. What's it been like to leave the corporate environment behind and to start your own shop?
GINA MUSSETT: It's been very scary but exciting at the same time. I've been very fortunate throughout my career to work for some world-class retailers. I started it with Express, Limited Express, The Bombay Company, and most recently with Pier 1. Those experiences have taught me so much from a human resource perspective to driving sales, running an effective business, merchandising a store. And because of all those years in the corporate environment and what I've learned, I felt like I was well-equipped to jump and take the leap into my own business.
I will tell you, I miss the people. I was always surrounded with great people. And the pace is much different. Going from a Pier 1 store where you're busy all the time to a small shop, that's been very, very different. But the positive to that is that it's enabled me to really slow down, be present, and build relationships with people that I meet on a daily basis. And to me, that's what business is. No matter what type of business you're in, it really does come down to people.
TONY PEYRONEL: And what do you think-- I'll follow up just by asking what do you think some of the most unique features of your place are?
GINA MUSSETT: I think that it's a warm and inviting environment. Many people that have visited us remember it as the old dry cleaner.
TONY PEYRONEL: Uh huh. Of course.
GINA MUSSETT: Right, you're talking about cement block walls transformed to old tin ceiling and a brick wall that looks like it's been there for 100 years. And really, we strategically planned every step of the way. So that when you walk in the door, you do feel that it's warm, it's inviting, it's a happy place.
But the other thing is we really thought about when we were actually putting up our sign is-- it started out as vintage furnishings and home decor, but we ended up adding gifts because we are a university town. We are a vacation town. So we have so many people coming to town that we wanted to have something for everyone.
So I think that's unique in that we don't just have old stuff. We have new stuff. We have gift things. We have cards. So we really tried to put a lot of thought into that aspect.
TONY PEYRONEL: Right. And you provided a great reference point when you mentioned the shop being located in the former dry cleaners. Because I had a conversation some time ago with a woman who was a student here at the same time. And one of the things that came up was they had an apartment across the alley. And for entertainment, they used to sit at the window of their apartment and watch people go through the drive-through at the cleaners. So that really is--
GINA MUSSETT: I believe it.
TONY PEYRONEL: --that is a fixture. And for you to come in and really completely transform that. But yet it still has the roots to being that common location that so many people were familiar with.
GINA MUSSETT: And it's amazing how many people do remember. And we actually took Steve Halmi and his father, Bob, who actually grew up for some time in the apartment above the dry cleaners. Their father owned it-- Bob's father owned it. So that was fun because we got to take him on a tour and hear some of the stories of the years gone by. We have Curly's way sign that we're going to donate to the Historical Society because that was always a fixture on the side of the building.
So it's been fun being the stewards of something so unique and in town.
TONY PEYRONEL: Right. That's really cool. Well, why don't you tell us a little bit about ECED? I think there's a tendency for folks to see it simply as a Chamber of Commerce. But that's not an entirely accurate picture, is it?
GINA MUSSETT: No, it isn't. It is not. And actually, the ECED was formed early last year-- and we were probably talking about it the year before-- really to support the community and help us move forward. And that's why it's Edinboro Community first and then the Economic Development because everything derives from the community.
We have a very diverse board of directors and numerous years of just various experiences. We actually have two board members from the university. And I think you're well aware of Rosemary Graham's involvement and Chuck Scalise.
TONY PEYRONEL: Right.
GINA MUSSETT: Which they have been so instrumental in keeping that partnership strong between the university and the community and the borough. It's been an amazing partnership. Kevin Opple, our borough manager, is also on the board. And he's been truly instrumental in obtaining grants for things, and I know we'll talk a little bit more about that. But we have, like I said, a varied group of people who really just want the best for the community and want to be advocates for moving us forward.
NARRATOR: This episode of Buzz, Generated is sponsored by the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, the voice of the business community in the Erie region. The Chamber provides advocacy and access to people, education, and information so that businesses have the leadership, resources, and expertise needed for continued prosperity throughout the region. Schedule a time to meet with the business action team and learn more about how the Chamber can help. Or visit the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership online at www.eriePA.com. The growth of our vibrant community in Erie, PA, depends on a dynamic business environment. The Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership aims to provide just that. Let's get back to the episode.
TONY PEYRONEL: ECED is, as you've just mentioned, it's not really that much older than your store. It's pretty new, as well, but it's received a significant amount of attention in a relatively short time. What do you see as the group's major accomplishments to date?
GINA MUSSETT: I think we approached it in a very positive way in that when we first formed, we had a meeting last year, last spring, and invited community members to come in kind of in as an open forum. And we had them share what they loved about our community, and then what are some opportunities or some things that they would like to see change.
And from that, we developed four subcommittees, which I think that's been a huge accomplishment. Because from the four subcommittees, which are the Business and Branding, we've got the Arts Committee. Parks and Recreation, and then Social Needs. And we've got a group of people. I want to say every committee has eight to ten community members volunteering their time, their energy, and really coming up with, based on that meeting, the initial meeting, what are we going to attack, what are we going to try to impact going forward. So I think that's been a huge accomplishment in and of itself.
We also have had huge support from the borough. We've gotten ECGRA grants and started doing some facade grants through the borough. So far, through the last two years we've had 15 businesses on Erie and Meadville Street that have renovated and/or updated their buildings, their businesses. The facade grants have been matched by the borough, so that's been huge.
So for improvements, we're almost at like $125,000 just in the last, I would say, year and a half because it's still such a new program. We've also had things like a social media seminar for business owners and leaders to come to and really understand the impact that social media can have on their business. We've had repaving of parking lots, and so we're closing in on $200,000, so far, in the last year and a half of improvements.
As far as parks and recreation, they have visited every park in Edinboro and Washington Township and made a to-do list, made a--here's the positives of these parks, and here's what we want to come up with as far as an opportunity list and start working in that direction. We've just recently received a $25,000 grant to help in Thompson Park, which is the basketball park, or basketball courts behind where Pizza Hut used to be.
TONY PEYRONEL: Right.
GINA MUSSETT: And they're looking at a children's playground for that neighborhood. Yeah. The arts committee is working on funding for at least one mural. Which we all know we have opportunity with the big wall behind the diner, which is a great, great spot.
TONY PEYRONEL: We can hook you up with some muralists, too, as you know.
GINA MUSSETT: OK. And, you know, I think Rose leads that group, though. So--
TONY PEYRONEL: Well, there you go.
GINA MUSSETT: All interconnected, right?
TONY PEYRONEL: Rose can hook you up with a lot of things, and I mean that in the best way possible.
GINA MUSSETT: Oh, I agree, I agree. And then the Business Committee, as you know, and I know we're going to talk more about this. We've been working very closely with the Beehive to come up with that website that we're going to talk about which has been just amazing in the process. It's been a learning process for us, as well, but we're very excited for what that can do for the community.
And then we're pulling together a business meet-and-greet because there are so many businesses that aren't aware of what's available in our community. So we're pulling that together for the end of March so that leaders can get together and get to know each other, or offer more support, or whatever that looks like.
TONY PEYRONEL: Well, that's a lot of impressive activity.
GINA MUSSETT: Thanks.
TONY PEYRONEL: And it seems like one of the overall goals of ECED is to promote the Edinboro region. And you do focus on region. We don't want anyone to think this is just about the borough of Edinboro. This is about Edinboro as a region, and you want to promote that region as a destination location.
And I think locals often take living here for granted. But there certainly are some unique assets-- a comprehensive university, a beautiful lake, a highly-regarded public school district, and many artistic and cultural attractions, including the nationally known Campbell's pottery. I'm wondering, are those the type of things that you usually include in your pitch?
GINA MUSSETT: Absolutely. And to your point, we are really focusing on the region because Edinboro is just a small part of this bigger area that just has so much to offer. We are so much more than a small town south of Erie. And it's because of all of those attributes that you mention that we believe we can make this town into a destination location, as it should be.
People should be spending the day here and checking out the lake. Or if somebody is coming to look at the school, really, that's only one part of it. Looking at the community around this school is such a draw, for it's--
TONY PEYRONEL: Very much a package.
GINA MUSSETT: Absolutely. And as a matter of fact, we just applied for two other grants, if you will. And we used every single one of those aspects to say, look, we're just not another small town with a Main Street. We have so much more to offer. And that's why we think that we need to spread the word, and we need to get more people into town to really experience what we're all about.
TONY PEYRONEL: Right, right. You mentioned your group working with us here at the Center for Branding and Strategic Communication, which is Edinboro's Beehive in the Northwest PA Innovation Beehive Network, on the development of a travel website. How has that project gone so far, and what do you really hope to achieve with that website?
GINA MUSSETT: You know, I have been blown away by that process, and the professionalism, and the amount of hard work and attention to detail that the groups have worked on this project. So it is visitEdinboroPA.com is going to be the website. And we wanted it to be that resource for people that, maybe, they're coming up from Pittsburgh and want to know what there is to do at this small town on the way up to Erie. We wanted it to be a resource for what there is to do, where there is to eat, what there is to see. I have been very impressed. The students here started last summer, I believe--
TONY PEYRONEL: We did.
GINA MUSSETT: --going out and talking to every single business. And I know that because they came into mine. And they had an agenda. They had a questionnaire. They were taking pictures. So they were really thorough in getting all that background information before the semester even started. So that as the semester started they just dug right in.
The leaders of this group, and I'm sorry, I meant to bring the names of the four that did the presentation at the end of the semester. But I know Cass Reese led her group. Scott Gladd has been amazing in how they're pulling people together to be a part of this.
And at the end of fall semester, we had an unveiling of the website. And I can tell you, there was probably 20 members of our ECED group there. And all were just amazed at the professional work that was done, at just how clean and how exciting it's going to be to have this resource. And what they've done so far is nothing short than amazing.
TONY PEYRONEL: Right.
GINA MUSSETT: Really excited about it. And I know they're now working on putting more content in this semester under Chris Lantinen's
TONY PEYRONEL: Yes.
GINA MUSSETT: --supervision. So that's exciting, and we're hoping for a rollout in the spring.
TONY PEYRONEL: Right. It's been quite a project, as you mentioned. We were fortunate that we had the summer team. And we had a lot of students, and we were able to send them canvassing out.
And then you mentioned Cass Reese and Scott Gladd. They're both graphic designers who teach in the Art Department. And Scott's our Creative Director. And Cass, really, she teaches the Design Practicum course and is really a volunteer to us. But people don't realize the amount of work that's just done within that course.
And one of the things, we had a lot of that content before we had the shell of the website created. And it made it even more labor intensive because now a lot of that stuff's been stored. And, right, it's being backfilled in. But it is, I agree with you, it's been quite a project. It's been a lot of work, but I'm looking forward, I think we're all looking forward to the end result and the public unveil. Because I do think you're right. I do think it's really going to be worth it.
And again, I thank you for those kind words about the Center and the Beehive. And I'm guessing from that you probably would recommend other, both local and regional businesses, and others to use the Center?
GINA MUSSETT: Absolutely, without a doubt. I can't say enough about the follow-through, the professionalism, just the connection that has been made with our members and the Beehive leadership, I should say, and even the students. I mean, I had four great students that were constantly in touch, talking about what they were doing, what did they need. And it was just a really great partnership and give and take.
And it's a unique gem that we have the good fortune to have in our backyard. And I do think the fact that we have been able to work with the Beehive, strengthened that bond even further with the community of Edinboro and the university. It's just, we're so intertwined, and I'm so glad that we have this opportunity.
TONY PEYRONEL: Obviously, that's one of the unique aspects of the region, that relationship. And thank you so much for all the great information that you've shared. I'm just wondering-- we'll close by asking you if there's anything else that you think I should have asked you.
GINA MUSSETT: You know, there's not, that I can think of. I just really want the students, the community, to know that there are so many amazing people in this community that are pulling together and really working hard, volunteering their time every single month, every single week, to work on projects to make us that stronger, that destination location.
So for those that are wondering what is going on, or they aren't downtown to see the changes, or aren't aware of what the ECED is doing, I just think it's very important to know that we are doing. And we are excited about the process. And we are excited about the progress that we're making, and it's not going to stop here. We're going to continue to work forward and work together to make this community the best it can be.
TONY PEYRONEL: Thank you.
GINA MUSSETT: Thank you for having me, Tony. I appreciate it.
TONY PEYRONEL: Sure.
NARRATOR: This fall, we reconvene with Gina for a quick follow-up interview conducted by our producer, Keith Hepler. We wanted to talk about the website's official launch, held on September 21 at Lakeside Beach Bar, along with how COVID-19 has changed business in the Edinboro region.
KEITH HEPLER: So my first question is, how do you feel about the launch of the website? How do you think it went?
GINA MUSSETT: I think it went very well. We were very pleased with the turnout and just the amount of enthusiasm and interaction that we had. Very well received. So very excited about where we can go from here.
KEITH HEPLER: Awesome. And I guess you kind of led into my second question, and that was, what has the community response been to the website, overall?
GINA MUSSETT: Very positive, not just from the people that have attended the rollout, but as I've been talking to different community members. Just very excited to have that resource even for our internal community so that people know what we have as a part of this area. There's so many resources, there's so many different businesses that many residents don't even realize are here. So I think that's going to be critical.
So it's not necessarily just a tourism website, if you will, although we would love for people outside of the community to have a resource to say, hey, where do I want to stay, where do I want to shop and eat? That's certainly a big part of it. But for our internal residents, as well, I think it's an important factor. And I've heard nothing but positive feedback and enthusiasm for that, as well.
KEITH HEPLER: Now that the website is launched, how do you plan to build on it going forward? What are some ideas you have?
GINA MUSSETT: I think the possibilities are really exciting in terms of going forward because I know, even this fall, we have new businesses coming to town, into the mill project, which has been very cool to watch. But even so far as if somebody outside of the community looks at, let's say visitPA.com, there's a link there that can take it to visitEdinboroPA.com and then see our website.
And as we grow as a community, as we have additional events, they will be able to be posted there, or a link to them. And we know that we're a community that's very proud of the events that we do have, and we want to spread the word about what a great community we have. So I see that there's just so much potential going forward. It's a very exciting time.
KEITH HEPLER: So when we originally talked to you, the Beehive, that is, we were not dealing with a global pandemic that shut down the country. What impact has COVID-19 had on your plans and that of ECED now that we're in the middle of this situation?
GINA MUSSETT: Well, clearly it's been a rough time for everyone. I think right when the shutdown occurred, we were on the verge of planning a business meet-and-greet so that all of the businesses in the community could come together in one place. And we were actually going to hold that at the mall so that we could really try to have those points of contact or that face-to-face interaction. And we had to postpone that right when the official shutdown notice came through. So now what's exciting is we're looking at potentially having something like that in the near future, maybe might look a little bit different. But at least we can get some business leaders, business owners, in one place and make those connections and get to know each other so that we can help support each other.
There's three other committees as a part of the ECED. There's the Park and Recreation, which I know they have been moving forward with some projects since a lot of that is outside. And then I know that the Art Committee has been working on the upcoming Art Walk on October 3. And that's going through the downtown area. We'll have art in some of the businesses. There will be artists on the streets, musicians on the streets, some food trucks.
So it's really, I think, challenged us to look at things differently and seeing how we can support each other and how we can support the community. And even with Social Services Committee, they've done huge amounts of donations and fundraisers in order to support local families in need during the pandemic time that has stressed so many. So I think there's still been a lot going on, maybe behind the scenes, and challenged us to look at things differently to see what we can put into place going forward to make a difference in Edinboro.
KEITH HEPLER: And so my final question piggybacks off of that question, as well. And you kind of already answered it, but I wanted to give you a chance to add any more information that you feel might be important. And that is, what opportunities have presented themselves in light of our current circumstance?
GINA MUSSETT: Yeah, I think the biggest thing has been looking at things a little bit differently. Another big initiative that we've been really grabbing hold of is we won a grant from a placemaking company called Alchemy Services. And right now, we're building steering committees, we're having surveys, and it's really all about moving Edinboro forward. But again, in the light of our current circumstances, looking at things very differently or looking at things in a different light to say what can we do now, and what might be on the horizon, and really strategically planning some things out.
So I think it's a challenging time for all, but it's also created this newfound reality that we might have to change and it's not the same old, same old. Or it's not the-- you can't keep doing the same things because it's a much different environment that we're living in right now. So it's causing everybody to step outside their comfort zone a little bit, and that's when we can really grow.
KEITH HEPLER: Awesome. Well, thank you so much for your time again, Gina. We appreciate it, and we were really excited and happy to work with you.
GINA MUSSETT: Thank you to the entire team and to all the students that worked on it, as well. You guys just exceeded everyone's expectations and then some. So thank you to all.
NARRATOR: The Northwest Innovation Beehive Network works to enhance business expansion and development in the Erie area. The Beehive is made up of five grant-funded centers that collaborate to encourage business growth. The centers work together to form the Hive network while each location operates in its own specialized area of expertise. Blasco Library, Penn State Behrend, Edinboro University, Gannon University, and Mercyhurst University are each responsible for a specific service. You can contact us at nwPAbeehive.com.
You've been listening to Buzz, Generated. This podcast was released through Edinboro University's Center for Branding and Strategic Communication. It's produced by Keith Hepler and Chris Lantinen Thank you to our guest for their insight and to you, our listeners, for taking the time to experience innovation alongside us. Consider subscribing if you liked this episode to get more as soon as they drop. And if you really enjoyed it, jump over to Apple Podcast for a five-star review. Thank you for listening.
