Html code here! Replace this with any non empty text and that's it.
Justin Chan, owner of Coatesville-based video company Valley Creek Productions and 2022 president of the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce, is excited about the opportunities available for businesses to grow in the Coatesville area and throughout western Chester County.
“There is a lot going on in Coatesville,” he said in a recent interview, “and the Chamber has been working hard to promote businesses and investment opportunities in the Coatesville area.”
Justin explained that Coatesville includes the only Opportunity Zones in Chester county, covering all four Coatesville census tracts; these are zones designated by the governor where investors can receive substantial tax benefits for advancing certain projects. And things are happening on a smaller scale as well. “More businesses are finding that it makes sense to open in Coatesville,” he said, “including, just recently, several new restaurants and more local places to shop.”
The City of Coatesville itself has been actively helping new businesses get started and grow in the area, by reducing red tape – “The city calls it ‘green tape,’” Justin noted – and by encouraging financiers who live in the area to invest in projects that will help the local community. Because many of the areas around Coatesville have already benefited from substantial investment and development, Justin explained, Coatesville presents an excellent opportunity for local investors to make both a difference and a profit.
The Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce is ready to help both new and existing businesses in Coatesville and nearby areas, Justin said. During the worst of the pandemic, for example, the Chamber produced and hosted a series of video interviews with local businesses called “Western Chester County Checks In,” which gave a lifeline of publicity to many local businesses during a very difficult time.
“When Covid hit and everything shut down, I suggested we start to produce and host some short videos about our members, to highlight what they do and to give them a way to reach out to the community despite the pandemic. That work got me more involved with the Chamber,” Justin said. Justin was asked to join the board of the Chamber of Commerce, and soon after was appointed to become the Chamber’s president for 2022.
As the first Chinese-American and LGBT president in the 106-year history of the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce, Justin feels as though he’s contributing something unique to the Chamber’s long and distinctive history. “The Chamber was founded by some of the industry leaders of Coatesville back in 1916,” he said, “and it’s both an honor and great opportunity to follow in their footsteps.”
The work that Valley Creek Productions has done for the Chamber as well as for local businesses reflects Justin’s love of the area. “We recently produced a video for the Chester County Library System that was a lot of work, and the end product really shows the many different aspects of the libraries that go way beyond books.” Many of Valley Creek’s promotional videos use aerial shots filmed by Valley Creek’s licensed drone pilot, and provide unique views of events such as the Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix, which takes place in September each year.
To learn more about ways the Western Chester Valley Chamber of Commerce can help your business grow, contact the Chamber at 610.384.9550 or visit their website. And to find out how Justin Chan and Valley Creek Productions can make your family event or business memorable, give them a call at 215.525.9904 or reach out to them via their contact page.
