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About LBA
What are our goals?
1. Operate fiscally soundly
- Operate with a break even or positive financial result
2. Facilitate and encourage communication among La Salle businesses
- Regular communication method
- Other creative ways to share ideas and needs
- Acknowledge and welcome new businesses
- Encourage and facilitate collaboration amongst La Salle businesses
3. Enhance the working relationship between the business community and City officials
- Meet quarterly with Mayor and Economic Development committee
4. Sponsor unique events and projects which most effectively showcase the best of our community
- Sponsor successful Jazz N' the Streets and BBQ n' Blues
- Look to sponsor/organize other events around town that benefit our members
- Collaborate to “beautify” La Salle, both downtown and throughout the city
5. In partnership with the City of La Salle’s Economic Director develop and support new businesses
- Organize and promote American's Express' Small Business Saturday event the Saturday after Thanksgiving
- Encourage members to utilize and dine or shop fellow LBA member
- Pursue businesses to open in La Salle
- Acknowledge and welcome new businesses
Past Projects
The La Salle Business Association has a long history of working with the business community, City of La Salle and the general community to further its goals. While the focus of its goals and objectives has shifted over the years to address current trends and issues, the underlying tenants have remained the same. To that end LBA has sponsored events and created partnerships that continue to further its goals.
Educational opportunities include:
- A community swap with Rock Island to exchange ideas to better the city and business environment
- Participation in the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association Conference from which came the formation of the La Salle “Storefront Façade Grant”.
- Sponsor of informational TIF District session
- Partnership with the La Salle Public Library to bring “The Business of Technology” to businesses in La Salle.
- Hosted various state and federal legislators to give input on issues affecting the business community in La Salle.
Beautification projects include:
- Adopt a planter program
- Planting of “bump outs” along 1st Street
- Partnership with several sponsors to create the fountain at 1st and Gooding Streets
- Partnership with the Illinois Valley Garden Club to plant larger planters.
Civic projects include:
- A Moonlight Christmas Walk to benefit the IV Food Pantry
- In conjunction with the La Salle Sesquicentennial, coordinated the Antique Appraisal Fair
- Sidewalk Sale and Chalk Walk
- Pumpkin Painting
- Partnership with the Hegeler Carus Mansion to host “Back at the Mansion” festival
- Creation of the “Historic Downtown La Salle Walking Tour Map”
- Haunted House
- "BBQ-n-Blues" and "Jazz’N the Street" Festivals in September