First Friday Scranton

Join us this week for First Friday in downtown Scranton! For a full list of venues and a .pdf of the map, visit http://firstfridayscranton.com.

First Friday art walks are held on the first Friday of every month at galleries and businesses around Downtown Scranton. Paintings, photography, sculpture, music, performance art…you never know what you’ll find at First Friday in Scranton.

Support local artists and mingle with your Northeastern Pennsylvania neighbors, all in a casual atmosphere. Hope to see you there!

First Friday Scranton is unveiling a new fundraising effort, Friends of First Friday.   The program is designed to offer individuals a way to easily support the arts in Scranton and specifically the efforts of First Friday Scranton.  First Friday Scranton coordinates a monthly artwalk in downtown Scranton featuring local, regional and nationally known artists, live music and a complimentary trolley between venues. 

Cards featuring the First Friday logo will be sold for $25.  The card entitles the holder to a 10% discount on a variety of cultural attractions, dining, shopping and more!  Over 20 businesses are participated in the program: (more…)

First Friday Scranton offers another great way to learn more about the Electric City. First Friday art walks are held on the first Friday of each month (except January) at businesses and galleries around the downtown area.

MetroAction is proud to support the downtown arts initiative through Business Development Administrator Christina Hitchcock’s participation on the First Friday board. A map is published each month on www.firstfridayscranton.com in the days before the event with a full list of participating artists and venues.

Over 15,000 college students call the Scranton area home during the school year. So, where do they go for a great night out downtown? How do they know what restaurant has the best pizza? Where is the best shopping for the latest in fashion?

Now, students can pick up a copy of the new Campus Source for answers to all of their questions about things to see and do in downtown Scranton.

As part of the Destination Downtown program, MetroAction recently collaborated with The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Times Shamrock Communications, Scranton Tomorrow, and the Scranton Plan to create a booklet that students can use to learn about the many things located in downtown Scranton. This combined effort is an example of the potential impact area students can have on the local economy and our community. 

The goal of the Campus Source is for it to be the official “Welcome Guide” to thousands of area students to promote downtown Scranton as a destination for shopping, dining, recreation and living. The booklet lists local restaurants, volunteer opportunities, shopping destinations, where to find a tanning salon, and much more.

Last week, copies of the Campus Source were delivered to students at Marywood University, The University of Scranton, McCann School, Lackawanna College, Johnson College, Baptist Bible College, Keystone University and Penn State University. The delivery of the Campus Source came just in time for the students to return to class for their fall semester orientation.

We’d love to know what your favorite things are to do and see in downtown Scranton.  Post a comment to let us know!

It is, to say the least, inspiring when a story of someone’s success is brought to our attention. It doesn’t even matter in what field the success was achieved. Regardless of the relevance to our own grind, we feel excited and motivated when we hear a story of “risk and reward”. 

Six years ago the writing of one such success story began. In 2002, Danielle Fleming, of Danielle and Company, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, began an entrepreneurial journey that has allowed her to become an incredibly successful business woman.

Ms. Fleming’s education in the fields of psychology and behavioral therapy was the starting point for her business success. Danielle and Company is a business that specializes in the creation of luxury bath and beauty products. The products are the result of a research project that Ms. Fleming had undertaken, which involved the use of handmade soaps and the study of the human psychological response to different scents. When the research project was over, the demand for Danielle’s handmade scented soaps lingered.

Because of the demand for her products, Ms. Fleming began selling her handmade organic soaps at local farmer’s markets. Since then her business has seen tremendous growth. “It is amazing to me to look back at our growth.  We started in my kitchen at home and then went to a 400 square foot retail store and moved our way up to a 6,500 square foot facility with more space to expand to 30,000 square feet”, said Ms. Fleming. The business will now have even more exposure because of the move from its long time location in Clarks Summit to a beautiful venue on Adams Avenue in Scranton.

Ms. Fleming’s business and her line of products are unlike any other bath and beauty offerings. “We are focused on the whole person, the mind, the body and their impact on the environment when people use our products”, said Ms. Fleming. This philosophy has given Danielle and Company products national exposure, including features in national magazines and their use by such celebrities as Janet Jackson and Howie Mandel. The products are also sold in spas and hotels worldwide.

In addition to unparalleled products, Danielle and Company believes in the importance of preserving the environment. All of the products are made with 100 percent natural ingredients. The company’s new location is also eco-friendly, complete with energy efficient machines and appliances, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and the use of non toxic paints.

Ms. Fleming holds the belief that success requires dedication, commitment, and perseverance. She also sites the help of local business organization as being conducive to the success of her business, especially the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center and MetroAction. “MetroAction has helped my business by providing great seminars for entrepreneurs like myself to expand their knowledge base”, said Ms. Fleming. “It has also helped my company’s growth by providing us with a low-interest loan”.

The success of Danielle and Company is hinged upon Ms. Fleming’s commitment and drive to succeed. She encourages other entrepreneurs to take chances. She says, “Being an entrepreneur is hard work, but if you have the desire and commitment, it will bring you to places you never dreamt of!  Go ahead and leap…the net will appear”.