As we say goodbye to 2025, and hello to 2026 we realize just how much that we have to be thankful for. The Chamber accomplished 46 Chamber Events, 44 Ribbon Cuttings, and welcomed over 45 new members.
While staff is pleased with the number of member events, member presence through our website is important too. The Chamber website recorded over 104,422 search hits for our members. Facebook reach is approaching 100,000 for a yearly reach with 93,272 actual interactions with Chamber Facebook posts. So, it really has been another busy year at the Chamber.
Some of the other accomplishments that were completed in 2025 included the migration of all Chamber Members to a new membership database that is much more modern and much more user-friendly. In fact, the new management database uses some of the new AI standards to make sure that our members are always close to the top when a consumer searches that web for a business locally.
The new standards have set the bar high where the new norm is for website searches on the Chamber website is greater than 7,000 (internal only). While we can only estimate the number that occurs outside of the internal Chamber website, we estimate that this number is at least the same amount, which places that web search hits on a pace to over 160,000 next year.
2026 – Here We Come
What’s new in the New Year? Several events have been reimagined for 2026 such as Chamber Luncheons, which will be held quarterly. The Chamber Showcase in February 2026 will have the disco theme “Hustle to Success,” where the event floor plan has been redesigned for more touring ease by attendees. Another event that is changing is the Women’s Conference, which was sold out in July 2025. The conference is again scheduled for July 2026, and the committee is working on a larger venue so additional seating is available for all. These are just a few of the items that are on the new agenda for 2026.
Shop Small – Shop Local
Shop Small Shop Local in November was again successful for 2025. Many of the businesses in downtown Seguin have stated that they did see an increase in shoppers from previous years. Each year the kick-off event is coordinated by our sister chamber – the Guadalupe County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, where Mayor Dodgen delivers a city proclamation opening the shop local season.
While we will not know the true number of shoppers in the downtown area over the “black Friday weekend” we are certain that the numbers that attended events over the first week of December exceeded numbers from the past. Events like the Holiday Stroll Christmas Lighted Parade, Sip N’ Stroll, the new Stroll to the Stable, North Pole Stroll, and Yulefest kept residents and visitors engaged in downtown Seguin.
Until next year – have a safe and merry holiday season! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Chamber Staff, Chamber Board, and Chamber Ambassadors!!
