The Camp Verde Business Resource and Innovation Center hosted an open house Aug. 25 to celebrate the grand opening of its newly-renovated space at 385 S. Main Street.
Operated by the Camp Verde Economic Development Department, the BRIC is a mixed-use space designed to support the local business community and entrepreneurs who need advice and resources as well as spaces for meetings, conferences and more.
Economic Development Specialist Crisi Clark gave tours of the BRIC’s spaces, which include a
conference room equipped for Zoom meetings, computer work stations, office spaces and a multi-use room that can be used for various presentations.
All of the spaces are available for free.
“You have to make an appointment to be scheduled in,” Clark said. “Right now, we have a lot of openings. We have three computers that we borrowed from the library, and I’m here to help people do job searches or create resumes and things like that.”
BRIC Sets Intention Through Branding
While the BRIC is technically a branch of the Camp Verde Economic Development Department, its Director and Founder Steve Ayers said it has been intentionally given its own logo because, “we do want it to be [Verde] Valley-wide.”
“It’s possible that we’ll move to a different location but the BRIC will remain,” he said.
“If there was a BRIC in Cottonwood or Sedona someday, so be it, because it’s a concept that could be more universal,” Ayers added.
Ayers said the BRIC concept had been in the back of his mind since he first arrived in Camp Verde years ago, when the Cottonwood Business Assistance Center was still in operation.
“I thought, what a great concept,” Ayers said. “The Business Assistance Center eventually closed up and when I saw that happen, I knew we needed to fill that vacuum as quickly as possible.”
BRIC Partners With Regional Experts
In addition to providing a multi-use space, the BRIC partners with regional experts from Yavapai College SBDC, Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization and Northern Arizona Council of Governments to serve the business community’s various needs.
“They will come over when there’s a need,” Clark said. “SBDC has been here quite regularly. I’m sure after today we’re going to see an increase in their visits.”
Clark said she planned for 60 to 100 people to attend the grand opening, which included a variety of hors d’oeuvres from Bashas’ Supermarket and a cake embellished with the BRIC logo.
After the first hour of the grand opening, the BRIC space was brimming with business owners and community members who gathered around as speakers from Yavapai College, NACOG, VVREO and the BRIC described their services, which range from loan assistance to business classes and more.
Also present was Robert Theobald, MBA and Small Business ombudsman for the state of Arizona, whose enthusiasm was apparent for the BRIC when he spoke to the crowd.
“I travel around the state often and I love to see facilities like this and there are not many,” he said. “This is a treasure for the community.”
“Partnerships are really what it’s all about and that’s how we’re going to make this great,” Economic Development Specialist Sean Brooks said. “We couldn’t have done this without [our partners].”
