Building Bonds: Full Circle Connects with Local Business Community

Located down the steps just pass the locomotive at the front of Heritage Station in Huntington, is Full Circle Gifts & Goods. Among the racks of gifts, plants, keepsakes, and other trinkets inside the store you’ll find Noelle & Scott Horsfield, the co-owners of the shop and their friendly shop dog, Willie.

In their almost a decade of business Full Circle has changed and adapted a lot. “It’s hard to say we specialize in anything because we have changed what we sell so much over the years,” said Noelle. “We try to have something for everyone,” said Scott.

However, the focus has always remained on items you can’t find anywhere else in Huntington. Everything we sell is from another small business, so when you buy from us, you’re supporting not only our small business but a network of other small businesses across the country,” Noelle said.

When Full Circle first opened their business, they joined the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce, thinking that it was the right thing to do for a small business new to the area.

“About a year ago, we started noticing some positive changes,” Noelle said. “A shift in focus to small businesses and facilitating connections within the local community.”

Noelle and Scott love the partnerships the Chamber has created with local partners like Marshall University through its student-led public relations and advertising agency, Collective 37, or the Chamber’s holiday Candy Cane Trail to promote local businesses.

“It was a vibe change, to one that is more in line with what could actually benefit our business and our community, but also one we felt more comfortable with,” Scott said.

Last April, Full Circle opened an extended area of their store, and the Chamber held one of their ribbon cutting ceremonies, one of their many offerings to members, to help promote it. Noelle said that the ribbon cutting was great as they got many people that came through their door because they saw the Chamber’s post.

Noelle encouraged any small business owner who may be hesitant to become a Chamber member to explore the membership tiers, noting that the Chamber has created a discounted offering for small businesses, “so you’re not having to pay what the larger businesses pay.”

Noelle also said that being a Chamber member helps you be more aware of other businesses and things going on in your community. “It’s a way to find out more about the community of small businesses that you’re actually a part of and it makes you feel a little bit less alone,” said Noelle.

“[A Chamber membership] lets you know one of the most important parts of business, the people behind it.” “It’s not just four walls and stuff to sell, there’s people with purpose,” said Scott.

For more information on Full Circle Gifts & Goods you can visit their website at https://fullcirclegiftsandgoods.com/ and follow their Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/FullCircleCeramic/.