I.V. Business Showcase has new home

The owner of a tiny Holtville coffee shop is bunched up into knots about taking part for the first time in Imperial Valley’s biggest business event of the year.

“I’m kind of nervous and excited but it’s good – it’s good!” Sadie Birdsong said.

Birdsong’s coffee shop Little Bird Cafe and Eatery has been open only for about a month.

“We make fresh salads, sandwiches. And I do the baking here. So, we have cookies and pies,” Birdsong said.

She said fresh food prepared daily is what makes them unique.

“I bake during the day. We make sandwiches during the day and fresh salads,” Birdsong said.

El Centro Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Darletta Willis said the showcase is for business owners just like Birdsong.

“It gives all of our businesses a great networking opportunity. It gets to put them in front of people that they may not have normally been in front of. So, it’s a great event,” Willis said.

The showcase will be held this year at a new venue on Thursday afternoon, January 12th.

“Normally it’s at the imperial valley fairgrounds, but now it’s at imperial palms at Barbara Worth. So, we’re hoping for even more people this year,” Willis said.

Over a hundred businesses will have their best to offer at the showcase.
“I think the highlight as every year is the food. That’s the good part about it,” Willis said.

Birdsong said she’s going prepared with some of her unique tasty treats.

“I’m going to bake some scones. It seems to be our number one item. Our vanilla bean scones,” Birdsong said.