Business Review: High Above 80 expects busy 2025

Section A of the Business Review & Forecast looks at Venango County and Oil City governments, along with local area agencies.

After years of work, the fifth floor of 100 Seneca opened for business during the past year. Meanwhile, work continues on the first floor, which is slated to open later this year.

In a significant change to Oil City’s North Side, the former Days Inn, which had fallen into disrepair, was demolished in 2024.

Oil City saw a lot of changes in 2024, most notably demolition of the former Days Inn and the closure of Veterans Bridge for much of the summer.

The Venango County commissioners in 2024 explored various avenues in a continual effort to bring business and economic growth to the area.

Over the past year, business development in Venango County has surged, driven by innovation and collaboration across industries. The Venango Area Chamber of Commerce has been at the forefront of these efforts, championing initiatives that strengthen the local economy and support its diverse …

In marking its third return appearance to the region, the Drake Energy & Climate Security Conference drew a wide spread of industry experts and policymakers in October for a two-day forum that covered everything from local oil history to globe-spanning energy issues.

A look at building permits issued in Oil City during 2024 shows over $13 million in improvements are underway in the city, dwarfing the value of the improvements made in 2023, which came in at about $3.7 million.

In 1970, Heath Oil opened one gasoline station in Victory Heights on Rt. 322, Cranberry Township. The company has been expanding ever since and has now served customers in Venango, Mercer, Clarion and Crawford Counties for 54 years.

Five new dancers were admitted into the Oil Region Ballet: Annalese Bresee, Lilly Burkhardt, Lauren Hosick, Ellie Moser and Elise Switzer. Their sojourn with ORB began with a similar experience as Deborah Femovich's piece. After they signed their contracts and attended the orientation meetin…

The Small Business Jump Start Program will continue to offer the Venango County region several different entrepreneurial opportunities to start up a new business and enhance an existing business expansion, as well as providing survival strategies for the current challenging inflationary econ…

Residents and visitors to the area enjoy and frequently utilize its numerous free-to-the-public trails, greenways and other outdoor recreational facilities throughout the four seasons.

Since its creation in 2017, Be Here — an initiative of the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce — has been on a mission to celebrate the heart of Venango County by highlighting its unique stories, remarkable people and outstanding opportunities. This program aims to not only “change the narrativ…

Wet Hose, based in Cooperstown, continued to grow in 2024, providing professional exterior cleaning services to Venango, Clarion, Crawford and Mercer counties. With over 20 years of experience, the company remains dedicated to helping property owners maintain their homes and businesses with …

There are the alpacas — walking down the street, at birthday parties, festivals, church functions and at the river and streams. It doesn’t matter where the alpacas are, people are always excited to see the two beautiful animals owned by Jeanette Demmer Biltz that have lived at 169 East Bisse…

The Friends of Oil Creek State Park (FOCSP), established in 2005, play a vital role in supporting and enhancing the park’s offerings. As a chapter of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF), a 501(c)(3) organization, FOCSP brings together funding and volunteer power to ensure th…

The saying, “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold,” proved true at DeBence Antique Music World in 2024.

How do you “unplug” and still enjoy family time or just time in the outdoors? In Venango County, there are a lot of options — we have trails, parks and lots of museums that welcome visitors every day. However, Venango also has a unique way to experience all of the above: the Oil Creek & …

High Above 80 is looking for a busy 2025. Having gone through some personnel changes this past year, the new crew has been adding more dance and contemporary material to our collection – along with new (to us) songs from our foundational 80s era.

The past year was full of renovations and new happenings at Core Goods, a local food market located at 2 East First Street in Oil City. The store has been in their current location for two years and in business for six years. Between opening their new Community Space, hosting classes, adding…

Venango County Historical Society, located at 307 South Park Street, is a nonprofit museum and historical society dedicated to the preservation of historical artifacts, documents and photos pertaining to Venango County. They provide educational and informational tours, programs and research …

For over 64 years, Bert Klapec, Inc. — known as BKI — has provided excavating and demolition services within the local industrial companies, as well as small to large residential jobs. Originally incorporated in 1961 by Bert Klapec, who for many years before started with a single-axle dump t…

Stubler Drive Thru Beverage made a major leap in 2024, launching online ordering and delivery to bring even more convenience to its customers. Now, at just the click of a button, customers can browse Stublers’ full inventory online at StublersDriveThru.com, see exactly what’s in stock and ha…

A legacy of service

Eight & 322, a community storytelling website, had a successful year of collaboration and news coverage in Franklin, Titusville and beyond.