On Thursday Auburn chamber representatives found most local business owners to be pretty positive, however some said business is “horrible.”

The Auburn Chamber of Commerce organized a business walkabout to take the pulse of the business community. At least 35 two-person teams of chamber, city and county officials took to the streets in search of answers to three questions:

1) How’s business?

2) What do you like about doing business in Auburn?

3) What improvements are needed in Auburn?

Mayor Bridget Powers was pleased to hear most of the business owners she visited say business is good.

"Nobody said (business) was horrible,” Powers said. "The mattress store was the one store who said ‘it’s not gang-busters but we’re happy.’"

Powers’ group walked along U.S. Highway 49 and visited about seven stores.

She said the business owners were happy to talk about business and ways to improve in Auburn.

The teams covered south Auburn, the Maidu area, Old Town, Downtown, the Bowman/Interstate 80 commercial corridor, Highway 49 to Dry Creek Road and along Nevada Street.

Business owners brought up the need for more focus on buying local and The Auburn First campaign.

"It was bought up by the business owners,” Powers said. "(The) program’s designed to really get people to understand and shop locally."

Powers found the experience beneficial to her role as mayor.

"I really want to support the business owners and find ways to draw businesses to the area,” Powers said.

She said spending the morning listening to the needs of businesses will help her know how to better support them.

Bruce Cosgrove, the chamber of commerce chief executive officer said he thinks they exceeded their goal of visiting 500 businesses. The data will be compiled and presented at a breakfast on March 26 at the Holiday Inn.

“I believe we will see a thread that weaves through the community,” Cosgrove said.

That thread should give the chamber an idea of the business temperature in the area and ideas for how to help.

Dave Johnson, Keller Williams real estate agent, walked an industrial part of town. He said the overall response was positive.

“It was incredible,” Johnson said. “The businesses were really excited to talk to us.”

Johnson said most business owners said they were doing great and while things could be better they don’t have much to complain about.

Not every business had glowing reports.

“Business is horrible,” said Mark Gibson, owner of Servicenter Radiator. “We’re keeping our head above water, but the water keeps getting a little bit deeper.”

He said he was pleased to see the representatives from the chamber, but wondered what good it will really do.

“It’s a very nice gesture – we’ll have to see what comes of it,” Gibson said.