WILKES-BARRE -- A grand opening was held Tuesday at a new facility at Wilkes University.
The new Wilkes Enterprise Center helps young entrepreneurs start up their own business.
On top of attracting new businesses, the Wilkes Enterprise Center is also an enterprise incubator for students. The hope is to give students a place to build a business, then keep them and their company in Wilkes-Barre.
The ribbon cutting inside the Wilkes Enterprise Center not only reflects a figurative step closer for Wilkes University students reaching their dreams, but a literal step closer for Wilkes University into Public Square.
The center sits in the Luzerne Bank building, right in downtown Wilkes-Barre.
"You can't have an incubator unless you locate it right in the heart of the city. And that's why we thought the Luzerne Bank building right on Public Square and yet a block or two from our main campus was a perfect location," said Wilkes University President Dr. Patrick Leahy.
The enterprise center found its home with help from the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. Its CEO hopes the location allows start-up businesses and students to connect with professionals.
"It embraces what Wilkes-Barre truly is. It is a college town, with deep roots in a college county," said chamber of commerce CEO Wico van Genderen.
The enterprise center allows students to work and connect with a network of volunteer business advisers. One business in the Wilkes Enterprise Center is Kraken Boardsports, which develops outdoor recreation equipment.
"This program was really important. We were able to do a lot of things so fast because of this program," said student Brandon Carey.
"The Wilkes Business Incubator has been a huge help to us. They provided us numerous consultants with the development of the businesses, development, even engineering," student Alex Planer added.
Right now, nine businesses are located in this facility, everything from technology, to consulting, to engineering and it's something Wilkes University says they hope to expand.
"Our hope that this is our starter incubator that grows by leaps and bounds."
Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton was also at the ribbon cutting and says the enterprise center is among a variety of initiatives that support a vibrant downtown.