Back to Health Chiropractic and Natural Health Care will be hosting Business After Hours on Thursday.

It will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Back to Health Chiropractic and Natural Health Care Center on 25 West Lincoln Avenue.

Business After Hours is presented by the Charleston Chamber of Commerce.

Cindy White, the president and CEO of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce, said that Business After Hours is hosted by a different business each time.

“From five to seven we have the business after hours. businesses open up, and people can come see what the business is.” she said. “(The businesses) have food, sometimes drinks, but they do not have to be alcoholic.”

Businesses have a chance for business people in Charleston to make connections and meet people.

“People can come and go when (they) can.” White said.

Business after hours typically take place on the 2nd Thursday of each month, though they do not have it every month.

“The heart and soul of business is relationships.” she said. “It is still (about) one on one contact.”

White said they have been doing Business After Hours for years and years.

“Some (years) we get more people, we typically have 30, sometimes more.” she said. “Some people just want to see what other businesses are like.”

Business After Hours allow businesses to showcase different aspects of them.

“I hope people can see the things they do there.” White said. “They can show off that they are more than just chiropractors.”

Business After Hours has had many different stores participate.

“We’ve had banks, car dealerships, large businesses, small businesses.” she said. “Every year changes a little bit.”

Last summer Charleston Chamber of Commerce had a “Progressive Business After Hours” around the square. 14 different businesses participated.

“Someone could go from one business to another business.” White said. “That was fun.”

White said that Progressive Business After Hours was a way for a lot of businesses to participate, especially smaller businesses who might not be able to handle all the business at once.

Jade Smith, marketing director of Back to Health Chiropractic and Natural Health Care, said they hosted because they want to make people aware of the benefits of chiropractic.

They also wanted to make people aware of the changes they made.

Back to Health recently doubled their staff, and added a nurse practitioner, cold level therapy, and a partnership with a website. The website, CPOYA.com, or Concerned Parents of Young Athletes, is a site that encourages middle and high school athletes to come in for a structural exam to prevent sports injuries.

“A big thing we’re trying to promote with area schools is to try to prevent their sports injuries.” Smith said.

Along with promoting their new developments, Back to Health is also hoping to forge new relationships with business leaders.

“Charleston is such a tight knit community, and word spreads fast with area business leaders.” Smith said. “We want people to be more aware of what we’re doing here.”

At the Business After Hours, Back to Health will give a tour, let people meet  their staff, have door prizes and free spinal screenings.

Spinal screenings are when people get  their neck, lower back screened to see if they have the electrical output that muscles along the spines produce.

Spinal Screenings were also given at the EIU health fair, and the Charter Business Expo.

“We are getting more interested in the community, meeting and creating relationships with area businesses.” Smith said.

Cassie Buchman can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].