Clik here to view.
Rural retail trend 2016: diversification
Rural retail stores are diversifying. My local Radio Shack has Kitchen Aid mixers! Photo by Becky McCray. I went around to local businesses while organizing for Small Business Saturday. In every...
View ArticleSmall Businesses Carry Big Role in Communities
Small businesses are the cornerstone of most local economies. This statement is often said and it is worth remembering. Small, locally-owned businesses put about 68 cents of every dollar spent right...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Christmas starts early. Get ready now.
Now is the time to start preparing for the holiday shopping season. Webster City, Iowa, uses a Ladies Night Out even to kick things off. Photo by Deb Brown, used by permission. Guest post by Deb Brown,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What restaurant franchises and chains work in small towns?
Some franchises seem to understand small towns, and others don’t. I suggest you look for local ideas instead. Photo by Becky McCray One of your fellow readers wrote in to ask what franchises and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Get Ready to Shop Small
What event will we celebrate on Nov. 26? Pat yourself on the back if you said “Small Business Saturday.” No, there isn’t any cake (well, there could be) and no one is getting any presents (at least not...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Enjoying Local Foods and Local Farmers
“I enjoy local foods.” I say and I hear that statement more and more. And as we are right in the middle of another season, this seems like a good time to think about the good tastes among other reasons...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Keep Doing Things That Worked
Photo (CC) by Ron Mader, on Flickr Small Business Saturday has come and gone. What worked? What did you do? And what do you wish you would have done? Now is the time to answer those questions. Yes, I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Want more young families to shop downtown? Consider family parking
We don’t want to exclude families with kids from shopping downtown. How can we get them into downtown stores? Photo of The Littlest Trunk, City of St. Pete, Florida, CC on Flickr We want our...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How restaurants can market each other in small towns
How can local food businesses work together to attract more diners? Here’s one practical idea. Photo M&M Cafe, Monticello, Wisconsin. Photo by Becky McCray I loved this restaurant marketing idea...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Chain link is everywhere in downtowns. Here’s how to dress it up.
Castle Rock, Washington, takes beautification seriously. This storage lot sits smack dab in the middle of their beautiful downtown. This is how it looked before they turned it into an art gallery....
View Article
