Small Business Saturday

     Today we should all remember that small businesses are valuable to our community's well-being and diversity.  Avoid the chains today just for one day.  Eat at a locally owned restaurant.  Too often we complain about how we have been overtaken by the big box and chain stores.  Go to any mall anywhere in this Country and you see the same stores and restaurants.
   

   
      The struggles of being a small business is something I have seen with my brother.  He and my sister-in-law had always wanted to own a bookstore and they took the plunge 20 years ago in the small town where they lived.  They didn't have any competition and grew well the first few years and then Amazon happened and Wal Mart moved to town.  It was either diversify or close up shop.  They begin to look at new niche markets and sell few books today.  They don't tell their book customers but they get most of their books today from Amazon to resell!  Now you can buy ground coffee, jewelry, cosmetics, chocolates and a wide variety of other items at their store.  They have to attend a variety of merchandise shows each year to see what the next hot items are going to be.  Pictured above are some of the items in their store this year.