Photo of Main Street Festus by R.J. Hartbeck for Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Small business is part of my family’s story.
Six generations ago, my grandfather, John Hoover, built a mill on the Finley River in what is now Ozark, Missouri. For generations afterward, my family made their living as small business owners.
When the Great Depression wiped them out, the lesson passed down through our family was clear: Work for a big company. Small business is too risky.
But a big company’s name on a paycheck was no guarantee of security, either. When the Zenith plant in Springfield closed, the damage reached far beyond the factory gates, into homes, neighborhood stores, and families’ plans for the future.
So instead of taking my family’s advice, I decided to support my community through my own small business, purchasing a convenience store right out of high school. At the time, I thought I would be hiring my friends; instead, I found myself hiring my friends’ parents.
The work was hard and rarely glamorous. But the jobs were real, and so were the families depending on them. As our community worked to recover, small, locally owned businesses helped bring some of that work back.
That taught me a lesson I’ve carried throughout my career: The greatest force for change in any community is a good job. And more often than not, that job is created by someone willing to take a risk on Main Street.
When a small business grows, families grow with it. When one closes, we all feel it.
That’s why Greater St. Louis, Inc. is putting real muscle behind small business growth.
This week, the latest cohort of our Supplier Readiness Accelerator graduates after 12 weeks of hands-on training. Graduates will then have the opportunity to access capital to put that training to work.
Because success isn’t just opening a door. Success is the business that’s still growing years later. Still hiring. Still providing for its community.
And the results are real. Among program graduates, 60% increased revenue by more than 10%, and 68% added an average of three employees.
We’re not stopping there. Our team has held more than 100 one-on-one coaching conversations with small business owners across our 15-county, bi-state region. Each of these conversations is a chance to find out what’s standing between an owner and the next hire, and to help clear the way.
Supporting retail in Downtown St. Louis is also key. And this year, we’re excited to lead Downtown Restaurant Week for the third year in a row.
Downtown Restaurant Week returns Nov. 16-22, and will feature specials at over 35 participating restaurants, from Laclede’s Landing to Wash Ave to Ballpark Village and everywhere in between. The vast majority are locally owned businesses built by people who bet on downtown. Every table you fill is a paycheck for a server, a line cook, a dishwasher.
Whether it’s dinner before a Blues game or the Musial Awards or a quick bite with friends, check out the full list of participating restaurants here and make a plan to dine out.
Bring your family. Bring your coworkers. Partnerships are made over meals.
Because supporting small businesses keeps more dollars in our community. It drives economic growth, creates more and better jobs, and gives our region its distinct flavor and personality.
And when we support those businesses, St. Louis wins.
Always Forward,
Ron Kitchens