FARMINGTON – Shoppers embarking on the holiday season will have the chance to show extra support for local business owners this weekend with Small Business Saturday, Nov. 24. The event has grown in popularity, with many small business owners across the country offering sales, deals and speciality products to celebrate the occasion.
Representatives from Maine’s division of the Small Business Administration visited Farmington on Monday to show their own appreciation to local shop owners, many of whom utilize the organization’s advising services. The meeting, conducted by Program Director Betty Gensel of the Women’s Business Center at Coastal Enterprises Inc., included a tour of downtown with several businesses sharing their stories with the group.
“It seems like you have a very vibrant scene here. Anytime we talk about attracting workers and new people to an area we talk about a vibrant downtown. So when we see it happening it’s important to highlight it,” SBA District Director Amy Bassett said to the group.
Bassett was joined by representatives from SCORE – a Maine business mentoring organization- as well as Town Manager Richard Davis, Greater Franklin Development Council Program Coordinator Morgan Spencer and a representative of Senator Susan Collins’ office.
Gensel said she visited more than 14 of the downtown businesses to help bring awareness to Small Business Saturday, several of which participated in the group’s tour. Gensel said that a recent study showed 430 people coming to Farmington on a daily basis thanks to the local businesses. Many shop owners are finding creative ways to bring in more business, she said, such as renting out space in their own shops for other vendors, or offering month-by-month leases for “pop-up” shops and new business. Davis also highlighted the town’s support with services such as revolving loans for entrepreneurs and interest-free loans for facade work.
“We cover the entire state, but we really want to focus on getting out to highlight small businesses in rural downtowns. It’s helpful to us to tell our story by sharing what local businesses are doing. With a great town manager and businesses that use their local resources it really brings it all together- that’s why we chose Farmington,” Bassett said.
I love our Downtown in Farmington.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
But I for one cherish having a downtown like ours.
Not to be taken for granted.
A lot of us enjoy the experience.
Ya ya I know,, free shipping and a smiley box materializes on your doorstep in a couple days.. poof!!
And that is fine too.
And yes not every one and everything downtown is perfect,, show me anyone or anyplace that is.
We have some great shops and businesses if all kinds for sure.
But it’s the people that makes it so interesting (one way or the other….).
I feel lucky to live in such an interesting small town in a beautiful area of the world.
Hope it stays this way for many generations to enjoy.