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Small Business

My Economy

How one bookseller arrived at its next chapter

by Anais Amin and Marketplace Staff
Nov 3, 2021
The co-owners of “A Good Used Book” in Los Angeles, California, are back in their retail space and looking ahead to the future.
This summer, Jenny Yang and Chris Capizzi, co-owners of A Good Used Book, began selling books in-person again after pivoting to online sales during pandemic lockdown.
TTStock via Getty Images
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My Economy

How a pottery studio owner got creative to diversify her business

by Minju Park
Nov 1, 2021
When the pandemic halted classes at Jennie Tang's ceramics studio, she turned to other ways to keep the operation thriving.
“We’ve diversified the ways in which people engage with the space,” said Jennie Tang, owner of The Workshop MPLS, a ceramics center in Minneapolis.
Courtesy Jennie Tang
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Small retailers are caught between order backlogs and ramping demand

by Sean McHenry
Oct 29, 2021
Three independent retailers on how they're dealing with shortages, price increases and high demand.
The interior of one Dean's Sweets location in Portland, Maine. "If we sell more chocolate with a lower profit margin, we're still going to be OK," said co-owner Kristin Thalheimer Bingham.
Courtesy of Kristin Thalheimer Bingham
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Race and Economy

Building a Black-owned brewery through the pandemic

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban
Oct 13, 2021
Teo Hunter of Crowns & Hops Brewing is creating a brand that can be "a case study to what it means to be accomplishing racial equity."
Teo Hunter, left, and Beny Ashburn, the founders of Crowns & Hops Brewing. Said Hunter: "Our goal was always to give something beautiful, something that was indicative of Black and brown excellence, to the community."
Courtesy Beny Ashburn
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Why this CEO is leaving “money on the table”

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst
Oct 12, 2021
“No company wants to say no to growth, but there is another side to that,” said Farmgirl Flowers CEO Christina Stembel.
Christina Stembel, who runs Farmgirl Flowers, a direct-to-consumer flower company, said she’s forfeiting growth opportunities this year in an effort to take on less risk.
Courtesy Farmgirl Flowers
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Demand is up for small retailers, but supply is another story

by Sean McHenry
Sep 16, 2021
Customers are shopping at the three small retail stores we checked in with, but keeping inventory up isn't so easy.
A small-business owner works in her South Carolina retail shop in April 2020. Many small retailers have dealt with their share of pandemic-related supply chain issues.
Sean Rayford via Getty Images
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For consumers and businesses, this fall brings a strong sense of deja vu

by Kristin Schwab
Sep 13, 2021
"It's a guessing game right now," one analyst told us.
A restaurant sits closed in midtown on August 30, 2021 in New York City.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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As PPP funds run dry, small businesses need capital

by Mitchell Hartman
Jul 29, 2021
There’s still a lot of recovery to go, and financial ground to make up - for small businesses, especially, according to new analysis.
Larger companies initially took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program, which was intended to offer forgivable loans to smaller businesses.
Kameleon007 via Getty Images
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My Economy

Chocolate shop has plenty of business but not enough staff

by Sean McHenry
Jul 23, 2021
Dean's Sweets in Portland, Maine, has had "crazy growth," but it's competing with other local businesses for employees.
The interior of Dean's Sweets in downtown Portland, Maine.
Courtesy of Kristin Thalheimer Bingham
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For small businesses, extreme heat can mean unexpected costs

by Amanda Peacher
Jul 9, 2021
Among them are higher electricity bills, air conditioning upgrades and running cooling misters for customers outdoors.
With unexpected weather can come unexpected costs, like AC upgrades, higher electrical bills, even irrigation systems to protect property in case of wildfires.
Dirk Waem/AFP via Getty Images
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