- For some businesses, it's a strategy to close, but for others, it could be because they didn't utilize all available resources.
- Sometimes free resources like the Small Business Development Center at FAMU or the Tallahassee-Leon Office of Economic Vitality go underused.
- Watch the video to hear from business owners in Midtown and Downtown on how they are thriving in the local economy.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Several small businesses in the midtown and downtown neighborhoods have or are planning to close their doors in the next few weeks.
This comes at a time when city leaders are trying to bring more retail and foot traffic to this area outside of just the legislative session.
Poco Vino this local wine bar and market on Adams Street says they'll take their last customer on May 29th.
Poco Vino spent almost four years in the heart of downtown Tallahassee. It was a welcome retail addition to a downtown filled with a majority of businesses related to state and local government.
"Closing is not always bad, it may be a transition," Tangela Lofton, the Regional Director of SBDC at Florida A&M University said.
The Small Business Development Center at FAMU works with businesses to help them grow and compete in today's economy.
"Ideally, our consultants are your partners in business," Lofton said. "So our consultants help you side by side."
One of POCO Vino's owners Amanda Morrison told me their next phase is the introduction of Poco Vacays and Wine Events. She said this new venture needed their full attention and they couldn't do it while balancing the retail shop.
Morrison said these same sentiments in an Instagram post to followers.
For some businesses, it's a strategy to close, but for others, it could be because they didn't utilize all available resources.
"A good time to reach out is in the very beginning," Lofton said. "Because we can walk through your endeavors with you. Don't wait until you know, you may have to close."
At Quarter Moon Imports at Lake Ella, its owners said SBDC was an integral part of her transition as a new business owner.
"They did a business valuation for us, they walked us through the transition, they did a marketing plan for me when I first bought the store, and all of those resources were free," Katie Haggerty, Quarter Moon Imports Owner said.
Sometimes free resources like SBDC or the Tallahassee-Leon Office of Economic Vitality go underused.
"As businesses look to re-envision themselves or reimagine the way that they do work in our local economy," Darryl Jones, OEV's Deputy Director, Minority Women & Small Business Enterprise said. "We've got the resources and the subject matter expertise, to help them to make that transition."
Other small businesses in our area are expanding and seeing strong community support.
"Part of the fun about being a local indie bookstore is that we get to represent our communities and our community in Florida is so vast a lot of these authors here are actually located in Tallahassee," Kristin Kehl, Midtown Reader's manager said while showing a bookcase of local and state selections.
Midtown Reader said they lean into curating a local first mentality when choosing both book selections and atmosphere here.
"When they're shopping local, it keeps jobs into the community, it gives like local authors a chance to have their books on the shelf," Kehl said. "We have them over here. Our bakery is also local. So it just really feels like we're building something here. And it starts with staying local."
For resources on SBDC at FAMU go here.
For resources at Tallahassee- Leon OEV go here.
