Print Page

IN OTHER WORDS: Patronize the little guy

Gov. Sanford is touting the newly-signed South Carolina Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act of 2004 as being "all about making life easier for our state's small businesses which is a big step forward in stimulating job creation and economic growth in South Carolina."

My question is are consumers doing their part to support small business?

According to DHEC, more than 90 percent of all businesses in South Carolina meet the definition of "small business" by being independently owned and operated, employing fewer than 100 full-time employees and grossing less than $5 million in sales a year. At the far end of that definition, you'll find the "Mom and Pop" stores that are the mainstay of many of our small towns.

Imagine for a moment that all of the small, locally owned, independent stores in your town went out of business. Downtown would be a ghost town (if it's not already). "That's okay," you say. "I'll just head out to the big box super store for everything I need or order it on line." Well, think again.

There's not a one of us that doesn't take advantage of the wider selections, lower prices, unlimited quantities and convenient store hours available through mass merchandisers. We assume we are always getting a bargain when we shop big box stores, but are we really? And when we bypass shopping with locally owned, small businesses, what impact is that having on them and us?

Some of my best buys and most memorable shopping experiences have been at the local five and dime, pet store, garden center or clothing store. I've found items that never appear on the shelves of bigger stores, like a six-wedge cast iron skillet for corn bread or old-timey perennial plants. Priceless advice on caring for our iguana came from a lady who loves animals and runs an out-of-the-way pet shop. At a main street general mercantile, the owner, who also alters clothing, gave me tips on how to sew a tie that's not lopsided.

Call me nostalgic, but there's something about friendly service, personalized attention and free advice that keeps me coming back for more. All these amenities come at a price, but it's a price I'm willing to pay. Small business, in my opinion, has things to offer that mass merchandisers will never be able to supply.

Small business owners will never be able to compete with big box stores when it comes to prices. Twenty years of owning and operating a small business taught me that. It also taught me that you cannot put a price on calling each customer by name or offering advice on how to best use a product and help a customer solve a problem.

In recent years, small business owners have had to tackle situations such as government mandated upgrades of equipment, computerization of bookkeeping methods, higher licensing fees and dealing with companies that refuse to sell to "the little guy."

How much will the new Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act help? That has yet to be seen.

Keep in mind that 99.7 percent of all employers are small businesses and that 50 percent of all employees are with small businesses.

How can you help small businesses stay in business? Need I answer that question?

T&D Correspondent Minnie Miller can be reached by writing to her at 138 Nature's Trail, Bamberg, SC 29003.