Letter: Shopping small this holiday season supports North Dakota’s main street businesses

Not so long ago, it was an annual holiday tradition to travel downtown and shop at one of the many locally owned main street businesses. Brick-and-mortar businesses would promote their best deals of the year in hopes of luring shoppers to make a purchase, or at least browse their shelves full of merchandise.

Today, online shopping has quickly become the preferred way Americans buy their holiday gifts. Recent estimates show that more than 80% of shoppers make regular online purchases throughout the year. Given the dramatic shifts in the retail environment over the last 20 years, those holiday scenes and traditions are in danger of passing into the realm of nostalgic folklore.

To better compete, small business owners have become very innovative in the way they sell and promote their products and services. An encouraging transformation born out of the pandemic is that many entrepreneurs pivoted operating models to include e-commerce platforms, or changed product offerings, to meet the new demands of the online consumer. Some are even bringing back the retail traditions of the past by providing personalized one-on-one assistance to customers and the selling of locally produced niche items found nowhere else in town. Cottage businesses have started in record numbers as people realized their dream of small business ownership could begin in their basement or garage. A unique program in North Dakota, called Shop North Dakota (www.shopnd.com), allows these cottage companies to sell products online without having to invest in an expensive e-commerce site. Shop North Dakota is an initiative of the ND Small Business Development Center network with the support of Pride of Dakota.

Small businesses are the backbone of our democracy and the solution to our most challenging economic problems. If you’re an entrepreneur and need advice, please consider exploring the tools and resources of the U.S. Small Business Administration and its partners including the ND Small Business Development Center network, statewide SCORE Chapters, a Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and a Women’s Business Center in Bismarck. These partners are key to helping identify strategies to become more competitive and viable in what will likely be an ever-shifting business landscape.

In addition to our formal partners, small business owners can get involved with local support organizations such as chambers of commerce, business districts, and neighborhood associations. These organizations are actively involved in coordinating events and promotions to attract foot traffic to their small business members including local bazaars and shop small/dine small/entertain small, focused festivals.

This holiday season, please join us in making at least one purchase from a locally owned small business in your city or town. These business owners are the true heroes of our communities, and they deserve our support, thanks and appreciation.

Happy holidays from all of us at the SBA!

Aikta Marcoulier is the SBA’s regional administrator and Alan Haut is the SBA’s North Dakota district director.