Small Rocky Mount Businesses Make Our World Go Around

“Make the little stuff work and the big stuff will happen” – Dan Bongino

Dan Bongino wasn’t on the news talking about small business in Rocky Mount, but his quote suits my purpose. The Chamber of Commerce is honoring small businesses this week. In the last two days my errands have taken me into a variety of stores that could be called the little stuff. At the moment, Firestone Tires and Auto Care has lost their safety inspector and left me without a paddle for my canoe. Firestone on N. Wesleyan Blvd wins a blue ribbon in my experience. They didn’t just wish me luck, but gave me the name, address, and phone for Express Inspect on S. Wesleyan. If I’d had a grant in my pocket for facades, I would have left it. Instead the little sticker I needed is on my license plate. This small business helped me stay on the road legally. I am happy to have this errand crossed off my list.

One of my favorite small businesses is VIP Printing on N. Wesleyan. Mickey runs the business and is generous with her time and talent with all customers. Today we worked on a new business card, only 300 of them, but way cool. I’m feeling quite grown up with two bar codes!!!! on one side of the card for the blog and podcast. This successful small business can do anything as far as I’m concerned and comes with an aging dog with a white beard that lays at your feet and loves being rubbed.

My errands included the $2.75 Cleaners on N. Wesleyan that I have done business with for years. I’ve never been disappointed. With a stop at the drive through door, I was off again a happy camper. Lunch at noon at Larema was with Crystal Wimes-Anderson, who I had not seen since the election where she ran for Ward 3 city council seat. What a fine young woman she is and she told me that even in losing, how much she had learned. Larema in the 5-points area is yet another small business that is making a great impact on the community. It is preservation, restoration and repurposing that gets another blue ribbon when it comes to the small stuff.

Without these small businesses across Rocky Mount that include Hair Trends for haircuts, Osborne Jewelers that fixed my pucca-shell necklace, that is a no never mind, except it came home from a Hawaii trip and is sentimental. There is no big stuff that will come to Rocky Mount without the under pinning of small business that takes care of our wants and needs. Raise a glass of sweet tea with me to all the places on your errand list that provide services, feed us, make our world go around. Rocky Mount welcomes those that are coming to make their lives with us and stoke the economy. Main Street and the downtown area is the place to be.