(Greensburg, IN) – City leaders, Decatur County Stellar Team members and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) officials gathered Thursday to celebrate Small Business Saturday and take a walking tour of downtown Greensburg businesses.
The event was held to promote #ShopSmall Saturday on November 30, and tout small business start-ups and ownership.
Greensburg was selected as the agency’s “Neighborhood of the Year,” and is the only Indiana city chosen for the honor in 2024.
Mayor Joshua Marsh welcomed the group at the Branch Gathering + Coffee House on the west side of the downtown square.
Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dawn Lowe introduced SBA officials, including Indiana District Director Stacey Poynter and Great Lakes Regional Administrator Geri Aglipay, both of whom delivered remarks promoting the benefits of small businesses.
The agency’s Great Lakes Region consists of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
“I know it’s early, but the whole idea is to get out there and promote Small Business Saturday before the event happens,” Poynter said. “We know people are going to go on Black Friday to do the big box store kind of thing, but don’t forget about your small businesses and restaurants.”
Aglipay noted small businesses create two out of three jobs.
“Sixty-eight cents on the dollar gets reinvested back into the local community by shopping small, either online or in-person, and so what we want to do is also thank small businesses as we shop small and not only on Small Business Saturday but for the season of small businesses (the month of December) and highlight the City of Greensburg and the development and how the small businesses are actually community leaders, too.”
Mayor Marsh also introduced several downtown small business owners, who shared their experiences in starting up and running successful operations, and Main Street Greensburg Director Allie Beck gave information to the the group before they embarked on the walking tour.
Visit SBA.gov to learn more.
