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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • How to fill empty buildings: real world examples Deb Brown shared with Gowrie, Iowa
    community | economic development | rural

    How to fill empty buildings: real world examples Deb Brown shared with Gowrie, Iowa

    ByDeb Brown July 25, 2023July 7, 2023

    I attended the Chamber Dinner in Gowrie, Iowa and talked about small town ideas they could use. It was my pleasure to spend a couple of days there. This article talks about small town ideas for the community and by the community. Got empty buildings? Every small town has empty buildings and empty lots. Gowrie…

    Read More How to fill empty buildings: real world examples Deb Brown shared with Gowrie, IowaContinue

  • Chain link fence made into a mural of a stream
    community | rural | youth

    Chain link is everywhere in downtowns. Here’s how to dress it up.

    ByBecky McCray June 30, 2019November 11, 2019

      You’ve seen it before: a chain link fence right in the middle of a downtown. Usually there’s barbed wire at the top. Let’s face it, barbed wire is not the friendliest look for a downtown. We can do better. Why chain link in the first place? When a business ends up with an empty lot…

    Read More Chain link is everywhere in downtowns. Here’s how to dress it up.Continue

  • Ideas to fill empty display windows
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural

    Ideas to fill empty display windows

    ByBecky McCray April 2, 2019March 31, 2019

    Every small town has some empty windows downtown. Some are empty buildings, some are buildings being used for storage, and some are service businesses that just don’t have a lot to put in their windows. Here are three ideas I saw on my trip through Cowlitz County, Washington. Make a mini-museum. Work with the local…

    Read More Ideas to fill empty display windowsContinue

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