Shop Local for Small Business Week | Community

Pittsburg, Ks (KOAM)–If you see a small business owner, you can tell them thank you. According to WhiteHouse.gov, President Trump signed a declaration that makes this week National Small Business Week. Locals express their gratitude to community members who shop locally.

Trump says small businesses are vital to the economy, and they employ two out of every three jobs in the country. Business owners say they couldn’t make it without the community’s support.

“It was a hard time, not a lot of foot traffic was coming in,” Killashandra Nickels, manager of Harry’s Cafe, says.

Nickels says that due to inflation and low foot traffic, they had to close, but not for long.

“The community wanted this place opened back up,” Nickels says. “It was a great show of local support.”

President of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Blake Benson, says this type of community support keeps these businesses alive.

“Pittsburg does a good job supporting its community because we see companies start out as small businesses, but now they are some of our city’s largest employers,” Benson says.

Christina Oberle and Brenda Davis are co-owners of The Blue Spoon in Pittsburg. They started as a small food truck, and now they’ve been voted best small business of the year.

“We think it’s important to not only support our team members but to give something great to the community, something you couldn’t do if you weren’t a small business,” Oberle says.

These owners say shopping locally helps everyone.

“You have to come eat at these places or they’re not going to be around,” Nickels says.

Benson from the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce goes on to say that 75 percent of every dollar spent stays in that community.

COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KOAM NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.