Heart Mercantile | Photo by Jessalyn Pugh Photography
The endless deals and low prices of big sites like Amazon can be very tempting during the holiday season. The importance of supporting local small businesses during this season is emphasized to ensure the community will shop there for seasons to come.
Heart Mercantile’s past & possible future
Heart Mercantile, an integral part of the Oregon District in Dayton, may be facing closure come the new year.
The local shop has resided in the community since 2015, selling novelty, apparel and gift-giving items. It is one of many small businesses in the Oregon District which relies on the support of the community to stay afloat.
On Nov. 10, Heart Mercantile’s owner, Brittany Smith announced the strong possibility of closure in January on the business’s social media through a heartfelt post.
“It’s an uncertain future, and all of us are bracing for the worst while hoping for the best,” the post reads.
The reason for possible closure was stated in the post as factors including inflation, the economy and the lingering effects of COVID.
This is not the first Dayton small business to face this possibility. The Local 937, a Dayton sandwich shop, has taken to social media this year to reach out to the community for support.
“We here at The Local 937 are [struggling]! Summer has not been kind to us, and we are optimistic that fall will be better.,” The Local 937 stated in an Instagram post.
The local business asked the community for help by sharing the post and stopping in to show support.
Heart Mercantile has expressed that closure is an outcome that the business does not want to see happen, so community support is important.
Local business support
With so many outside factors affecting small businesses, many question how the Dayton government is addressing this issue.
COVID brought a brutal fate to many beloved local businesses, including Reza’s, a coffee shop adjacent to the Oregon District. Although many made it out of the pandemic still open, the effects of COVID linger.
The Dayton Recovery Plan has made progress in city recovery post-pandemic, and has allocated $7 million to community and small business recovery.
“The City of Dayton granted $200,000 to the Dayton Society of Natural History for facility improvements (HVAC upgrades) at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery,” The Dayton Recovery Plan website stated.
Additional funds allocated to small businesses are not listed on the website.
Downtown Dayton Partnership is a nonprofit organization that seeks to aid with Dayton development, which includes the promotion of local businesses.
The organization’s website provides several services to contribute to beautification and development of the city, and DDP’s social media posts small businesses daily.
Spreading word about local business is important, but support is integral. Grabbing Christmas gifts from local businesses, or skipping the Starbucks stop to support a smaller coffee shop are just a few ways to support local businesses so that communities can continue to thrive.
