Conventional wisdom says "mom and pop" stores are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
True, there aren't as many as there used to be. But, in York County and many other places, news of their demise has been greatly exaggerated.
Small businesses account for as much as 90 percent of companies in York County, according to estimates from the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce, which launched a "Shop York County" campaign last year to persuade local customers to keep their money, well, local.
The movement has seen early success, and Monday brings another chance to keep it going with National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day.-
The day, observed every year on March 29, is exactly as it sounds: A day to go out of your way to support local small businesses, which are often called the unsung backbone of a community. The observance was started by Rick Segel of Poinciana, Fla., to honor his parents, who started a hat shop in 1939 that remained in operation until 1997.
Though it originally honored a literal mom and pop business, the day now extends to any locally owned small business.
Owning a business is a dream of many a burned-out office worker. But make no mistake, it's a tough job.
The owners of these businesses often work way more than 40 hours a week to keep the operation going, not to mention the monetary investment that goes along with such an enterprise. The staff is usually small, meaning the owner might also take on more menial - but necessary - tasks such as sweeping floors or working the register. That's in addition to trying to manage payroll, inventory, taxes and bills.
York County has mom and pop businesses in just about every arena, from retail shops to restaurants to services. One of those is Dogma & Fetch, an upscale dog boutique in downtown York.
"It's hard starting a business, period," said Jordan Garrett, 36, who opened Dogma & Fetch in 2002. "It's not easier for the smaller guy. If you don't do a franchise, then you pretty much start from scratch."
Garrett's store carries specialty products for dogs and dog owners, from homemade bakery treats, to collars to clothing. In other words, things you're not likely to get at big competitors like Walmart, Target or Pet Smart. Which is good, because small stores like Garrett's can't compete with those giants when it comes to advertising, inventory and market research.
For the small business owner, it's about more than shelf space.
"You have to really know your market, know your customers," Garrett said. "When you come in our store, you get that personal customer service. ... We know people by name, we know their dogs by name. It's more like a relationship."
That kind of service keeps customers loyal, he said, pointing to studies that show that 80 percent of sales at small businesses come from 20 percent of the customers.
It's been well-documented that money spent at a locally owned business goes further to help the community. Studies say as much as 70 percent of the money spent in mom and pop store goes back into the local economy, compared to 15 percent to 30 percent at a chain store.
In today's still-struggling economy, it's particularly important to support those mom and pops, Garrett said. This week, to coincide with National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day - a time Garrett said is also good for customer appreciation - Dogma & Fetch plans customer specials and refreshments as a way to say thanks for the ongoing support.
"We provide jobs here, we pay taxes here, we have a storefront to help York and York County," he said. "Some people get that and some people don't."
