JULY NIBJ: Small but mighty

This month, we are spotlighting small, local businesses. These ventures enrich our lives with their entrepreneurial offerings and character while contributing to the economic vitality of our North Idaho neighborhoods.

Small businesses are easily overlooked as they compete with big box stores and corporate chains to attract our attention, but local firms bring value that cannot be matched by larger national entities.

They are owned by our neighbors, people we often know personally, who put their blood, sweat and tears into offering products and services that meet our North Idaho communities’ needs and satisfy our tastes.

By buying from a local business, you are investing in your hometown. Your dollars are used by that business to pay local taxes, buy supplies from other local businesses and pay salaries for jobs that create opportunities for fellow community members.

The 2022 Small Business Profiles developed by the Small Business Administration shows that there are 183,972 small businesses in Idaho, representing 99.2 percent of businesses in the state. Idaho’s small businesses added 16,910 jobs last year.

Small businesses, defined by the SBA as those with less than 500 employees, employ 347,193 Idahoans, representing 56.9 percent of the state’s private workforce.

Thank you for joining us this month as we explore just a few of North Idaho’s small businesses and celebrate them for the immense value they bring to our communities.