Post By: Rebecca Burch
Town: Spencer
Website: Carpe You Some Diem
When I was a kid, there were all kinds of little local businesses. They’re almost all gone, now, but they make up such a huge part of my childhood. I’ll never forget the smell of Belle Hardware Store, and the feel of sticking my hands in the huge barrels of bean and corn seeds in the springtime. (I always got told to “get those hands outta there!” but I couldn’t resist.)
A lot of small businesses in the area have shut down for good. Our economy is moving from small, local businesses to huge, global businesses. Large megastores move in and shut businesses down, or the businesses close their doors because it’s too difficult to keep up with all the regulations and paperwork. It’s just so hard to have a small business these days, so most people don’t even try.
Last week, I met this guy:
who is the owner and CEO of Spring Creek Tofu. He informed me that it is cheaper and easier for the nation’s largest tofu supplier to purchase soybeans from Ohio, ship them to Japan, make the tofu and then sell it in the United States than it is to produce tofu from those same soybeans here in West Virginia. He says he has difficulty meeting all the regulations because there are so many bureaus and reporting agencies to deal with, and many of them have confusing or even contradictory policies to adhere to. This is one of the reasons the previous owners quit the business, he said, and the reason that he can’t produce the tofu as quickly as he needs to to meet demand — it takes so much time to do the paperwork that it takes workers away from making the product, but he can’t afford to hire someone new to do the paperwork.
Of course, the changing economy has a positive side for West Virginia. Because of internet connectivity, more businesses are locating outside of large cities, where land prices and taxes are lower and employees have nice, safe communities to raise families in. There is a huge push toward bringing more of these companies into the state. Create West Virginia is a consortium that is working to help communities in West Virginia to find new ways to improve their economic outlooks, and to produce new industries besides the ones we’ve depended on for so long. Believe it or not, West Virginia is ripe for major, positive growth — if we want it enough to accept the change. We have the technological infrastructure, safe communities, historical importance, recreation and cultural events to make these new industries want to locate here. We have hardworking, loyal, resourceful people who would make an excellent workforce for these industries. We are close enough to big cities for convenient access, but far enough away to discourage a lot of crime spillover. West Virginia truly has it all!
But reluctance to change is part of the charm of West Virginia. Some of our towns seem forever frozen in time — still stuck in days when life moved at a slower pace, and everyone knew their neighbors. In many West Virginia towns, you can still watch a movie in a one-screen moviehouse and get a Coke from a soda fountain machine. People bring casseroles when a family member passes away or a baby is born, and the grocery store employees at the few remaining Mom and Pop shops will still bag your purchases and carry them to your car. And that’s OK, too. The trick is finding a way for us to weather all the change without losing what makes us West Virginia. I have faith that we can — we always have.
Moderator’s note: Rebecca has some amazing photography for sale at her Etsy page. If you’re looking to vastly improve the appearance of the walls of your boring ol’ home, support a WV artist and buy from her!
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