BLUEFIELD, Va. — Without a doubt, small businesses serve as the backbone of the American economy, but for more than a century, small businesses have had to compete with the ever-changing nature of big retailers. In the pre-World War II years, huge catalogue stores were able to meet about every family’s needs via mail-order. Even the pages of the catalogues themselves came in handy during the days before indoor plumbing emerged. The so-called “baby boomer generation,” traveled to cities where chain stores lined city streets. Forty years later, when everybody and their mother had a car, shoppers abandoned the downtown and headed for the malls. More recently, bigger big-box stores have taken the lead, but small businesses seem to be holding on to a customer base that appreciates the intangible benefits that a vibrant small business community provides. “The way people shop and the way people buy is changing,” B.J. Roberts said. “We’re Googling everything, and small businesses can take advantage of the new opportunities that are opening up to a customer base that is always on line.” Roberts, a 1997 graduate of Graham High School also graduated from Radford University and worked various jobs before deciding to return home with some of the things she learned that were working in other areas. “I saw so much happening in the New River Valley, and I thought to myself that there’s something that can work here in this area.” Roberts created Virtual Business Caddy, a business that helps guide small business […]
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