DCED Secretary visits Scranton; urges support for local shops

SCRANTON — In a visit to Scranton Wednesday, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver said Small Business Week is a great time to celebrate the more than 1 million small businesses that employ about 2.5 million workers in the commonwealth.

“I hope Pennsylvanians will take this week as an opportunity to support their favorite local businesses by visiting, shopping online, providing positive online reviews and recommendations, and tagging them on social media,” Weaver said. “We should do all that we can to support small businesses this week, and every week — they are the backbone of our economy.”

Weaver highlighted the importance of small businesses in the commonwealth and encouraged Pennsylvanians to support their favorite local shops during Small Business Week in Pennsylvania.

The celebration is taking place May 1-7, as proclaimed by Gov. Tom Wolf.

Weaver was joined by Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and others on a walking tour in downtown Scranton. The tour celebrated the diversity and impact of small businesses on Pennsylvania’s economy and communities.

“I am pleased to join Acting Secretary Weaver to tour the businesses that are vital to Scranton’s economy,” said Mayor Cognetti. “These local entrepreneurs bring innovation to our community and are the key to our future growth.”

Since 2015, the Wolf Administration has created a number of programs to help women and minority-owned businesses. These include the Pennsylvania Minority Business Development Authority (PMBDA), which provides low-interest loans to businesses owned and operated by ethnic minorities; the Small Diverse Business Capital Access Program (SDBCA), which provides low-interest loans and lines of credit to small diverse businesses that commit to creating and retaining full-time jobs within the commonwealth; and the Business Opportunities Fund (BOF) to help disadvantaged and small diverse businesses access financing.

The following local businesses were highlighted during this afternoon’s tour in Scranton:

• RD Salon & BlowDry Bar — a hair salon

• The Giving Tree — a wellness center

• Commonwealth Coffeehouse — a coffeehouse and restaurant

• Pink Pedal — a clothing boutique

• Adezzo — a coffee shop and lounge

As part of Small Business Week, DCED is visiting local businesses during walking tours in several cities across the commonwealth including Reading, Philadelphia, Bedford, Erie, and Zelienople. The tours are celebrating the contributions small businesses make to the culture and fabric of the communities in which they reside.

Diversity and Impact of Small Businesses in PA:

• 39.4% of small business owners are women

• 16.6% are racial minorities

• 4.2% are Hispanics/Latinos

• 6.3% are veterans

• 13,690, or 88.2% of Pennsylvania firms that exported goods in 2019 were small businesses — and small firms exported goods worth $12.5 billion

• For every $100 spent at a small business, $48 goes back into the local economy in which the business is located