Governor Tom Wolf visited small businesses in Downtown York for holiday shopping and tours today, joined by Mayor Michael Helfrich and York County Economic Alliance CEO Kevin Schreiber. Gov. Wolf used the opportunity to remind Pennsylvanians how easy it is to shop local and support local economies this holiday season.
“As we approach the Christmas holiday and run out of time for economical shipping, I encourage all Pennsylvanians to take this opportunity to explore local shops in their own hometown this holiday season,” said Gov. Wolf. “Shopping small and local is one of the most powerful ways to give back to your community. You can take your purchase home with you the same day and, more importantly, invest in your neighbors, friends, and local economy.”
Gov. Wolf’s shopping and downtown tour took him to Pineapple Home Gallery, a Latino-, LGBTQIA+-owned shop with hand-poured candles; Symmetry Holistic Collective, a women-owned gift shop with hand-blended teas; and Central York Market, home to a diverse variety of small shops with locally grown and processed foods, flowers, and gifts.
“Shopping small and buying local is more important now than ever before, as our economy continues to recover. For every $1 spent locally about $.70 remains in our community. We’re honored Governor Wolf chose Downtown York to visit this holiday season. Downtown York has celebrated over 40 businesses that have opened or expanded, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our 125-year-old historic Central Market House has a wait list for new vendors,” said Kevin Schreiber, president and CEO, York County Economic Alliance.
When local businesses thrive, so do the communities they’re a part of and the employees and families they support. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, when you spend $100 at a local small business, $48 is recirculated in the local economy. When you spend that same $100 at a big box store or national retailer, only $14 makes it back to the local economy.
Pennsylvanians looking to support their local economy and small businesses this holiday season are encouraged to:
Gov. Wolf has worked to support Pennsylvania’s small businesses from the start of his administration. In 2018, the Wolf Administration launched the PA Business One Stop Shop which serves as a resource for small business through all phases of opening, permitting, and hiring and provides technical support and funding opportunities.
Other Wolf Administration supports for small businesses include:
In further support of small businesses and their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, in March, Gov. Wolf secured $145 million in funding to support for Pennsylvania’s hospitality industry adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout the pandemic, the Wolf Administration has worked to provide tools and resources to help our small business community weather the challenges of this pandemic, including allocating $225 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding for Small Business Assistance. This program prioritized grants to main street and historically disadvantaged businesses in the commonwealth. More than 10,000 businesses were approved for grants, half of which went to historically disadvantaged businesses. Another $50 million in CARES Act funding was allocated to Hazard Pay for frontline workers. Further, the COVID-19 Capital Working Access Program (CWCA) provided $60 million in loans to small businesses, the administration deferred loan repayments for businesses.
Note: Photo and video from today’s event will be available at PACast.com.
