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Women business owners celebrated
Each of the women at the Mill Street Market at Broadway and Columbus Street followed different paths to become businesses owners.
As they mark October as National Women’s Small Business Month, all four encourage women to take the plunge into owning a business.
“Don't be afraid to do it,” said Jolene Engelman, owner of Country Hearth Primitives.
Engelman took her own advice five years ago after a career at Nationwide Insurance. When her job was outsourced after 27 years, she and her husband, Dave, opened a 500-square foot store selling antique furniture and accessories.
The business started out small, she said, because they were “afraid to take the plunge.” They kept outgrowing their spaces and this summer they moved, for the fourth time, into a 3,800 square foot space in Mill Street Market.
In July, Chris Carney opened Leafy Greens Local Food and Market, a natural foods store. Engelman and Carney joined Tonya Moore of Red Letter Journals scrapbooking superstore and Mandy Thompson of Hair Gallery and Day Spa, in the building owned by Karen Dover.
“I think we’re all pretty proud of the fact that we’re all four women business owners in a business that’s owned by a woman,” Engelman said.
For Carney, opening Leafy Greens was a longtime dream.
“I told my husband if somebody opened a health food store in Grove City before I did, I would divorce him,” she said. “So we’re still happily married.”
To mark Women’s Small Business Month, the U.S. Small Business Administration is hosting a series of weekly webchats throughout October. The series will address issues such as putting together a business plan and finding capital.
The four women of Mill Street Market have talked about coming together to mark Women’s Small Business Month in some way. In the meantime, they encourage more people to check out the Town Center in general and their unique ventures in particular.
Thompson found her business benefited from this summer’s Browsing Broadway events. Engelman would like to see busloads of tourists spend the day eating and shopping in the Town Center.
“Grove City is good for business, especially for women,” said Andy Furr, Grove City Town Center executive director.
Furr said more than 20 businesses are owned by women in the Town Center area of Grove City, making women business owners a powerful influence.
For more information about the Town Center, contact Furr at 539-8762.
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