How it is to be a business owner in a small communityMy name is Anastasia and I have owned Magic Box on Main Street for almost 5 years. It is a small eclectic shop that established my place in the Oneonta community. I experienced some xenophobia as a Russian-American immigrant. However, my Oneonta family also helped me with my business.
It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that being a business owner is hard.”. But for me being a business owner means wanting to work with others as equal partners. It is a constant lesson not only in flexibility, but also about values. How do my values align with my community, both within Oneonta and more broadly? In this environment, customers are also friends and neighbors. This can lead to awkward situations to be sure, but it can also be very rewarding. It certainly makes my position as a business owner far more special.
The alignment between a small business and their community is an increasing rarity in American culture. In an age of Amazon Prime deliveries where the consumer and producer are almost entirely separated, small businesses are a large part of what builds intimacy in a community. From behind the checkout counter, we see the people in our community evolve and change. This is an honor small businesses are gifted with. I wouldn’t change it for the world.