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The rise of the independent toy store

Dec 22, 2017
Big chains like Toys R Us are having a harder time competing with Amazon than mom-and-pop shops that do their own thing.
“This is a classic toy store — the kind of toys and games you remember from your childhood,” says Christine Johnson, owner of the Miracle Mile Toy Hall in Los Angeles.
Sean McHenry/Marketplace

What a small business owner makes of the tax overhaul.

Dec 4, 2017
Is the proposed tax overhaul really a boon for small business? We checked in with Austin Golding, co-owner of Golding Barge Line in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to find out his perspective. “It seems like every time there’s a discussion about it, there’s a different provision or different nuance to it, but we’ve definitely been trying to […]

Small business takes on GOP over tax bill

Nov 3, 2017
Congressional staffers, lobbyists, think tanks, and many others are getting ready for a weekend of digging through the 400-plus page GOP tax bill. They will be sorting out where to pick their fights come Monday, when the bill heads to the House Ways and Means Committee for markup. Already weighing in are small businesses, many […]

Are women business owners too optimistic about equal pay?

Aug 31, 2017
Majority of women small business owners surveyed believe that the gender wage gap will be closed over the next 20 years.
A protester at the "A Day Without A Woman" demonstration on March 8, 2017 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Why is Amazon loaning its sellers money?

Jul 13, 2017
20,000 businesses have borrowed money from its invite-only loan program.
Amazon has won the rights to stream "Thursday Night Football" for the upcoming NFL season. Above, founder and CEO Jeff Bezos.
David Ryder/Getty Images

What's the purpose of a minimum wage?

Jul 7, 2017
We check in on the employer side of the minimum wage debate to see how policies impact businesses.
Food preparation at 71Above, in Los Angeles, CA.
Liana Cabrera/Courtesy of 71Above

Soda pop gives a family-owned grocery store a new life

Jul 6, 2017
John Nese of Galco's Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles shares the history of his store and the soda it sells.
Galco's owner John Nese.
Daisy Palacios/Marketplace

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Small-scale manufacturing is on the rise in American cities

Jun 16, 2017
Factories are smaller and greener, and consumer tastes are changing.
Rose Lerann works on a pack at Frost River in the Lincoln Park neighborhood's craft district in Duluth, Minnesota.
Derek Montgomery for MPR News

How summer festivals boost town economies and foster community pride

Jun 16, 2017
Festivals generate revenue for local businesses, but they help build a sense of community as well
Crowds gather at a film festival in Telluride, Colorado.
David McNew/Getty Images

Pink boxes: the unsung icon of LA's doughnut scene

Jun 13, 2017
The containers were popularized by Cambodian immigrants in the 1970s.
“Good things come in pink boxes.”
EVA HAMBACH/AFP/Getty Images