March 28, 2024

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National Small Business Week highlights small businesses

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) – It’s National Small Business Week, and this year is extra important to celebrate due to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, explains Bryan Matsuoka, the regional director of the Idaho Small Business Development Center.

“For more than 50 years, the United States Small Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week,” Matsuoka week. “And it’s important because we recognize critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. We’re facing all these unique challenges together, and the Small Businesses Development Center has had a major role in how we take care and help businesses recover.”

Steve Soran, the president and CEO of Soran Restaurants, said they’ve had struggles this year as have restaurants across the country.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the economy, from what I understand,” Soran said. “Also I know the industry, I’m a little more familiar with what’s going on with restaurants, they’re taking a tremendous beating this year. The National Restaurant Association expects a little over 100,000 independent restaurant to not survive.”

Soran also said the government has helped a lot during the pandemic.

“Without the help of the federal government, and Brad Little, the governor stepped up big to help our staff too, with the return to work bonuses,” he said. “It’d be a very tough time for any small business. But again, small business is mainstream. You come to the Depot Grill, I’m afraid there’s only one Depot Grill. You go down on Main Street, those little independent stores down there really need the support too.”

But that doesn’t mean it’s been easy.

“We used to run 24 hours a day here at the Depot Grill, now we’re opening from 7 in the morning, and closing at 9 at night,” Soran said. “We also used to have a buffet.”

Soran says the buffet will return once Idaho moves past stage four of the governor’s Idaho Rebounds plan.

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