Last month, the final exhibit closed at Mantis Collective Gallery.
Weeks before, just up the block, breads ‘n spreads served its last delicious brunch of cinnamon French toast and chocolate chip pancakes.
Two months gone by, two loved businesses shut down in Harrisburg.
Tragic enough, but then came the predictable response.
“What’s wrong with business in Harrisburg?” shrieked several news stories, linking business closures to the local media’s twin go-to themes for the city crime and the incinerator.
One story even suggested that a downtown Olive Garden or a gimmick like another “cow parade” would help supposedly desperate Harrisburg business.
Here’s a fuller version of what’s happening here.
As those businesses closed, the following opened or will open soon: Old Town Deli, Crawdaddy’s, Porter’s House, Dunk’s Soulful Sins, The Urban Snob, a downtown Arooga’s.
P&B Bakery and Midtown Scholar are both expanding, The Speakeasy will debut in Garrason’s old spot, and a brew pub is being built in the troubled Dragonfly nightclub downtown.
Even the old Mantis location soon will have a new tenant, with multiple offers for the space.
And that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head.
Practically every day, I talk with small business owners in Harrisburg and, almost without exception, their stories are complex.
Some are prospering and expanding (Mangia Qui, Midtown Scholar); others recently have failed (Garrason’s, Spice); most fall somewhere in the middle.
So, what’s the small business situation in Harrisburg? It’s good for some, bad for others and mixed bag for many more.
One thing is certain though—Harrisburg has an extremely dynamic small business environment. Most storefronts aren’t vacant long before another shopowner swoops in, attempting to defy the long odds that work against any new business.
Last year alone, the city reported about 400 new business licenses. As of mid-April, it had recorded more than 100 more. Why?
Despite its financial woes, Harrisburg probably isn’t much different from other American cities which have always attracted creative, enterprising people to them.
They see a place with density, charm and a sense of busy-ness. They realize that people come here to do things—work, have dinner or a drink; the hubbub, there might be room for their dreams, too.
But, the truth is, running a small business isn’t for everyone—and isn’t right choice in many circumstances.
Therefore, when a business closes, it’s important to look beyond the obvious.
How was the business marketed and run? Was the concept ever viable? What were the personal circumstances of the owners?
For the record, the owners of Mantis and bread ‘n spreads both told me that public safety did not factor into their decisions to close. In fact, I have yet to encounter a business owner who said he closed because of the city’s financial crisis or crime.
High rent? Personal problems? Just didn’t want to do it anymore? Yes, yes, and yes. To that list, I would add—never should have opened a business in the first place.
In TheBurg, we follow small businesses closely. Each month, I’m astounded at how vibrant that community is in Harrisburg.
Sure, the city is neck-deep in problems, from crime that’s troubling to government mismanagement that’s epic. And, yes, those factors don’t help the always-substantial issues that small businesses face.
But businesses aren’t fleeing the city, as some might suggest. Businesses are opening and closing and opening. It’s called capitalism—and it’s very alive here.
