Small, local businesses deserve shows of appreciation, thanks

All the usual suspects were singled out during a recent speech commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the Clinton Presidential Center.

Certainly, former President Bill Clinton, the man for whom the tourist attraction and economic development catalyst is named, was mentioned. Former civic and state leaders naturally made the cut, along with the Clinton Foundation and the nearby Clinton School of Public Service.

Seemingly out of place, perhaps, was when speaker Skip Rutherford mentioned a local pizza joint, Iriana’s. Since 1987 the business has been located in what we all know now as Little Rock’s thriving River Market District. When the family-owned Iriana’s opened 27 or so years ago, Clinton was still about five years from becoming president and much of the area was abandoned warehouse space with seemingly little promise.

For visitors staying downtown and hoping to find a meal nearby that wasn’t served in their hotel, Iriana’s was a go-to option. In fact, it often was just about the only option, some locals will tell you.

History and longevity are precisely why Rutherford, dean of the Clinton School, mentioned Iriana’s during his Clinton Center remarks at a Nov. 9 reception. Rutherford later followed up with an email to about 200 friends and colleagues urging them to make Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29) a day to pop in and say ‘Thank you,” to one of the longest-tenured businesses in the area.

Restaurants and retail options are plentiful in the River Market District these days. A recent study revealed that the Clinton Center helped spur an estimated $2.5 billion in nearby economic development over the last decade.

There is no guarantee a business will thrive in the district now, but it’s much harder to fail here than it was 10, 15, 25 years ago. Plenty of businesses have come and gone over the years. Even the home of the Clinton School used to be a Spaghetti Warehouse.

“Iriana’s was the real pioneer,” Rutherford said. “They were there long before people had this vision of the presidential library, long before people thought about pedes-

trian bridges and expanded convention centers or arenas or baseball parks. They’re still here. They’re right down the street. So, I wanted to do something. This was me, individually. I haven’t talked to the people at Iriana’s. I didn’t run it by them or anybody. I just figured they’re a real hero in all this. They aren’t looking for attention, but they deserve it.”

So last week, Rutherford was busy rallying folks to stop by Iriana’s. He was hoping for a specific day but encouraged the increased activity through the week as a show of appreciation.

What Rutherford was suggesting is known in some circles as a “Cash Mob,” a group of people targeting a specific business on a certain day to spend money and provide a boost. Sometimes these activities are organized to come to the aid of a struggling store. Other times, like in this case, it’s just about saying “thanks” to a business that has managed to survive decades.

My first introduction to the concept came in June when Tina Parker of the Siloam Springs Herald Leader wrote about a cash mob descending upon Pour Jons Coffee & Vinyl. That Siloam Springs business was less than a week away from a temporary shutdown to remodel, and locals showed their support with an influx of cash. Pour Jons wasn’t going to be making money while the renovations were being made, so the hope was to give them a boost.

What’s great about these stories is that they aren’t just about a pizzeria in Little Rock or a combo coffee/record shop in Siloam Springs. Every town, every neighborhood, every district, every town square has an Iriana’s.

It doesn’t take an organized cash mob to reward a local business. It isn’t just about a specific day once a year to shop at small businesses trying to survive in a world dominated by larger corporations. There are about 23 million small businesses in America today, and they account for about 54 percent of sales and 55 percent of new jobs.

That’s worth something.

Small businesses are an important part of Little Rock, Siloam Springs, Jonesboro, El Dorado or wherever. Rutherford’s Iriana’s-specific comment fits anywhere: “If somebody has a good product or a good service, you should make sure they know.”