On a beautiful Wednesday morning, representatives from a wide cross-section of Sandy Hook businesses -- including Sandy Hook Deli, the Wishing Well, came together on the bridge over the Pootatuck River.
They're the people you see every day -- sometimes behind the counter, serving you food or cutting your hair or helping you get insurance. But seeing them all in one place is a reminder of how strong the Sandy Hook business community really is.
"It's a true community, and you have power in numbers," said Betsy Paynter of the Newtown Economic Development Commission. "[Sandy Hook] has a great business-to-business model where one business helps another business out."
So a local restaurant may turn to a farm for the food on their menu, as the Foundry's Chris Bruno does with Shortt's Farm. Or a business may come to Timothy Haas for insurance.
"Local services hire local services," says Paynter.
This week is National Small Business Week, a perfect time to remember how important small businesses are to Sandy Hook and communities across America. For every $100 you spend at a local business, $68 stays in Newtown, strengthening our town economy and keeping jobs at home.
To support local businesses, you can check out the directory listing on the Newtown EDC's website. (Since close to half of all Sandy Hook businesses don't have a storefront, this is a good way to find out about services your neighbors offer.) And don't forget to check out our own business directory here at Newtown Patch while you're at it.
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