Five Opportunities

1. 'Geek culture and fine art' - Anna Young's comic book store Gods & Monsters a labor of passion

This story describes Anna Young, a young entrepreneur whom, with her husband, opened their own comic book/sci-fi blockbuster replica store. The issue that Young faced was that, shortly after her shop had been established in the Artegon Square mall on I-drive in Orlando, the mall closed down. As a small business just starting to grow, Young faced a massive issue in both needing to now relocate her shop, and reallocate her time and funds. She and her husband had just put down a deposit on a non-refundable honeymoon, and were worried that they would now not be able to afford it, since their shop had been closed down without their consent. This is a struggle that small businesses frequently face- their success is often too dependent on the space in which they host their business.

2.  Malls are fading, making way for new entertainment

This article discusses the rising popularity of food, bar, and retail “marketplaces” (such as Disney Springs in Orlando, or Park Ave in Winter Park). Many businesses are realizing that providing only one entertainment platform, such as just food or just retail, is becoming less and less popular amongst consumers. The new phase of entertainment brings along large conglomerates of stores, eateries, and bars- and those centers are where most people are flocking to. However, this causes an issue for the businesses such as Sears, a common department store in malls, who has now had to close down even more locations due to a massive decrease in consumption and sales. Additionally, other previously large chains such as Lowe’s have had to close due to the new Amazon packaging fulfillment center that was built in Orlando. With the new wave of consumers preferring online shopping over going into a store and physically buying what they need, the types of businesses that thrived off of in-person shopping are now suffering.

3. Gymboree closing 4 stores in Central Florida - Children's apparel chain shutting down amid second bankruptcy

This article is about the previously popular children’s clothing store Gymboree filing for their second bankruptcy in two years and shutting down their stores all around central Florida. The issue is that these stores primarily existed in shopping malls, which have recently seen a crazy sharp decline in popularity and traffic. Gymboree as a company is selling their online business and intellectual properties, as they are officially giving up on trying to keep their business and it’s residuals (Crazy 8 and Janie and Jack) alive.

4. Food banks worry as shutdown nears 1-month mark

This story is discussing the rapidly-growing issue of food shortages in food banks in central Florida (and, really, everywhere in the country) amidst the mass government shutdown. A number of residents who rely on government-funded programs, such as food stamps, have had to resort to food banks to get their meals, and with the shutdown nearing it’s 1-month mark, these banks are drying up. Second Harvest Food Bank, a well known food pantry in central Florida, has seen a 60% increase in requests for food in just this past week. This is putting both this nonprofit business and those who rely on its services to survive at a major risk, as the shutdown and the strain it is putting on federal employees has no foreseeable end.

5. $15 minimum wage could cripple small business - My Word

This article talks about the issue with the statewide initiative to raise the minimum wage to $15, and the negative impact that can have on small businesses that can’t necessarily afford to pay their workers that much. The author is the owner of a small importing business and is discussing how raising her employees’ wages even just a few dollars higher could potentially crush her business, due to her profit margins being relatively slim already. The author’s personal example can be widely applied to the general population of small businesses- they are facing issues with the possibility of having to pay their employees with money that they just don’t have.