Erin Murphy, jewelry maker and owner of Goldworks in Eugene, Oregon, casts a gold pendant for a client by pouring gold into a centrifugal casting machine. Her client being a jewelry maker as well, goes to Murphy for more complicated jewelry making such as casting.

 

By: Natalie Cedillo

Small businesses are a very important part of a community. They give a city or neighborhood character and often help bring communities together. Many small, locally-owned businesses are being threatened by the growing economy due to online retailers as well as large chain-corporations. In the early 1900’s the economy took a large toll on businesses. According to Yang in her academic journal Small Businesses and International Entrepreneurship in the Economic Hard Time, “The Great Depression in the United States prompted the country’s first comprehensive bankruptcy reform.” This had a long lasting impact on the economy in the U.S., however the economy has improved over time, and smaller businesses have been able to thrive and flourish while competing against larger companies. In reference to the Gross Domestic Product for January 2017, the Bureau of Economic Analysis states in their article GDP and the Economy, “Prices of goods and services purchased by U.S. residents increased 1.5 percent in the third quarter after increasing 2.1 percent in the second quarter.” Overall, the economy in the United States has been improving, however many small businesses are being impacted by the growth of large corporations, especially with the popularity of online consumerism.