Aid available for small businesses

Stimulus tax dollars are now available to small business owners - and for those who want to be one.

Aspiring entrepreneurs learned about these funds during a U.S. Small Business Administration Expo hosted by West Virginia Northern Community College's Wheeling campus on Friday.

The expo attracted about 50 attendees, and about that many vendors, said Richard B. Haney II, public information officer for the USBA's West Virginia District Office. The expo was the first in West Virginia conducted by the agency.

"Anytime is a good time to start a good business," he commented. "We've had a lot of plant closings lately, and there are a lot of people who might want to start their own small business.

"But we don't want them to make a mistake - put their life savings into something and lose it. That is not good. We want them to know there are resources to help them, and our job is to make people aware."

Lou Stein of Valley Ventures in Weirton agreed that there's never a bad time nor a good time to start a small business.

As proof, he noted that despite a lagging economy, 10 new businesses are set to open in downtown Steubenville in the coming weeks.

These storefronts will include restaurants, gift shops, a clothing store, a gourmet coffee shop and an indoor sports facility, according to Stein.

All should be operating by Sept. 1.

He has been advising the Steubenville Revitalization Group in its attempts to bring business to a 12-block targeted area in Steubenville - stretching from Third to Sixth streets east to west, and from North to South streets.

Some already in business believe now is a good time to expand their operations, he continued.

"They are optimistic about their future," Stein commented.

One reason existing small businesses may feel secure about the months to come is because of the availability of a new type of loan, made possible through federal stimulus funds. A workshop pertaining to the loan was a popular attraction at the expo.

The SBA's "America's Recovery Capitol Loan Program" can provide up to $35,000 in short-term relief for viable small businesses facing immediate financial crises.

"They are designed to help during temporary financial hardships," said Michael J. Goclan, vice president of commercial lending and business development for The Citizens Bank.

Goclan's job is to help small businesses restructure their debts and to find them lower interest rates for pay back.

"Most of the people I've talked to here today are doing OK, but they wonder if the economy is going to get worse," he said. "Most have had a challenging 2009. They are doing well now, but they are wondering about the future."