By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Ortonville —On March 18, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., downtown Ortonville will be home to a Small Business Saturday Market.
“Since we moved here about four years ago, the downtown businesses and a lot of their owners have become dear friends, in addition to the community of local vendors and artists that I regularly do events with for my own shop,” said Sarah Armstrong, event coordinator and owner of Momma’s Boujee Boutique. “It’s not news that small businesses everywhere have been struggling the last few years, and after speaking with so many friends I wanted to do something about it. I have worked in social media based selling for 8 years and I knew I could put those skills to work.”
Armstrong hosted a vendor event in February, and following the success of that, wanted to do more to help bring patrons downtown. The event will have vendors throughout Ortonville inside August Grace Interiors, 449 Mill St., Impact North, 417 Mill St., Hill Floral and Decor Studio, 457 Mill St., and Old Town Hall, 486 Mill St..
“I grew up with my mom running a small cake business out of our house to help support our family of 8,” said Armstrong. “I saw every day how that small business impacted our family in such a positive manner and as such it’s become a huge passion of mine to help other small businesses because I know first hand the difference it can make for not just families, but the community as a whole.”
In addition to the vendors, there are seven downtown stores participating, three additional businesses giving donations for raffles, and there will be 16 small business vendors downtown.
“I hope by making small ripples in the community from these events that I can help bring back a thriving downtown and help fill vacant storefronts,” said Armstrong. “Supporting our local economy is so important for small town survival and I’m on a mission to help support that community as much as I can.”