Scranton, Pa., is making efforts to support small businesses as the city recovers from Covid and has seen dozens of new storefronts and restaurants open in the last year.
Pilgers’ Pastries opened on Adams Ave., after owner Tammy Piger’s previous business went out of business.
“The price of everything went up like 40%,” she said of the stained glass business. Factors including inflation and health issues led her to close her shop in 2021. In June 2022 after securing a private loan, Tammy opened the pastry shop.
She received a federal grant from the city and was also reimbursed for equipment through a Lackawanna County grant.
Local politicians say while many businesses in Scranton were hit hard by the pandemic, mirroring issues around the country, things are now looking up. “There has been a resurgence and the population is growing. Last year, 70 new businesses opened in Scranton”, said Tom Cipriano, Scranton’s economic development coordinator.
The former Scranton Counseling Center on 326 Adams Ave. is another example. The owner, Charles Jefferson’s plan for facade removal of this nearly century-old building was approved by Scranton’s Historical Architecture Review Board in August, 2024, as mentioned in The Times-Tribune.
The city is taking initiatives to reshape the quiet downtown by helping new businesses with grants and educational programs, including the CDBG Small Business Micro-grant program, the American Rescue Plan for startups and business expansion, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help lower-income areas and families, and Small Business Recovery grants for businesses impacted by Covid.
The Scranton Chamber of Commerce with its programs including IGNITE, METRO ACTION and TechCelerator and the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) are also in the mix. These programs often work in collaboration with the city to ensure that new business owners are educated on different aspects of owning and operating a business.
Francine K. Smith, a co-owner of Chef Von and Mom, a family-run restaurant in downtown, also said her business has turned a corner recently. Smith said, “It was a struggle for a good eight months, but then business you know, is up-ticking.”
Small businesses and community development are also pressure points for candidates in the presidential election.
At an Oct. 25 rally in Scranton, Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz talked about the importance of community development and small businesses. Some voters, however, are skeptical.
“You watch these politicians when they’re getting ready to run for office, and they make all these claims that they’re going to help this person and do this for that company and things like that, and they never followed through with most of it,” said Pilger.
