HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – As part of a 7-day statewide ‘Peaks to Plains’ Business Resiliency Tour,’ the Montana Small Business Administration Team visited several Hi-Line businesses on Tuesday.
Brent Donnelly, Montana District Director for the SBA, stopped by Stricks Ag in Chester, Boxcars in Havre, Shores Floral in Chinook and Family Matters in Malta, spending about 15 minutes at each site.
“Montana businesses are open,” Donnelly says. “They’ve done what they’ve been asked to do, a lot of them with either physical modifications to their buisnesses or operational modifications so they can be safe for their customers, safe for their employees.”
Donnelly told New Media Broadcasters that he’s been impressed with how small businesses have adapted to the pandemic.
“Our tour has taken us to all different kind of businesses. It’s been impressive, frankly. Businesses have put their head down and shown grit and resolve, and done all the physical things that you might think of, which is putting up signs or moving tables or having hand sanitizer. Those sorts of things. But they’ve also done things in their operation and delivery method that are innovative.”
According to the SBA, small businesses makeup 99.3 percent of Montana’s businesses and employ more than 245,000 people.
Donnelly made a total of 11 stops on Tuesday, ending the day in Scobey.
The 56 county tour is scheduled to conclude on Friday.
