Columbia, South Carolina – Monday morning, leaders from throughout Columbia and Richland County will gather to highlight how small businesses significantly influence the local economy and the community. The City of Columbia, along with the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Richland County, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is set to hold a press conference to celebrate the formal beginning of National Small Business Week 2025.
Starting at 10:00 a.m., the event will take place at Bierkeller Brewing Company on Canalside Street and will include a roster of local and state leaders. Scheduled to address are Columbia Mayor Daniel J. Rickenmann, State Senator Russell Ott of District 26, Richland County Administrator Leonardo Brown, Columbia Chamber President and CEO Carl Blackstone, and SBA South Carolina District Director Melissa Lindler. These people working together will share their views on the need of entrepreneurship and the major regional small company owners’ contributions.
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During the event, Richland County and the City of Columbia will jointly release an official proclamation honoring National Small Business Week 2025. The gesture is supposed to emphasize a common dedication to creating an atmosphere where small businesses thrive. According to organizers, the declaration also represents gratitude for the tenacity and creativity demonstrated by local company owners especially in recent years.
Observed yearly, National Small Business Week is a time to honor the creativity, diversity, and labor of America’s small enterprises. Small businesses are the backbone of many communities—including Columbia, from local stores and eateries to homegrown enterprises and service providers. The kickoff event of this week is meant to be both a celebration and a call to action motivating community members to assist their local businesses.
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The venue for the event, Bierkeller Brewing Company, embodies the essence of local business itself. Tucked along Columbia’s picturesque riverfront, the brewery has come to represent grassroots success and is a suitable place to start a week honoring companies of its kind.
Community members are welcome to come to the event and show their support. The Office of Business Opportunities can be contacted at (803) 545-3950 or via email at [email protected] for anyone looking for further information.
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Columbia’s leaders are utilizing National Small Business Week to restate their commitment to the development and viability of small enterprises, hence reminding the public that every store front has a story worthy of celebration.
