Shop small: Local establishments celebrated during Small Business Week in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — During National Small Business Week the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce says small businesses bring life to the area.

"They have a tremendous impact — not only on downtown Springfield, but throughout the whole community," said Mike Murphy, President and CEO of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. "Every town has a Walmart but not every town has the businesses we see in downtown Springfield."

One of those small businesses is Wm. Van's Cafe. The original location closed two years ago, but it re-opened recently. Wm. Van's serves your typical coffee shop pastries and drinks, as well as a full breakfast and lunch menu. Employees say choosing to grab your morning coffee there instead of at a chain coffee shop means your money has a bigger impact.

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"That dollar that you spend at your local coffee shop and your local business stays in your community," said Jason Shanley, Corporate Administrator at Conn's Hospitality Group. "So the things that you want to see in your community, the vibrancy, events, parks, streets, all of that, that dollar supports all of that and it's a reinvestment in the community."

Conn's Hospitality is completing some of that reinvestment at the Vinegar Hill Mall, where William Van's is located. Last year, they also opened Trish and Mary's, an English Pub at the same location. Shanley says Conn's is reinvesting the money they are making at their businesses to renovate the building that sat vacant for several years.

"The more you support your local businesses, the more those local businesses are going to reinvest in your community," said Shanley. "And that reinvestment can look like many different things or come in many different fashions. For us, it's revitalizing old properties and injecting new life."

Murphy says unique business ideas and the originality that small businesses bring to Springfield are a big pull for tourists. When they visit, they want to shop and eat at places they can't experience at home.

Conn's Hospitality is planning to open a winery in the mall next. Right now, Wm. Van's Cafe is open from Tuesday to Saturday. They will soon be open on Sunday and Monday thanks to the support they've received from the community.