WSET.com - ABC13Small Businesses Thrive in Tough Economy

Reporter: James Gherardi l Videographer: Jonathan Merryman

Martinsville, VA - Martinsville's unemployment numbers are down nearly 2.5% for the month of September.

City officials think the numbers are falling because small businesses are thriving on the Southside. Officials say there are many people who were unemployed and used their skills to bring more jobs to the area.

Darla Main-Schneider is the owner of Rising Sun Breads in Martinsville and says her bakery's been a happy place.

Main-Schneider opened her bakery after she was laid off from a manufacturing job in 2008. She always knew she wanted to be a baker.

"We've been in business three and a half years. When I started the business, it was myself," said Main-Schneider.

Now, she's grown her business into the bakery of her dreams.

"We've added four more people to help run retail and to help bake. We'll continue to add people into the bakery as we expand the market," she said.

Small but stable, self start-up businesses are popping up all over the Southside.

"I get calls every single day from someone who wants to start a business," said Lisa Fultz, the director for the Small Business Division of the Martinsville Economic Development Corporation.

City economic officials say small businesses are bucking the trend. While major manufacturers close up shop, entrepreneurs like Main-Schneider take their place.

"Even though they're in smaller numbers, it helps people who maybe, if they're working part-time, gain different skill sets doing different things, so they're more employable," said Fultz.

"Every job counts," said David Stone, who owns his own fabric company in Martinsville.

"What's coming here now is small, organic type companies that are hiring five to 10 to 15 people," he said.

In just a few years, Stone took his operation from one to 20 workers.

"If you can put one person, two people back to work, hopefully there'll be some other jobs that will develop," said Stone.

But with all of the good news in Martinsville, the city still suffers the highest unemployment in the state.