Governor Tony Evers in Rhinelander WI. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
MERRILL, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – As the Christmas season approaches, so does the Shop Small Wisconsin season. Gov. Tony Evers has proclaimed this season to encourage Wisconsinites to support local small businesses. To celebrate, Evers visited three local businesses in Merrill.
“I think that small businesses are important not only just statewide but nationwide, we are definitely the ones that are the backbone of our entire nation,” said Diane Goetsch, owner of Kindhearted Floral and Custom Creations.
Kindhearted Floral and Custom Creations is one of the three stops Evers made on his stroll downtown. His other two stops included Polka Dotted Pie and Johnson’s Gifts and Home Decor.
Evers visited to discuss the successes and challenges small businesses face, especially in light of many small business grants being released across the state.
“I’m very supportive of small businesses and especially in smaller towns in the state. They struggled during the pandemic but a lot of them came back really strong… When you spend a dollar in a small business in a small town 60% of that ends up local,” said Gov. Tony Evers of Wisconsin.
According to the Small Business Administration, in 2025 small businesses made up more than 99 percent of businesses in Wisconsin and employed 1.2 million individuals across the state.
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