Top 10 Small-Town Business Ideas That Work

Top 10 Small-Town Business Ideas That Work

While a big city can offer a variety of connections and amenities, it can also be overwhelming and expensive. Small towns can be a charming refuge from the hussle and bustle of big city life. 

There are some drawbacks to living in a small town, however. One of which is that jobs can be limited because big companies tend to locate in cities.

This causes a lot of people to move out of small towns to look for opportunities elsewhere, but many instead consider opening up their own business. Here’s a brief look at some of the best business opportunities for people living in a small town.

1. Coffee Shop and Bar

No matter where you live in the world, people like to come together to socialize and catch up. What better place to do that than a coffee shop or bar?

Coffee shops can be ideal for smaller towns that tend to have a slower pace of life than cities. People living nearby will often want to pop in and take it easy for a while and maybe watch the world go by if there is seating outside.

Plus it makes a great place to meet up, and regulars to your coffee shop will soon get to know each other if they don’t already. Even better is that you will get to know a lot of them yourself.

The same can be said about owning a bar, and bars are often a focal point for local communities. Make sure to serve plenty of great food as well as drinks to give locals plenty of reasons to come in.

Small-town folk also tend to be very keen on sports, so make sure you are well-equipped so locals can watch the big games.

2. Marketing

Even small businesses need marketing. They still need to attract customers locally and from further afield. With this in mind, a local marketing company could turn out to be a very profitable business venture. Marketing can help businesses like gyms bring new members, and get a restaurant noticed!

A small-town marketing company could also be a lot more enjoyable than working with a large national marketing company.

It can give you the opportunity to get to know local businesses better, and this also tends to mean getting to know more people.

This is different from working with large corporations where you are more likely to meet a suit who is an employee of the company and just doing their job.

Bear in mind that just because you are in a small town does not mean you can’t use the latest technology.

From online content marketing to digital signage, using the best tools available will help ensure you get the best results. You will also be doing your part for the local community by helping ensure a strong economy that everybody will benefit from.

3. Bakery

Nothing beats the smell of fresh bread. It’s something that is sadly lost in many cities as people tend to shop in large supermarkets to buy mass-produced goods. Even when you do find a bakery in a supermarket, it’s still not quite the same.

In smaller towns, however, there is less of a focus on huge shopping malls and people are more likely to shop at smaller, boutique stores instead.

More people are going to shop for the best they can find rather than just grabbing whatever is close to them at the time. One thing that many will be looking for is fresh bread and other baked goods.

Being in a small town will mean you are also closer to really fresh goods. You get to speak with farmers and other producers about what they have for you, helping you make the freshest, best-tasting bakery goods anywhere.

Once you have perfected your recipe, you can be sure that people will come from far and wide to see what the fuss is about.

4. Lawn & Gardening Services

When you’re living in the heart of a big city it’s unlikely you’ll have a garden, and even if you do it’s likely to be quite small.

Instead, many people live in apartment buildings and their only “garden” might be a few hanging baskets on a balcony. If you live in a small town, however, then pretty much everybody will have a garden.

Gardens can be beautiful and a wonderful way to relax, but they do tend to involve work. Where there’s work involved, there’s also often a viable business venture, and gardening is no exception.

Lawns need to be cut, hedges trimmed, flower beds weeded — and not everybody has the time and/or inclination to do it themselves. If you have the skills and experience you can also take it up a level by offering landscaping services as well.

5. Restaurant

Everybody needs to eat. In a big city, people tend to be so busy all the time that they are just not in the mood to go out to eat.

Instead, many will choose to eat in, maybe making something themselves, putting a TV dinner in the microwave, or ordering delivery.

In small towns, however, people are more likely to want to go out to eat. It’s not just about the food, it’s also something else that comes with being part of the community.

Just like with a coffee shop or bar, a restaurateur in a small town is likely to have regular visitors that will get to know your restaurant, and you, well.

Again, there’s access to local produce straight from the farm as opposed to wrapped in plastic from a supermarket somewhere.

You will also be doing your part for the local community by helping to support the local farmers and other producers by using their services.

6. Food Truck

As mentioned, small towns tend to have communal events. These can be fairs, shows, competitions, and all sorts of occasions where people are outside enjoying themselves.

When you get a lot of people together outside, you are going to find that many of them will be looking for one thing in particular: food.

With your own food truck, you can travel to different locations where you are likely to find a lot of customers.

The summertime in particular can be great for business as there will be many outdoor events to choose from.

When it starts getting colder, your mobile business can maybe travel a little further afield to where you might find customers. You can also consider renting out your truck for special occasions.

7. Home Cleaning and Laundry

Homes in small towns tend to be larger than those in big cities. This means that there is more housework to be done, so more people will be looking for some help around the house.

There is likely to be a pretty good demand for a home-cleaning service, and laundry services are also likely to be needed.

Businesses that offer home-cleaning services will often get long-term business from their clients, and this helps to create a steady stream of income.

Another benefit of a home-cleaning service is a relatively low initial investment, and you could even start off doing all the work yourself and gradually build the business as you get more clients.

Other jobs that people might need done around the house include DIY and general handyman work. Again, you can start off doing the work yourself and maybe consider taking on staff if you have enough business.

8. B&B

Small towns will often receive many visitors. People come for business, to see family, to enjoy the surrounding countryside, or maybe even to take in the town itself. Regardless of the reason, anybody visiting your town will need somewhere to stay.

Opening a bed and breakfast could be the ideal option for people living in a large property that goes underused.

It is an opportunity for you to carry on living in your own home while also making a living. If you don’t own a large property, a bank may be willing to help you with the financials.

Owning a B&B is an ideal opportunity for social people who like to meet new people. You can expect to receive visitors from all over the country and even from further afield.

9. Pet Services

Another advantage of not being cooped up in a small apartment building is being able to have all the pets that you want.

Thus, people are more likely to have pets in small towns, and this means a higher demand for pet-related services.

The services can range from grooming to pet-sitting and even horse-walking. People are often more than happy to spoil their pets rotten, so you will likely find there’s a demand for high-end services.

Not only can it be a profitable business but also the opportunity to work with animals is a dream job for many people.

10. IT Services

Being in a small town doesn’t mean people have less of a need for technology, including IT services. Businesses will still need computers, printers, and other peripherals while households will also want access to the latest computer technology, even if only for gaming, video calls, screen sharing, and checking emails.

This will mean there is plenty of demand for IT services, yet there may not be enough IT businesses in a small town to meet the demand.

This can make an IT services company a great opportunity, and it is another business model that will allow you to start small and build upward over time.

There are Plenty of Options for Small-Town Entrepreneurs

There will be some demand for goods and services no matter where you live, and meeting that demand is a great way to start a business.

Remember to do as much research as you can first to determine if there is enough of a demand for your business to be a success.

Also remember to create a business plan and so you get a full picture of expenses and projected income.

A business plan will also help you to gain funding from a bank or another source if you need something to help you get started.

Lastly, building a healthy and strong team is one of the most important resources you can invest in to help your small business take off.

Read more Business Ideas at SugerMint. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn