Southbridge Businesses Honor their Historic Roots

Ms. Bonnie White, owner of Savor the Flavors Seafood Restaurant on New Castle Avenue, poses with SBA Deputy Director John Banks inside her restaurant.

Sepia Cleaners Pre-Paid Dry Cleaning owner, Tyrran Smith, accepts the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway emblem from John Banks and Southbridge Connects' Director Travis Smith in front of his store on South Heald Street.

The Harvest Christian Retail Store is owned by Suzette Flemming and offers religious literature and products as well as flower arrangements. It also received the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway marker.

Suzette Flemming, owner of the Harvest Christian Retail Store, receiving the emblem from John Banks and Travis Smith to put in her window.

Three Southbridge businesses proudly display the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway emblems in their storefronts. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provided the markers so that tourists, traveling the Delaware route Tubman used to help escaped slaves get to the free state of Pennsylvania, may patronize the small businesses along the route. Historians say Tubman and several escaped slaves hid near Southbridge when patrollers blocked the route across the Christina River.

The SBA hosted a walking tour of the businesses it has supported in recent months on Harriet Tubman Day, March 10, 2015. They included The Harvest Christian Retail Store, Ms. Bonnie's Savor the Flavors Seafood Restaurant and Sepia Cleaners Pre-Paid Dry Cleaning.

"We all have a stake in homegrown Delaware business' success," said John Banks, SBA Delaware Deputy District Director. "Small businesses like the ones along the 'Tubman Byway' in Southbridge tie communities together. They are what make 'home' 'home'."

In honor of Tubman, the Delaware Department of Transportation, SBA and community groups announced the launch of the Delaware Byway Committee. The goal of the committee is to develop business opportunities, create jobs and to promote statewide economic growth by partnering Delaware's scenic and historic byways with the small businesses lining those routes. The Committee has its first meeting in April and will ultimately expand the pilot program in Southbridge to all six Delaware state-designated byways.

"This pilot program will look at revenue drivers for Byway affiliated businesses like: coupons (known in other states as "Byway Bucks"); tourist discovery areas within businesses; signage and byway improvements; and grant opportunities to entice tourists to visit byways and patronize their businesses," explained Delaware DOT Byways Coordinator, Ann Gravatt. "Rollout of the first byway business affiliation incentives, Tubman Byway-wide, is slated to begin with the 2015 tourist season. This pilot program aims to demonstrate increased patronage in Byway-affiliated businesses to promote year-round, statewide tourism in Delaware and instill new a sense of neighborhood pride in our byway communities, all while helping First State businesses succeed. This is truly a 'win-win' scenario."

Each of the Southbridge businesses is working with SBA and its resource partners to grow their businesses.

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