Photo belongs to Raccoon Valley Bank

A local figure in the Perry community discusses the importance of backing small businesses, especially at the beginning stages.

According to Raccoon Valley Bank’s Assistant Vice President Business Banker Matt McDevitt, who operates out of Perry, it is paramount that people support the organizations in their community. He says that local businesses also need support because they also provide donations for sports teams, band trips, or other events in the area. McDevitt understands that people can order items from their couch with the help of services like Amazon, but stresses that in order to help businesses thrive, support from residents is crucial.

“The local businesses that are in our community, they’re families, and families that we want to live in our communities and if you think about a game-changing event like Covid-19, and the world has shut down for a time, it was really tough on small businesses for a time there in particular. So, I think coming off of Covid, people have thought this ‘This is my time to try, and if I’m ever going to run my own business, then this is the time.’”

McDevitt specifies that Perry went through the tragic school shooting on January 4th of last year followed by the closing of the Tyson Foods Pork Plant last June as well. McDevitt says whether it was related or not, several businesses shut their doors in 2024, but he believes  that Perry is progressive, as many new locally-owned businesses and companies are opening in the area. He notes that a business needs its most support as it first begins.