Main Street

The three million businesses that line the main streets and side streets of the local economies. These businesses are diverse and include retail shops, small grocery stores, personal services such as hair and nail salons and spas, hardware stores, local contractors, restaurants, trade services such as plumbers and electricians, and small manufacturers and wholesalers. The health of these businesses is directly related to the health of the local economies in which they operate, which is why their success is vital to the communities they serve.

Working Capital Deserts on Main Street Challenge Small Business Survival
Working Capital Deserts on Main Street Challenge Small Business Survival
October 02, 2023  |  SMBs

Access to business financing is crucial for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) on Main Street — firms generating less than $10 million in annual revenue...

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Philly Fed Data Offers Snapshot of Main Street Small Business Funding Pressures
Philly Fed Data Offers Snapshot of Main Street Small Business Funding Pressures
September 21, 2023  |  Economy

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s September Manufacturing Business Outlook Index offers up a monthly survey of manufacturers’ current business conditions and their outlook on what’s to...

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Spiking Fuel Prices Pitch Wallets of Consumers and Businesses
Spiking Fuel Prices Pitch Wallets of Consumers and Businesses
September 14, 2023  |  Economy

It’s a season of pain at the pump, no matter what type of fuel you’re pumping. As The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) noted in a report Thursday...

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Large National Banks Hold the Advantage When Main Street SMBs Shop for Credit
Large National Banks Hold the Advantage When Main Street SMBs Shop for Credit
September 08, 2023  |  SMBs

Access to business financing is crucial for Main Street small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). But while a significant share of these small businesses across all...

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Fed’s Beige Book Portends Slowdown for Main Street Retail Mainstays
Fed’s Beige Book Portends Slowdown for Main Street Retail Mainstays
September 06, 2023  |  Economy

Modest growth is in the cards, and for Main Street stalwarts among smaller businesses — namely in retail — the pressure is mounting. The Federal...

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PMI Data Hints at Slowdown for Main Street Smaller Businesses
PMI Data Hints at Slowdown for Main Street Smaller Businesses
August 23, 2023  |  SMBs

Business is expanding, but at a torpid pace that signals some pressures for some of Main Street’s smaller firms. As detailed in the S&P Global Flash...

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40% of Well-Established Small Businesses Lack Emergency Funding
40% of Well-Established Small Businesses Lack Emergency Funding
August 18, 2023  |  SMBs

Across the United States, the startup community is still reeling after Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse, the largest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, and...

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Fed’s Senior Loan Officer Survey Signals Pressure as Small Businesses Seek Credit
Fed’s Senior Loan Officer Survey Signals Pressure as Small Businesses Seek Credit
July 31, 2023  |  Banking

The traditional avenues of lending are narrowing, signaling tougher times ahead for smaller businesses seeking access to credit. As detailed Monday (July 31) in the...

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Will Big Bank Capital Requirements Help Smaller FIs, FinTechs Gain Small Business Lending Share?
Will Big Bank Capital Requirements Help Smaller FIs, FinTechs Gain Small Business Lending Share?
July 26, 2023  |  Loans

As banks — especially larger players — grapple with a new capital reality, the opportunity may be there for smaller financial institutions (FIs) and FinTechs...

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