Covington Small Business Hub

08/24/2026

08/21/2026

Workforce Roundtable Discussion

Please join us for a Workforce Roundtable Discussion featuring conversations on current workforce trends, business and community needs, hiring and recruitment best practices, and strategies and ideas shared by local employers.

📅 Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍 Location: Discovery Center, Covington, VA

Breakfast will be served.

This event is being held in partnership with the Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board and businesses throughout the Alleghany Highlands.

We hope you will join us for this important conversation and an opportunity to share ideas, discuss challenges, and explore strategies that can strengthen our local workforce.

Please use the QR Code to register!

The flyer is attached with additional information. We look forward to seeing you!

08/21/2026

08/14/2026

What We Heard from Peyton Colvin's Olde Town Covington Survey

Olde Town Covington recently conducted a community survey to better understand what residents and visitors would like to see in our downtown. We received some great feedback, and some responses that gave us a lot to think about.

When asked about businesses people would like to see downtown, the most common responses included:
☕ Coffee shop
🧁 Bakery
🍦 Ice cream shop
🍽️ Family-style restaurant
📚 Bookstore

For events and activities, respondents expressed interest in:
🎶 Live music
🚚 Food truck events
🎨 Craft and vendor markets
🎬 Outdoor movies

When it comes to beautification, some of the most requested improvements were:
🌸 More flowers and landscaping
🪑 Additional benches and seating
🎨 More murals and public art
💡 Decorative lighting

Respondents also identified several challenges, including limited dining and shopping options, parking, and the lack of activity after 5 p.m.

When asked what changes they would like to see, popular responses included more downtown nightlife, businesses with hours extending beyond 5 p.m., additional dining options, upper-level housing, and overhead lighting.

One of the most interesting takeaways, however, was seeing how many of the things people said they wanted are already happening right here in Olde Town Covington.

We have live music happening regularly, including nearly every weekend at the Sports Complex. We have shopping opportunities, local businesses, restaurants, events, markets, and community activities. And when it comes to parking, there are 484 parking spaces within the historic district.

This feedback highlights something important: we don't just need more, we need to do a better job of connecting people with what we already have.

At the same time, the survey gives us valuable insight into where there are genuine opportunities for growth. It helps us understand what people want, what they may not know exists, and how we can continue working together to make Olde Town Covington a vibrant place to live, work, shop, dine, and spend time.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate and share your thoughts. Your feedback matters, and we look forward to using it to help shape the future of Olde Town Covington. ❤️

And perhaps the biggest takeaway: If you love downtown and want to see it thrive, one of the best things you can do is support the businesses, events, and activities that are already here.

07/31/2026

I’ve been thinking a lot about the reality small businesses in rural communities are up against, especially those renting their space. In a recent meeting, someone pointed out just how difficult it is for downtown businesses to survive without owning their buildings, and it really stuck with me. It also makes you pause and ask why so many local businesses have quietly closed their doors.

When rent and property prices are driven up by outside market pressures, often shaped by larger cities, it creates a heavy burden for local entrepreneurs who are already stretching every dollar just to keep going. These aren’t big corporate operations with deep pockets; they’re neighbors trying to serve their community, pay their staff, and stay afloat in an already tight rural economy.

If we’re serious about supporting small businesses, then we have to be honest about the pressure they’re under and intentional about how we respond. Thriving downtowns don’t happen by accident; they require alignment between what the market demands and what a rural community can actually sustain.

Rural communities can’t be expected to carry rental prices designed for big cities and still expect their small businesses to survive.

07/30/2026

She will be at the Sports Complex on Friday, August 7!

From Where I'm Standing - Official Music Video by Maggie BaughStre...

07/29/2026

07/28/2026

Virginia Runs on Small Business - Virginia’s Small Business Employment Fair
Find the Talent That Helps Your Business Grow.

Hiring the right people shouldn't mean sorting through hundreds of resumes. Virginia Runs on Small Business brings growing small businesses together with motivated job seekers in one convenient virtual hiring event designed to simplify the recruiting process.

Meet candidates through live video conversations, review resumes before and after the event, and identify qualified applicants more efficiently than traditional hiring methods. Save candidate information for future openings, continue conversations after the event, and build a pipeline of talent that supports your business long after the showcase ends.

Whether you're hiring for an immediate opening or planning for future growth, this event provides a cost-effective way to expand your reach and connect with skilled talent who are ready to contribute to your team's success.

Register today. Your next great employee could be one conversation away.