Illinois' Small Businesses Struggle to Weather Lockdown

JoAn n Chumley didn’t go to college. Instead, she raised a family and built a career as a florist. Twenty-eight years ago, she started her own business. She doubts herself sometimes because she never got a degree, but her track record speaks for itself: for 24 years, she’s been a success in her field and an important part of her community. Chumley knows how to lend dignity to a funeral, add elegance to a prom, and show appreciation on Mother’s Day.

Chumley’s floral shop sits in a prime location on Main Street in Jacksonville, Illinois, about a half-hour drive from the state capital. Shops such as hers are the most prolific job creators in Illinois, where businesses with fewer than 50 employees provide jobs for 1.35 million people, or 26.4 percent of the state’s workforce. Owning the business means hard work and long hours. “There’s no day I’m not going into the shop,” she said. “Even on Sunday after church, there’s always something to do.” Read Full Article »