I was looking at a picture of downtown Lincoln, ME from the 1800's the other day. I noticed almost all of the businesses were local businesses. Grocery stories, pharmacies, department store, all local business. Today there is McDonald's, Walmart, Hannaford, and Rite Aid. It seems like the small and medium size local business is slowly falling away to corporations, chains, and things made in china. It got me thinking about small local businesses, and how tech companies stand a shot at it. <br />
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The reason why I think tech companies stand a shot, is pretty simple, it's one of the few areas where little companies can provide something of both quality and value, something that can't be cookie cutter by large stock holder controlled companies or made in asia. I am proud to say that I work in a small Maine-based web company. As long as small local companies continue to provide true value and quality, there will always be a niche.