SALYERSVILLE – Senator Rand Paul visited Salyersville on Friday, March 25, with the Seasonal Shoppe honored by the Senate Small Business of the Week.
Senator Paul, a ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, recognized the Seasonal Shoppe as the Senate Small Business of the Week, entering into the Congressional Record a description of the local business, its history and the family that started it all, with the full report printed in last week’s paper.
On March 25, Paul traveled to Salyersville to present Seasonal Shoppe owner Bekah Frazier Rudd, her family and staff with the Congressional recognition.
Magoffin County Judge/Executive Matt Wireman said at the opening of the presentation, “I hope you like what you see when you come into Salyersville. There’s been a big effort over the past several years to revitalize the downtown area. We have a Main Street program here and this Seasonal Shoppe is one of the only retail stores that we have in town. Thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of Bekah and her mother, Pat, we have this place that you’ve come here today to see and honor. Again, we appreciate that you’re here.”
Senator Paul said, “We have a special program and a special award today. We’ve been giving out these out to small businesses around Kentucky, and it’s also exciting because we get to see how towns are doing – how successful businesses are doing. As you know, it’s not easy to run a small business. You’ve got to succeed. You’ve got to make payroll. You’ve got to have more money coming in than going out, so in many ways you’re doing much better than the federal government. We wish the federal government was patterned after the county government, where they only spend what they have. We spend to what we don’t have, which is leading to a lot of problems. We do appreciate your hard work through the years. We know it’s not easy, so, what we’ve done is we have an award here that talks about your business and the history and this is put into the Congressional Record and it will be there for all time. If you want to go into the stacks of the Library of Congress and you can find it in the daily reports. But this is an award talking about your accomplishments and the history of the store and your history here in Salyersville, and we congratulate you.”
Bekah Frazier-Rudd told Mortimer Media Group, “Today was very special. Very unexpected to get recognition on that level. It was something I never imagined I would have here, in Salyersville, so it’s been a great week, an exciting week, and I’d say we’ll be talking about it for quite a while.”
Paul told MMG it’s exciting to visit small businesses, particularly those that have history like the Seasonal Shoppe.
“Bekah’s parents have had a pharmacy business and this business has been here a long time, but it’s not easy,” Paul said. “A lot of people think, ‘Oh, I can run a small business,’ but it isn’t always easy. You have to have more money coming in than going out. You’ve got to make your payroll, pay your rent, keep your store up and keep the merchandise in stock, and it isn’t as easy as it looks. We like going around the state. It’s a way to meet real people with real businesses, who have employees, and every community needs that. We ought to celebrate it. It’s capitalism. It’s the heart of our country.”
Bekah said she simply wanted to have a place where people could pick up a wedding present, a nice outfit, buy a gift for a special occasion or decorate.
“It’s sad when people have to go out of town for everything,” Rudd said. “We get a lot of support from the community – a lot of local business and some out of town business. And it was always one of my dad’s highest beliefs that you support your community, so we always donate, and we do anything we can to help local community churches, schools and what have you, and they repay you with business, so it’s wonderful. We have a very supportive community.”
Bekah is the daughter of Tom and Patricia Frazier. Tom was the longtime owner of Frazier’s Prater Drug and Salyersville City Council Member and, after running a small craft corner in the drugstore for several years, Patricia started the Seasonal Shoppe in 1997. Eight years later when she went to take over running the drugstore, Bekah stepped up and became the owner and operator of the Seasonal Shoppe.
“Had you asked me 20 years ago if I would have been here, I would have said, ‘Absolutely not,’” Bekah said. “That was just not my plan. After I did come back and I got to work with Dad every day, even though I wasn’t over there. I was here. Then, to know it was a family business that he was so passionate about, and he was so proud of, and I grew up over there, and Trenton grew up over there. Now, my kids are here everyday and they’re growing up here and it’s really special. I’ve always looked back on it and been so proud that I’ve been able to help carry on that family business that Dad was always so proud of and Mom – they’ve poured their heart and soul into it. It’s meant a lot just on a personal level.”
