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Start-Ups By recent college graduates find what they need in university cities.
As a student at Davidson College in North Carolina, art-lover Drew Crawford saw business potential in the small college town. The nearby suburbs of Charlotte, N.C., were growing, and the town saw a steady stream of students and their parents each year.
So Crawford developed a plan for a gallery featuring functional art such as hand-carved furniture, blown glass and pottery. Last year, he brought Wooden Stone to life right in Davidson.
"It’s centrally located, there’s a booming population, it was perfect," Crawford said. "Because of the college, we had this arts draw already."
Entrepreneurs looking for a growing, diverse consumer base and young, talented employees are finding that college towns – and frequently, their own undergraduate stomping grounds – fit the bill. College-town populations are booming; operating a business is usually cheaper in a small town than in a big city; and college towns boast cultural advantages and educated young workers.
Because knowing the lay of the land is a big advantage, many entrepreneurs turn toward their old alma maters.
MADLEN READ
Associated Press
Full Story: http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/business/13287203.htm
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