Botany & Co. is a thriving community business; but it only exists because there was a low rung on the small business ladder. It gave Ben, the entrepreneur behind it, a place to get his ideas off the ground. The Near Northwest neighborhood in South Bend, Indiana shows what can happen when a disinvested community creates affordable, attainable spaces for small businesses to start and grow. Botany didn’t just survive. It succeeded. They were able to purchase the building they originally leased and acquire nearby properties to expand beyond their original vision. Small spaces make big things possible. #NeighborhoodEvolution #StrongTowns #IncrementalDevelopment #SmallScaleDevelopment #LocalEconomy