We, too, agree with many Town of Victoria and Lunenburg County leaders that the impending Dec. 22 closure of Uptown Coffee Cafe on Main Street will be a huge loss to the town.

The cafe opened in 2007, and “as we reflect on the past 10 years, we are appreciative of the many loyal customers and amazing staff we’ve had during those years,” a recent Facebook post from the cafe cited. “Many of y’all have watched our kids and business grow. We’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to have gotten a small start on (Eighth) and Main then to our current location on Main Street.”

Raising a family and meeting the demands of the location in Farmville were noted in the post as contributing to the overall reason for the closure.

Regarding the closing, Victoria Town Manager Rodney Newton said he hopes to see another business occupy the building in the near future.

“I hate to see the town lose any business, but I understand that businesses have to make tough decisions,” Newton said.

We agree with Newton that while Uptown had been a great addition for the Town of Victoria, it is understandable. We also encourage residents of Victoria to continue to shop local, as it’s the only way to better the economy and bring prospective businesses to the town. According to the U.S. Small Business Association, for every $100 spent, roughly $68 stays in the local economy compared to only $43 from larger businesses. Small businesses donate 250 percent more than larger businesses to nonprofits and community causes. Small businesses are the foundation of a future for rural towns and counties. As we have iterated before, if your Christmas shopping can be done within Lunenburg County or the Town of Victoria, we implore you do your shopping there.