LIST OF BEST SMALL CITIES TO START A BUSINESS AS WESH TWO’S MEGAN MELLADO TELLS US, A VARIETY OF SPOTS, INCLUDING A BAR AND SPA AND EVEN A SPEAKEASY HAVE RECENTLY OPENED THEIR DOORS. WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE NEWLY OPENED CLOUD NINE MARKETPLACE AND BLACK SQUIRREL BOOKSTORE ON NEW YORK AVENUE, YOU’LL FIND A VARIETY OF THINGS ALL FEATURING LOCAL ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS. SCRUBS FROM ORGANIC MATERIA ALL. THE OWNER, JOY ROGERS, SAYS SHE OPENED UP SHOP AFTER VISITING SAINT CLOUD AND CONNECTING TO ITS HISTORY. I MOVED TO SAINT CLOUD TWO YEARS AGO AND AND I LOVE THE HISTORY OF SAINT CLOUD BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THE FIRST SETTLEMENT FOR THE UNION SOLDIERS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WHICH I HAD TWO RELATIVES IN THAT WAR. SO I CAME HERE ON LIKE A HISTORY KIND OF HUNT. AND THEN I FOUND THIS CUTE LITTLE DOWNTOWN IN THE CITY, JUST JUMPED UP ON WALLETHUB’S LIST OF BEST SMALL CITIES TO START A BUSINESS IN, SECURING A SPOT IN THE TOP 45, THE BOOKSTORE, PART OF JOY’S SHOP, IS FILLED WITH A VARIETY OF NOVELS, ALL DONATED BY LOCALS, SO THEY ALL COME IN IN THE MORNING, THERE’LL BE A BOX ON THE FRONT STEP, YOU KNOW, FULL OF BOOKS, AND THEN I LOAD THEM UP ON THE SHELVES FOR THE KIDS AND OTHER PEOPLE. MOST OF THE BOOKS ARE UNDER $5. IT’S JUST TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THE DUMP AND PUT THEM IN SOMEONE ELSE’S HANDS. AND THERE’S ALSO A THIRD PART OF HER STORE, A SPEAKEASY. ALL THE CLUES ARE IN THE BOOKSHELVES, SO THEY’RE ALL HERE AND DOWN THERE TO FIND YOUR WAY INTO THE SPEAKEASY, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS TO FIGURE OUT A CODE. ONCE YOU HAVE THE CODE, YOU HAVE TO FIND THE BLACK SQUIRREL’S FAVORITE BOOK. OPEN THE BOOK, TYPE IN THE CODE, AND THEN YOU CAN OPEN THE DOOR. IT’S AMAZING. YEAH, WE’RE WE’RE PACKED. SUPER PACKED ON THE WEEKENDS, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ALL THE LOCALS LOVE IT. IT’S SOMEWHERE KIND OF UPSCALE FOR THEM TO GO, WHICH IS VERY NICE FOR THIS AREA. OTHER SPOTS HAVE ALSO RECENTLY POPPED UP IN SAINT CLOUD, INCLUDING WELLNESS HYDRATION BAR AND SPA, EAST ROW MARKET AND HAVANA TEA IN SAINT CLOUD. MEAGHAN MELLADO WESH TWO NEWS VERY COOL AND SEVERAL OF OUR OTHER CENTRAL FLORIDA CITIES ALSO MADE THE LIST OF BEST SMALL CITIES TO OPEN UP. SHOP. WINTER GARDEN TOOK THE 40TH SPOT. CLERMONT LANDED AT 29. SANFORD CAME IN 25TH CASSELBERRY WINT