Business owners in Staunton spoke to Mary Baldwin College students Thursday night about how they're dealing with a down economy.

Jazzy T's restaurant owner Elaine Rose and the owner of George Bowers Grocery joined members of the Staunton Creative Community Fund in the Spencer Center.

They talked about how they're making a profit in a historic community while also leaving their mark.

Staunton Creative Community Fund Founder Dr. Tony Smith explained the difficulty of getting a bank loan in the city if your a business.

He says, "Banks south of the Mason-Dixon line generally do not like to make loans to businesses. It's the highest risk area to make loans to, which is rather unfortunate because that's a source of job creation."