Welcome to GNV Business History!
Click here to get a brief introduction to the site!
Take a tour, search using the various chronological and thematic tags, and check out our stories that recount how businesses helped create a vibrant and distinct community in Gainesville, Florida.
When you think of "business history," you probably dredge up images of John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, ExxonMobil, or, more recently Apple and Facebook. Those super wealthy entrepreneurs and huge enterprises are certainly part of business history, but did you know that your corner store, coffee shop, or dry cleaner is also a part of business history? Small enterprises like those are the lifeblood of a local community; they are where we work, we socialize, and reinforce the connections that give a smaller city like Gainesville its distinct character. By studying local businesses historians can find important landmarks in a community's history or trace how national trends--think of the Great Depression of the 1930s--worked its way into the everyday lives of Americans.
At GNV Business History, we are working to reconstruct Gainesville's distinct business history with an eye towards breathing life into the historical actors that made Gainesville the vibrant and unique community it is today. When you explore the site, you can find out what used to be in existing structures, and also get a sense, at least virtually, as to the shape of Gainesville's shifting downtown(s) and imagine what life was actually like decades, or even centuries ago where you shop, live, or get your morning coffee.
