CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Optimism among small business owners is on the decline nationally, and West Virginia shoppers are being asked to help tip the scales.

Holiday shoppers are strongly encouraged to support Small Business Saturday this weekend.

“Small business is huge business in West Virginia,” said Gil White, National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) West Virginia state director.

NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index fell 0.6 points in October, though the ranking still remains above the index’s 52-year average.

The shaken confidence of both consumers and small business owners can be attributed in part to the longest federal work stoppage in the nation’s history which lasted 43 days before resolving earlier this month.

“The shutdown of the government absolutely affected what

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