The second annual South Coast Small Business Expo is just around the corner.

Small businesses and local entrepreneurs will converge on the North Bend Community Center for two days of buying, selling, shopping and auctioning Friday and Saturday, June 19-20.

“Last year’s show was a great success,” said show promoter, David Willhite, in a press release.   “Every booth was sold out and we attracted well over a thousand visitors.” 

Willhite moved to Coos Bay from Gold Beach in 1993 to attend Southwestern Oregon Community College. After graduating from Southwestern, he worked at a local radio station for six years before becoming self-employed. He started the Small Business Expo because he noticed that there wasn’t a place for small businesses, many operating out of their homes, to market themselves to the public. 

“This year we look forward to many returning vendors,” Willhite said. “The vendors seemed very pleased last year and almost every one of them indicated they would like to participate in 2009.” 

Some of the home businesses from last year include: Bob’s Sewing Machine, Demarle At Home, Blue Dahlia Floral Design, Wicks Works, Kamalot Creations, Melaleuka and Herbalife.

There will be auctions each day at 2 p.m. Participating vendors are guaranteed a sale and customers can bid against each other. Last year many vendors had drawings for products and services, as well as food, candy and product samples, and Willhite expects the same to be true this year. 

A few booth spaces and tables are still available for this year’s Small Business Expo. For information, contact David Willhite at 266-9473, or visit www.davidwillhite.com.