Contact: Erin Musgrave, 530-864-7014, erin@emcstrategies.com

Alderwoman Cara Spencer, Rep. Bruce Franks, Jr. and Alderman Dan Guenther joined business owners at a press conference Thursday to discuss why raising the minimum wage will be good for businesses and the economy

Oct. 25, 2018, St. Louis – Today St. Louis business owners demonstrated their support for Proposition B, the ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage, by proudly displaying “This Business Supports Prop B” window signs in their businesses and holding a press conference with elected officials to discuss why raising the minimum wage to $12 by 2023 will be good for business.

Alderwoman Cara Spencer, Rep. Bruce Franks, Jr. and Alderman Dan Guenther joined a number of business owners speaking at the press conference, held at Bridge Bread on Cherokee Street, to discuss the many ways in which raising the minimum wage will benefit businesses and the economy.

About 170 St. Louis business owners and counting have signed the Missouri Business for a Fair Minimum Wage statement supporting Prop B, with many posting signs in the windows of their businesses to publicly display that support.

Six hundred business owners across the state have signed Missouri Business for a Fair Minimum Wage’s statement supporting Prop B, and more continue to sign every day. 

The following Missouri Business for a Fair Minimum Wage members gave remarks during the press conference today about why they support Prop B:

Lew Prince, business campaign manager for Missouri Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, said, “Businesses across St. Louis and Missouri are showing their support for Prop B because it’s great for business and the economy. Workers are also customers. Raising the minimum wage to $12 by 2023 will give more than 677,000 Missourians a raise – putting over $1 billion in spendable dollars into the hands of customers.”

Joe Edwards, Owner of Blueberry Hill restaurant and music club, the Moonrise Hotel, the Pageant and Delmar Hall concert nightclubs, Peacock Diner, Flamingo Bowl, and Pin-Up Bowl in St. Louis, said, “Paying fair wages is one of the smartest business moves I’ve ever made. We don’t have nearly the employee turnover of others in the restaurant and service industry. That translates to better customer service and saves us time and money in recruiting and training costs. Raising the purchasing power of low-wage workers by raising the minimum wage will spur a virtuous economic cycle that leads to local business growth and, ultimately, more and better jobs.”

Bethany Budde-Cohen, Owner of SqWires Restaurant & Annex in St. Louis, said, “I’ve seen first-hand the many positive impacts of paying higher wages, and it’s why I’m a strong supporter of raising Missouri’s minimum wage. If you're paying reasonable wages for your staff at all levels, you can deliver not only a better first impression, but a great overall experience that keeps your customers coming back. For our businesses and communities to truly thrive, people have to earn wages they can live on.”

Dorothy Jones, Owner of Bespoke in St. Louis, said, “I know that many low-wage workers have great skills and still can’t make ends meet. If you can’t earn a living working, what does that say about the value of work? A fair minimum wage acts as a kind of guard rail for the economy. It makes sure that people are paid fairly – whoever they work for. And that in turn puts more money in the pockets of everyone’s customers.”

Luke Babich, Principal and Chief Strategy Officer of Clever Real Estate in St. Louis, said, “Any good business knows that one of the smartest investments you can make is investing in employees. As a real estate business, we know that the ‘cheapest’ way can be costly – whether using shoddy building materials or shortchanging employees. When businesses don’t pay enough to cover the basics, workers turn to taxpayer-financed public assistance. Instead of subsidizing companies that fail to pay a living wage, we can invest in Missouri and raise the minimum wage.”

To speak with these business owners or others who support raising the minimum wage, please contact Erin Musgrave at erin@emcstrategies.com or (530) 864-7014.

For the growing signers’ list in formation visit https://www.businessforafairminimumwage.org/Missouri/Signatories.

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Missouri Business for a Fair Minimum Wage is the state affiliate of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, a national network of business owners and executives who believe a fair minimum wage makes good business sense.

Paid for by Raise Up Missouri, Lew Prince, Treasurer