Small businesses such as Sweet Tooth Café and Bakery, which opened Friday in Gloucester Court House, are helping to drive the state’s economy, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones said.

In town for the grand opening of Sweet Tooth’s new location on Main Street, Jones said “this is what Virginia needs” to grow its economy. Entrepreneurship is important, he said, and these small business owners are offering Virginians important jobs.

Gloucester was the only county selected for the competitive state Business Launch grant program. Jones said he’s happy to report that Gloucester and other Business Launch programs in the cities of Hopewell and Staunton are turning out quite well.

Crystal Burton, who had started baking cupcakes from her Gloucester home and later expanded to a bakery, used Business Launch to expand her business into a café and bakery. She now welcomes customers in a new Main Street home and with an expanded menu....