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The Survivors

Dorothea Lange/National Archive/Newsmakers

By Stacy Perman

The Survivors

With a volatile stock market, a credit crunch, rising unemployment, plunging consumer confidence, and an unprecedented government bailout, small businesses are reeling. Many are concerned about their ability to stay in business. With that in mind, we talked to nine family-owned firms that have lasted for decades. All have weathered wars, economic downturns, and changes in technology and society. Moreover, they all endured the Great Depression and emerged intact. Flip through this slide show for lessons gleaned.