Small businesses can expect a business boom according to the Small Business Association of Michigan.

The report, released last week, cited optimism in owners and a decreasing amount of good help as signs that businesses can expect more sales.

“Sounds good to me,” said Ray Walsh, owner of Curious Book Shop, 307 E. Grand River Ave.

Walsh said he wasn’t sure if he personally expected an increase in sales since there are more factors involved for his business, including construction on the East Lansing City Center project and the seasonal change in student population.

But even with students leaving, Walsh said he normally doesn’t see a huge decrease over the summer.

“We get tourists coming through to see what’s happening in town. We get people coming in,” he said.

Walsh’s situation isn’t unusual, said Michael Rogers, vice-president of communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan.

Rogers said the pickup in small business could have a variety of causes but no matter what the explanation, owners have had a little more to be happy about.

“In general, what they’ve been seeing is just a general pickup,” he said.

Officials have cited a general increase in the economy for some time, but Rogers said the small business perk is a little different.

As such, Rogers said the previously cited stock exchange growth are not applicable to the owners.

“The difference is small businesses are really on the frontlines of creating jobs and supporting their local communities,” he said.

But employment is a good indicator, Rogers said. And in that line, the report cites a decreased number of business owners who thought the job market was lacking quality employees.

For some small businesses, however, there has never been a problem with employment.

Joel Lichty, owner of Veritas Wine Shop, 211 M.A.C. Ave., said while other businesses said they’re starting to find less reliable help, he always has a good hiring pool.

“We’re in a rather particular circumstance being right by campus,” he said. “Everybody wants to work in a wine shop, we don’t have to advertise for help.”

Without the employment changes to examine and the East Lansing student and construction issues clouding the issue, Lichty said he hasn’t seen anything to suggest an increase in sales.

But Lichty said that doesn’t mean much.

“I can’t really see anything that I would take as a general upswing of economy - but on the other hand I don’t think I ever noticed a downturn in the economy,” he said.