It’s simple but true: Commerce drives an economy.

As in any city, Vicksburg’s economy is driven by a combination of small businesses, larger companies and those in between that are in the process of expanding.

These expanding companies are the businesses that Vicksburg should take extra care to foster.

Expansion builds Vicksburg both physically and economically, generating the revenue needed to support pay raises for city employees or new equipment for the fire department.

We commend Vicksburg for making that possible for at least two local business that are in the process of expansion.

Billy’s Original Foods — two months after they opened their doors in a building behind Vicksburg’s Bop’s — has already secured enough business to need to expand.

“We outgrew the building we are in five weeks after we got there. We’re going to have 1,000 stores in a year, which just blows me away. I’m shocked this is happening,” Billy Lieberman, president and head chef, said.

While discussing the expansion at the Vicksburg Kiwanis meeting Tuesday, Lieberman stressed how Vicksburg’s Southern charm and family-friendly atmosphere prompted him to stay in town and start a restaurant, Billy’s Italian Restaurant, which he then sold years later in order to create Billy’s Original Foods.

“You never know how things are going to connect down the road,” he said.

Without Vicksburg’s pull, this budding new business — which sells or will sell products to both Kroger and Walmart, according to Lieberman — would not have been located here.

The same holds true of the new downtown store Up the Ante by Lipstick and Labels. After less than a few years of owning a previous store under The Vicksburg apartments, Jasmine Wheatley said the draw of a larger space and downtown’s atmosphere prompted her to expand.

“That’s why you come to Washington Street. Everyone knows everyone, so I’m very happy to be here,” she said at her opening last week.

We also commend the hard work of the employees and owners of these two new businesses.

Not only is their dedication paying benefiting their own businesses, it is growing Vicksburg, helping it to become an even more desirable community in which others can invest.