POULSBO — The gloom and doom predictions of big box retailers sending Little Norway’s small business owners off to the unemployment lines have proved unfounded so far.

Even with the loss of Mitzel’s American Restaurant to a fire in May, Poulsbo Village retailers have remained competitive as Wal-Mart and The Home Depot have moved onto the hill at Olhava.

“Things are going well, and we’re still receiving calls from interested tenants,” said Poulsbo Village property manager Bev Lyon.

Olympic College-Poulsbo is bringing its physical therapists’ assistant program to the Village and construction of a new Mitzel’s should be underway in the fall, Lyon said.

Poulsbo Village’s owners, Laurelhurst Apartments in Seattle, has plans to renovate the shopping center and spruce up the exterior as well, she said.

Many of the business owners in the Village live in the community and take pride in being part of it, she said.

“They’re your friends and neighbors and we’re your neighborhood shopping center,” Lyon said.

Poulsbo Coast Do It Best Hardware owner Bonita Doerksen said her store felt the impacts from Olhava in February and March, which was to be expected.

“We saw some impacts, but our customers have started coming back,” Doerksen said.

The store’s excellent customer service and ability to adapt quickly to its patrons’ needs have made a difference, she said.

“We’d like to thank our loyal customers for their business and we look forward to serving them in the future,” Doerksen said.

Across the Village, Six Star owner Jim White said he has expanded into areas that are do not directly compete with the big box retailers.

“We’re doing more things in scrapbooks and other areas that the other stores don’t carry,” White said.

The introduction of the giant retailers and the State Route 305 widening project have had an impact, but White said he remains optimistic about the future.

City Councilman Ed Stern said the full council has made a commitment to the small business community through its funding of an October workshop with the Kitsap Business Assistance Center.

“I think the purpose of the workshop is for small businesses to gain every possible advantage to stay competitive in the market place,” Stern said.

If the workshop proves successful, it could lead to an improved relationship between the city and the KBAC to help businesses in the future, Stern said.