POTSDAM, New York (WWNY) – A Potsdam business owner who has autism says the disorder should be seen as an asset, not a drawback.
Nathaniel Dodson started his business Thrifty Threads LLC as an online marketplace to sell customers clothing and other products and then turned it into a brick-and-mortar space in Potsdam.
“So instead of having to drive two to three hours away to go shopping, they can shop locally, support a local business, and at the same time, find their favorite brands they don’t want to travel out of town for,” he said.
Dodson doesn’t hide the fact that he has autism and shares his story, hoping to show others who have autism that they too can do great things.
“I just want to be able to inspire others and say, hey, there’s something else other than being autistic. You don’t have to just stick to that label and think that you’re an outcast because we can do great things. I mean, I got a business. There’s others who are scientists. You know, it’s a wonderful thing,” he said.
Dodson hopes that in the future as the Market Square Mall in Potsdam gets renovated and updated, more people will come to his store.
The space is undergoing updates as Potsdam enacts several downtown revitalization projects after a $10 million state award.
“We’re replacing roofs. We’re updating exterior insulation. We’re creating more storefront feeling from the outside. We’re also getting a village DRI grant to fix up the outside because the village wants the outside to look nice, but we’re focusing on some performance issues right now like insulation, roofing, and things like that,” said Brooks Washburn, owner of Market Square Mall.
As for Dodson, he’s thrilled to be part of Potsdam’s overall improvement as a business owner, and as a role model to anyone on the autism spectrum.
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