Dana Keller, executive director of the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce stands with Joseph Cabrera, host of American Operator and Darlene Schopher, workforce specialist for Mexico’s Workforce Resource Assistance Program.

Photo courtesy of the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce

Visitors from the American Operator podcast and YouTube channel visited Mexico to focus on the resilient way the community has continued to move forward after the tumultuous change in ownership and ultimate closing of the Audrain Medical Center.

The mission of the organization is to see America’s small businesses the way they were meant to be seen — up close, on the ground, and through the eyes of the people who run them, according to a news release from the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce.

American Operator documents the real stories of Main Street, visiting small businesses across the country, highlighting operators keeping their towns alive. It shows what ownership actually looks like and exposes the hidden cost of private equity roll-ups hollowing out local communities. From family-owned shops to essential service businesses, from thriving main streets to towns devastated by outside ownership, American Operator captures the reality of American small business at a turning point. The mission is simple: keep America locally owned and operated by shining a light on the businesses, operators, and communities worth fighting for.

The podcast episode, “The Power of Small Towns and Local Owners - Mexico, Missouri” aired on Feb. 3 and can be found on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and other streaming platforms.