Nothing but the essentials: Needs versus wants, and everything in between

Editor's note: These stories are part of a national Special Report from The Business Journals: Small Business, Big Mission. Rarely has the term “essential” carried so much weight and been interpreted so subjectively. As states ordered mandatory closures and distancing, the definition of what constituted an essential product or service sparked deep divisions among government officials. At stake in this debate was an issue critical to entrepreneurs: whether they would be allowed to carve out a…