CANTON — Business license requests took a small dip in October, but 2011 is still poised to be a better year than 2010.

There were 103 business licenses issued throughout Cherokee County in October, down slightly from 115 in September and 123 in October 2010.

So far this year, there have been 1,651 new licenses granted, up from 1,507 issued by the close of October 2010.

Ben Looper, chairman of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce’s board of director, said the numbers might continue to decline for the rest of the year, as many people will wait until early next year to start their own businesses.

“I think people are still gun shy with the economy, what’s happening with Wall Street right now and with an election coming up,” he added.

He also said many people who currently have jobs are “hanging on to them” instead of taking a chance and working for themselves.

“What you are seeing now is people who are out there unemployed (and) have the opportunity to do something they’ve wanted to do for a long time,” he said.

Looper said he believe the next 18 months may still be mired in slow economic growth and added he doesn’t expect things to turn around until after the 2012 presidential election.

Cherokee County’s Development Services Center issued 66 new licenses for October, a drop from 75 granted in September and down from 84 granted in October 2010.

The county is still on pace to surpass last year’s total, with 1,216 granted so far this year. That’s up from 976 granted by the same time last year.

The city of Ball Ground issued three licenses in October, September and in October 2010.

The city this year has granted 28 new licenses, up from 21 granted by the end of October 2010.

Canton’s tax office in October fulfilled nine requests for business licenses, down from 10 issued both in September 2011 and October 2010.

The county seat has issued 141 licenses so far this year, down slightly from 156 by the end of October 2010.

Holly Springs granted four licenses in October, down from nine issued in September and four in October 2010.

The city has issued 83 new licenses this year, down from 112 requests granted by the end of October 2010.

The cities of Nelson and Waleska have not issued any new business licenses in October 2011, September 2011 or October 2010.

Nelson also has not issued any licenses this year or last year. Waleska has issued one license this year, down from two granted by this time last year.

Woodstock saw a slight bump in the number of new licenses issued.

The city issued 21 new licenses in October, up slightly from 18 in September, but still down slightly from 22 issued in October 2010.

Woodstock has so far this year granted 176 licenses, down considerably from 260 granted by the close of October 2010.

Natural Strides is one of the city’s new businesses. It opened in October.

The running shoe store specializes in minimalist and barefoot running shoes for those looking to ditch their thick-soled running shoes.

The store is owned and operated by Greg and Kelly Scott of Ball Ground. It will carry shoes, apparel and accessories.

The owners will also provide gait analyses and chirunning and chiwalking instruction to help customers transition into natural movement.

Chirunning and chiwalking are methods focuses on teaching running and walking in a more natural, efficient way.

Before Scott transitioned to minimalist running, he suffered with persistent knee and iliotibial band pain.

Since he began practicing chirunning and running in minimalist shoes in 2007, the pain has been nonexistent.

Scott has been chirunning since 2007 and hasn’t looked back.

“I saw the benefits of minimalist and barefoot running had on my own health,” he said.

Scott, who noted his store is the first of its kind open in the Southeast, said he hopes to spread the message and health benefits of being barefoot “or as close it as possible.”

Scott also said he’s excited about opening his store in downtown Woodstock.

“It’s clearly going in the right direction and we want to be part of it,” he said.

List of businesses:

Ball Ground

Equine Advocates of North Georgia

9972 Ball Ground Highway

Crazy Horse Couture

9972 Ball Ground Highway

High 5 Awards

241 Gilmer Ferry Road

Canton

Avenir Home Health

147 Reinhardt College Parkway

Bealls Outlet Store No. 572

1439 RiverStone Parkway

China Star

2060 Cumming Highway

Ellia Simon Agency

1550 RiverStone Parkway

J. Wynn Salon, LLC

551 RiverStone Parkway

Justin Balmes Projects

701 Mountain Laurel Drive

M & W Sheetmetal

301 Breeze Court

Salon 403

403 Wisteria Trail

Waldron Plumbing

502 Sautee Place

Cherokee County

610 Corp

Home-based business

ABR Services

Home-based business

AFAB Services

Home-based business

AHT Liftgates, LLC

Home-based business

All About Painting

Home-based business

ArborTerra, LLC

Home-based business

Bulls Eye Media LLC

Home-based business

Candys Specialty Jams & More by Bill Bower

Home-based business

Carol Caldwells Shooting Supplies

Home-based business

Cipriani General Contracting, LLC

Home-based business

Classic Garage Door Service

Home-based business

Clean by Design, LLC

Home-based business

Corona Solar Group LLC

Home-based business

Depp Automotive, LLC

6285 Ball Ground Highway

Ball Ground

Depictions Photography

Home-based business

Dennis Aspy Counseling

Home-based business

Foodmate US, Inc.

300 Wilbanks Drive

Ball Ground

Fox Fabrications and More

Home-based business

Frugal Freddy’s

Home-based business

General Site Services LLC

Home-based business

Georgia Banquets, LLC

Home-based business

Gerrell Equipment Leasing, Inc.

Home-based business

Global Defense Consulting, Inc.

Home-based business

GP Contractors, LLC

Home-based business

Great Sky Financial Group, LLC

Home-based business

Group 92, LLC

Home-based business

GTG Signals

Home-based business

H.A.S. Pest Control Solutions LLC

Home-based business

I Am Alpha M, LLC

Home-based business

JJ Trucking Company

Home-based business

Keith Piper Construction

Home-based business

Laura Emery

Home-based business

Litt’l Rascals Mobile Grooming Salon LLC

Home-based business

M & H Poultry

Home-based business

Michael Jordan

Home-based business

Nancy S. Parker

Home-based business

Natural Motion Therapeutics

Home-based business

One Sunny Day Atlanta

Home-based business

P,Zazz Properties, LLC

Home-based business

Paragon Web Technologies, LLC

Home-based business

Pettway Services, LLC

Home-based business

Phoenix Controls

Home-based business

QR Codes of Atlanta

Home-based business

Randy Reynolds Roofing

Home-based business

R C B Utilities

Home-based business

Renee Keeton DBA Clean Save America

Home-based business

Restoring Faith Church

Home-based business

Riggs Educational Advocates for Children, LLC

Home-based business

Ron Lummus

Home-based business

Sky Photography

Home-based business

Skylar Blaine Autos

7117 Main St.

Woodstock, GA

Smart Alek Solutions Inc.

Home-based business

Smiling Iguana

Home-based business

SN Petroleum LLC DBA Chevron Kwick Mart

6410 Bells Ferry Road

Woodstock, GA 30188

Squeegee Clean Window Cleaning

Home-based business

Steam Turbine Generators, LLC

Home-based business

The Gifted Ferret

1910 Eagle Drive

Woodstock, GA

The Stacy Brown Company

Home-based business

Tony Cloud Woodworks

Home-based business

Tractor Supply Company

12110 Cumming Highway

Canton GA

V & V Services, LLC

Home-based business

WCS Enterprises Of Georgia, LLC

Home-based business

Wayne Wheeler Construction

250 Rope Mill Parkway

Woodstock GA

Wizbang Web Design

Home-based business

Woodmen’s Tree Service, LLC

Home-based business

Working With Houses, LLC

Home-based business

Holly Springs

Bethesda Community Clinic

107 Mountain Brook Drive., Suite 100

Polaris Power Services

2258 Holly Springs Parkway

Rotting Contracting, Inc.

907 Landsdowne Cove

Versatile United Inc.

216 Fox Creek Blvd.

Woodstock

A Plus Computer Solutions, Inc

197 Hubbard Road

Aiello’s Sporting Goods, Inc

439 Mountain View Lane

Astra Grading & Pipe LLC

300 Churchill Court

Big City Media

319 Tuggle Court

East of Main

127 East Main St.

Eric Wittmayer Photography, LLC

400 Sycamore Lane Apartment 101

Evo Transport, LLC

225 Creekstone Ridge No. 18

Graham Kuhn

511 Papillion Terrace

Init Style, Inc.

311 Sam Cobb Place

Innovative Health and Wellness, LLC

8811 Highway 92 Suite 114

Kessler Enterprises

573 Rivercrest Drive

New Life Consignments, LLC

10029 Highway 92

Paramount Solutions, Inc.

425 Old Deerfield Lane

Pear Tree Photography

122 Brendylynn Terrace

Provincia Mexican Grill

9770 Main St.

Resolutions Step by Step

242 Creekstone Ridge

Romac Industrial Parts

607 Bell Park Circle

Stay Lodge Woodstock

106 Woodpark Blvd.

The Hair Market Salon, LLC

103 Dupree Road Apartment A

Y Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, LLC

145 Towne Lake Parkway No. 101

Yalaris Transport, Inc

225 Creekstone Ridge No. 18