CLEVELAND — As the holiday shopping season gets underway, local businesses are asking for community support, especially on Small Business Saturday. The day, designed to encourage people to shop locally, can make a big difference in a business’ sales and success, according to one local owner.
“Small Business Saturday literally can make or break a business,” said Sam Friedman, founder of City Goods and a family owner of Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve.
City Goods is a sort of small business community in Ohio City, where dozens of local artisans and entrepreneurs share retail space. Friedman said the intention of City Goods is to help these Clevelanders gain an avenue to reach the public with their products.
Friedman said small businesses face a number of challenges, including high costs for retail space, insurance, and parking, in addition to competition from big box stores and online retailers.
“I remember the last five or six years when I had a small retail shop in downtown, there were times when this weekend of Black Friday and Small Business Saturday would give some of these businesses 20, 25% of their revenue for the entire year,” Friedman said.
Promise To Care, a skincare brand by Alicia Cleveland, shares the same retail space as Friedman’s Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve. On display are Cleveland’s lotions and toners, some of which will be part of a special discounted package for Small Business Saturday and the weekend.
“[It’s] very important,” Cleveland said of Small Business Saturday. “I have been in business for about five years now, and I’m a mother, and so usually this is a time where I can also start bringing in revenue that can help expand my business, but then I can also do some extra special stuff for myself, for my daughters.”
In Tremont, Banyan Tree owner Christie Murdoch shows 3News a buy one, get one 50% sign, a deal on sweaters she has going for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.
“This is like our kickoff to the year, so we’re excited to see new and old faces that come in,” Murdoch said.
Holiday shoppers also make an impact on Murdoch’s business. She said that shopping in the month of December accounts for about 20% of her business for the year.
“It’s such a big time for us,” she said. “I think a lot of our customers come out to support the local businesses in the area, and we really rely on it too as well.”
Murdoch said shopping locally can also be more of an experience for customers, who can make a day out of visiting shops and restaurants, and build relationships with business owners in their area.
"If the people don’t show up and really support on Small Business Saturday, we can lose local small businesses,” Friedman said. “And on the converse, if you come and you spend your dollars here on this weekend, you're really bolstering the local economy and you're ensuring these shops are going to succeed again and be here another year."