Shoppers wait a day to invest locally

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Brand new on the shelves this holiday shopping season: Small Business Saturday.

Christmas music is playing and cash registers are singing. This year, some shoppers chose to wait an extra day to check their lists twice. Shopper Liga Lidums bypassed the big stores on Black Friday to support local shops on Small Business Saturday.

“I think it’s a much more enjoyable experience. I can’t imagine waiting in line for hours and then being trampled as you try to get something, and I think the selection in smaller businesses is better as well, instead of the mass-produced items that you usually get in the larger chains,” Lidums said.

An enjoyable experience is exactly what local business owner Joan Loch strives for. She admitted there is an element of fun in Black Friday, but said Small Business Saturday is a different kind of fun…relaxing and welcoming. Loch said Small Business Saturday is about more than just one day.

“It’s not a micro thing; it’s a macro thing. It will raise the consciousness of people to continually support small businesses,” Loch said.

Supporting small means big impacts locally. Loch said local shops tend to hire local folks.

“The money that their employees and also the owners, they spend it back in the community. So it’s that viral trickle effect; it stays,” Loch said.

Joan and Mike Loch’s store, Crescent Moon, saw a 37.5% increase in sales from last year. Business owners hope the creative collectibles and customer care shoppers experience will keep Small Business Saturday, a national effort led by American Express, on the shelves as a best seller for years to come.