Small Business Saturday provides big boost

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Brown Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, one of the busiest time for shopping out of the year but which impacts the Port City the most?

More jobs and opportunities, lower taxes, and strengthen your local economy, that what you do when you shop local.

Kate Evans, a shopper that came downtown just to shop at local businesses, “I purchased cupcakes, my daughter bought a sweater, my sister bought a coat.”

With Christmas now less than a month away, Brown Thursday and Black Friday were the first opportunities to snag some good deals but shopping at those big box stories only 14 dollars out of every 100 goes back into our local economy. Verses spending that same 100 dollars at a mom and pop retail store which 68 dollars stays right here at home.

Evans says, “It’s money back into the economy for small business owners, and also for something different that you’re not going to find at the mall.”

Local shop owner Peggy Mahan said the turn this year was great, “We beat last year’s numbers for yesterday so I was very happy about that and I’m really hoping to do the same this year.”

The temperatures outside are matching the holiday season which means coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea is in order, so why not think local when you’re wanting a warm beverage. Instead of heading to the closest coffee chain, go to your hometown coffee shop.

Each dollar you spend at independent business returns 3 times more money back into our local economy than one spent at a chain.

What about Cyber Monday? When you purchase online, not a single dime returns to your community unless it’s a local business.

Mahan who owns Occasions Just Write says, “Since we sell so many Christmas cards and gift items, we are pretty steady from now through the holidays so we are hoping for a bang up December.”

Next time you’re shopping local, know your money is helping that smiling face standing in front of you and the ones to your sides.

“We just appreciate all the business, actually we have had people coming in just for Small Business Saturday,” said Graham Pelletier and artist and employee at Port city Pottery and Fine Crafts

Although the numbers for this year are not in yet, but according to the National Retail Federation 248.7 million shoppers who were in stores and online over Thanksgiving weekend in 2013.