Small Business Saturday, observed the Saturday after Thanksgiving, has encouraged shoppers to support local, independent businesses for more than 15 years.
Launched by American Express, the annual shopping event aims to remind consumers that where they spend their money can make a direct impact on their community. According to American Express, more than 65 million people shopped at small businesses nationwide on Small Business Saturday last year, spending billions of dollars in local communities.
Southside Corpus Christi businesses prepare for Small Business Saturday
Local business owners say one of the biggest advantages of shopping small is finding items customers won’t see everywhere else.
“We’re not going to have 50 of one item,” said Danelle Jamison, owner of Villa Tesoros in Corpus Christi. “We might have two or three of that item, which gives customers exclusivity. When someone compliments what you’re wearing, you can say you got it at a local shop — and chances are it won’t be restocked.”
Other business owners agree that many shoppers are searching for something different during the holiday season.
“People are looking for unique items,” said Leslie Walberg, owner of Objects D’ Art. “Sometimes they don’t want to give the cookie-cutter gift that everyone else is giving.”
Beyond unique gifts, business owners say small businesses play a vital role in supporting the local economy in ways large retailers cannot.
“Big box stores aren’t giving money back to the community the way small businesses are,” Jamison said.
Owners say shopping locally helps support neighborhood events, local causes, and community initiatives. When residents choose to spend their dollars at local businesses, that money often circulates back into the community, strengthening both neighborhoods and the small businesses themselves.
“As small business owners, we want our community to thrive because as our community thrives, our business thrives,” Jamison said. “That’s why we try to give back as much as we can.”
Several Corpus Christi businesses participating in Small Business Saturday include Villa Tesoros at 1105 Airline Road, Objects D’ Art at 5734 McArdle Road, and Legacy Gifts & Engraving at 1205 Airline Road.
Small Business Saturday serves as a reminder that after the rush of Black Friday deals, shopping local can make a lasting impact close to home.
To learn about more Small Business Saturday events this weekend in the coastal bend, click here.
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