SEATTLE — Since 2010, people have been encouraged to shop and eat local on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, better known as Small Business Saturday.
And this year, amid ongoing tariffs and trade changes, more small businesses say they’re relying on the holiday season for profit, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index.
Locally, shoppers browsed West Seattle Junction early Saturday afternoon.
“It’s [Small Business Saturday] busier than Black Friday is for us and even busier than Cyber Monday,” said Eric Michael, store manager at Pegasus Book Exchange.
The brick-and-mortar store on California Ave. SW has offered a unique shopping experience for West Seattle book lovers for over 40 years. The cramped but charming store is packed to the brim with both new and old books for readers of all ages.
“A lot of people just love the smell, the feel of it,” Michael explained. “There’s some books that are only available in this format.”
Just a few doors down, Next to Nature Pet Markets has been selling all things cats and dogs, as well as outdoor gear and attire for 25 years. The store’s co-owner, Beya Mark, told KOMO News that Small Business Saturday helps both with bringing in new faces and bringing back past customers.
“It’s highlighting us, and that’s really important,” Mark said. “We work hard, and people need to know we’re here.”
For every $100 spent at a small business, the American Independent Business Alliance estimates roughly $45 is reinvested in the surrounding community. As for locals, they claim they prefer the experience of “shopping small.”
“If you go to PetSmart, things like that, it’s just all kind of commercial type stuff, so you don’t really get that personal service,” said Michele Riddell.
Riddell took her one-year-old dog, Sadie, to Next to Nature for some shopping and left with a new treat for her.
“They were able to answer a lot of questions for us today,” she added.
Mark says shopping local goes beyond just supporting her business. As a small, two-location market, the co-owners are able to thoughtfully stock their shelves based on what loyal customers want, according to Mark.
“We get to curate products that are local, that we believe in,” she explained.
While the book industry has faced changes, like eBooks and audiobooks growing significantly more popular, Michael believes his regulars still prefer buying in-store more than online. He believes this is partly due to the interactions they have with him and other staff.
“They know we can recommend better than any algorithm can, because we know them,” Michael continued, “and we know our books.”
