SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Small Business Saturday drove hundreds of shoppers to St. Armands as local entrepreneurs hoped consumers would choose to shop close to home following Black Friday.
Foxy Lady, which has operated since 1991, was among the businesses seeing increased foot traffic. General Manager Jodi Frauhiger said the store has been in business for 53 years.
“We are proud number one— This is Sarasota; we have such a beautiful community, and we want to help support it,” Frauhiger said. “We try to support all of our local sponsors in terms of charities and fashion shows. We are all about our community that’s what a small business is about.”
For decades, the Suncoast has allowed entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality by supporting their small businesses. Small Business Saturday serves as a reminder to shop local.
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Small businesses operating in St. Armands say community support is the backbone of their success.
“If you don’t shop local you don’t help your community. 53 years in business and we try to take it all in and pay it forward at the same time,” Frauhiger said.
Lisa Gurne, manager of Ivory Coast, said customers receive personal support at small businesses.
“You get customer support here. We are here for them. It’s not like a big Costco where you don’t have any interaction with the people that actually own the place,” Gurne said. “It supports the community. It’s all about community. You get things here you don’t get anywhere else.”
Created by American Express and co-sponsored by the Small Business Administration, the shopping holiday is a critical revenue driver for over 30 million small businesses across the nation. Small Business Saturday has helped generate more than $220 billion for restaurants, independent retailers and service-based businesses, according to the Small Business Administration.
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