BUSINESS OWNERS SAY THEY’RE GRATEFUL. I DECIDED THAT MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION IS TO NOT SHOP AT AMAZON ANYMORE. HOLIDAY SHOPPERS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE ECLECTIC SHOPS CARNEGIE HAS TO OFFER. I LOVE TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES. I LOVE THE PAINTINGS HERE. THEY’RE ALL LOCAL, LOCAL ARTISTS, AND THERE’S THIS ONE PAINTING THAT I LOVED FOR YEARS THAT I HAD TO COME BACK AND GRAB FOR BLACK FRIDAY. FOR JENNIFER VELEZ, IT’S BUYING THAT PAINTING JUST IN TIME FOR HER BIRTHDAY. AND FOR MEGAN DERRICK, IT’S EXPLORING THE NEWEST BOOKSTORE AND CHECKING OUT SOME ANTIQUES FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. THE MONEY IS GOING TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND THEN THE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE PUTTING THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY MORE. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE SUPPORTING OTHER THINGS AROUND HERE, AND IT’S NOT JUST GOING TO SOME CORPORATION. SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN CARNEGIE SAY SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY GETS MORE EYES ON THEIR STORE. IT’S A REAL BOOST. IT’S REALLY NICE PEOPLE COME OUT AND SUPPORT US. IT’S A CHANCE TO, YOU KNOW, MEET SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS WHERE WE NORMALLY WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, SHOP ONLINE. BUT REALLY, THEY SAY EVERY DAY IS SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY AS THEY WORK TO COMPETE AGAINST BIG BOX STORES. WE’RE THE PERSON YOU WALK IN AND GET THAT PERSONAL TOUCH. I KNOW MY PRODUCTS, MY PRODUCTS HAVE STORIES. EVERY ONE OF THEM. SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY IS FOLLOWED UP WITH CYBER MONDAY FOR ONLINE SHOPPING. BUSINESS OWNERS HERE SAY THEY’LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT THAT TREND AND STAY OPEN TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY. REPO
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Local businesses, customers prepare for Small Business Saturday
Business owners in Carnegie grateful for community support
Updated: 12:22 AM EST Nov 30, 2024
The Small Business Administration projects that Americans spent $17 billion on Small Business Saturday last year. In Carnegie, shoppers are vowing to shop local.“I decided that my New Year’s resolution is to not shop at Amazon anymore,” shopper Megan Derrick said.“I love to support local businesses. I love the paintings here. They’re all local artists. And there’s this one painting that I loved for years that I had to come back and grab for Black Friday,” Jennifer Velez said as she bought her painting just in time for her birthday.“The money is going to support the local community, and then the business owners are putting that money back into the community more. They’re supporting other things around here, and it’s not just going to some corporation,” Derrick said.Small business owners in Carnegie say they’re grateful for the support, and Small Business Saturday gets more eyes on their stores.“It’s a real boost. It’s really nice. People come out and support us. It’s a chance to meet some of our customers, where we normally would just shop online,” said Blake Anthony, owner of Pittsburgh Pottery.“I do have an author coming in — she’s a local author, a health coach. She’ll be here in the morning to sign books. All the proceeds from her sales are going to Riley’s Pour House, which burned down recently. That’ll be in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, we have an acoustic guitar player here,” said Michael Ploetz, owner of Woolly Bear Books & Gifts.But every day is Small Business Saturday as they work to compete against big-box stores.“We’re the person you walk in and get that personal touch. I know my products. My products have stories, every one of them. I get them from all over the United States, all over the world. When I bring them in, I can tell you about that product. You’re not just buying a piece of something off the rack. You’ve got good customer service,” said Bonita Farinelli, owner of Eccentricity Designs.Small Business Saturday is followed by Cyber Monday for online shopping. Business owners say they will continue to fight those trends to stay open and serve their community.
The Small Business Administration projects that Americans spent $17 billion on Small Business Saturday last year. In Carnegie, shoppers are vowing to shop local.
“I decided that my New Year’s resolution is to not shop at Amazon anymore,” shopper Megan Derrick said.
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“I love to support local businesses. I love the paintings here. They’re all local artists. And there’s this one painting that I loved for years that I had to come back and grab for Black Friday,” Jennifer Velez said as she bought her painting just in time for her birthday.
“The money is going to support the local community, and then the business owners are putting that money back into the community more. They’re supporting other things around here, and it’s not just going to some corporation,” Derrick said.
Small business owners in Carnegie say they’re grateful for the support, and Small Business Saturday gets more eyes on their stores.
“It’s a real boost. It’s really nice. People come out and support us. It’s a chance to meet some of our customers, where we normally would just shop online,” said Blake Anthony, owner of Pittsburgh Pottery.
“I do have an author coming in — she’s a local author, a health coach. She’ll be here in the morning to sign books. All the proceeds from her sales are going to Riley’s Pour House, which burned down recently. That’ll be in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, we have an acoustic guitar player here,” said Michael Ploetz, owner of Woolly Bear Books & Gifts.
But every day is Small Business Saturday as they work to compete against big-box stores.
“We’re the person you walk in and get that personal touch. I know my products. My products have stories, every one of them. I get them from all over the United States, all over the world. When I bring them in, I can tell you about that product. You’re not just buying a piece of something off the rack. You’ve got good customer service,” said Bonita Farinelli, owner of Eccentricity Designs.
Small Business Saturday is followed by Cyber Monday for online shopping. Business owners say they will continue to fight those trends to stay open and serve their community.
This post was originally published on here
