Small Business Saturday shines a spotlight on ‘the soul of the community’

Black Friday is for big box stores and major retailers, Cyber Monday is for shopping online. In between the two is a day when the spotlight is on local, small Mom-and-Pop stores.

Since 2010, the Saturday after Thanksgiving has been known as Small Business Saturday. On this day, people all across the country visit the locally owned brick-and-mortar stores in their neighborhood.

“We have, you know, over 75,000 small businesses in the District,” Rosemary Suggs-Evans, director of DC’s Department of Small and Local Business Development. “Small businesses, as everyone knows, are the backbone of the economy. But even more important, I say they’re the soul of the community.”

As Director Suggs-Evans spoke to shoppers and vendors inside Eastern Market, she pointed out that a lot of people’s first job was at a local business.

“Small business owners hire locally. Small business owners ensure that people are able to provide for their families … they support the economy,” said Suggs-Evans.

The historic Eastern Market is in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of D.C. From meats, cheese, fish and flowers, the building that hosts the market dates back to the 1800s. The weekly event offers most everything that a fan of farmer markets would want.

“We are shopping small in our favorite part of Washington, D.C.,” Barbara Bomessa, a Capitol Hill resident, said. “It’s where we live, it’s the people we live around. We want to keep money in our community. We don’t need to go to the big box stores. They have their place, but it’s good to shop small.”

Inside, Bomessa was buying fish. Outside, Amy Nazarov, along with her husband and dog, were also shopping. Along with an empanada, Nazarov picked up a gift for a special friend.

“There’s a person who makes products out of old vintage books, and I just ordered a set of coasters from her using pages of a vintage edition of Wind in the Willows,” said Nazarov.

Like a lot of people shopping today, Nazarov makes a point of buying from local businesses.

“They’re very important for the character of the Hill — the small businesses on Capitol Hill are run by Capitol Hill folks, Washingtonians,” she said. “So you’re supporting your neighbors, you’re putting money back into the community, and you’re getting products that are unique and special.”

One store offering unique goods this holiday season? The stationary shop Groovy DC Cards and Gifts. Hanging over the front counter are Christmas ornaments of First Ladies Barbara Bush and Jackie Kennedy, along with Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It’s holiday time, so it’s always good on the weekend. But on Small Business Saturday, everyone comes out to support,” said co-owner, Dennis Dewees.

One shopper on a mission was Alex Wright. Wright and his wife Natalie — and their dog — spoke to WTOP about a recent kitchen mishap.

“My father-in-law, his gift to me was snapping one of my fancy knives,” said Wright.

It seemed that Wright was actually happy to be headed to Hills Kitchen, and he was not the only one. The store was packed with people and the owner, Leah Daniels, took time to speak to WTOP after a conversation she had with two customers about the quality of different knives.

“Small Business Saturday is a really fun day. It’s also pretty neat that every year it falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving,” said Daniels. “So people who are in from out of town, who come in every year to see their families at Thanksgiving, come in every year on Small Business Saturday, and it’s a little bit of a homecoming for them.

Daniels, who opened Hills Kitchen in 2006, pointed out that this time of year is good for kitchenware stores.

“We have just gone through Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the Super Bowl of cooking. So whereas all other stores, people are taking a deep breath, we’ve been going crazy for the past week,” said Daniels.

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