SHREVEPORT, La. – Local businesses are welcoming holiday shoppers to take advantage of discounts while reinvesting in their community on Small Business Saturday.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Americans spent $17 billion at local businesses last year. Since the holiday’s inception in 2010, total annual spending on Small Business Saturday amounts to $201 billion.
Small business owners are often the go to sponsors for community events.
“When you shop big-box retailers, that money is not coming back to your community. When you shop the little guys, all that money comes right back into the community,” said The Grove owner Carrie Restel.
The Grove located at 107 N. Spring Street houses 54 vendors, each operating their own small business. Restel says these are the people who sponsor school events and donate to charities or silent auctions.
“You’ve got 54 independent business owners and they’re all counting on shoppers this time of year to really boost what they do every day for the community and what they do at home,” said Restel.
Business owners say this is the best time of the year to support those who support the community. JoBeth Sheppard owns Parish Girls and Simply Chic in Shreveport located right next to each other at 6120 Line Avenue. She says the Black Friday, Small Business Saturday shopping sprees are exciting and busy.
“So many people come out and really support us. It’s been very busy and we’ve seen a lot of people for Black Friday, but we hope they come back tomorrow and remember small businesses are the ones donating to baseball teams, schools, silent auctions and charities,” said Sheppard.
Shoppers often become friends at small businesses like The Enchanted Garden at 2429 Line Avenue. Justin Jahnke recollects when his family would take him to the store to buy toys.
“I was speaking with Deb, the owner, about the toys I bought as a kid which were the cornerstone of my growing up. I remember pulling into the parking lot excited and literally enchanted to go inside,” said Jahnke.
Deb Cockrell has owned The Enchanted Garden for 44 years. The design and layout of the store, featuring fantastical whimsy, reflects the name on the front of the building promising shoppers what they will find inside.
“Small Business Saturday is a great day to show your local shops how much you appreciate them. We love our customers and they all stop by this weekend just to say how much they appreciate this store being here for decades. We’ve been so blessed over the years. Our customers have become our friends, and that is my favorite part of this holiday weekend. We get to see everybody,” Cockrell said.
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