The Saturday after Thanksgiving has been deemed Small Business Saturday since 2010. It’s a way to help out your local small business and boost the local economy.
Cape Coral
WINK News Reporter Brea Hollingsworth was out in Cape Coral today to see where people were shopping.
The Cape Coral Farmer’s Market is just one of the places where you can catch a large number of small business owners. Those owners are used to having quite a few people out on a Saturday morning but are hoping Small Business Saturday brings even more.
This Small Business Saturday is especially important since so many businesses had to shut down at the height of the pandemic.
Michelle Williamson is the Owner of Buff City Soap. “A big portion of the economy is small businesses and it is important to support those small businesses on the back side to support the economy,” said Willaimson.
So Michelle hopes that shoppers will support local businesses like hers today.
Fort Myers
WINK News Reporter Andrea Guerrero saw a steady stream of people in Fort Myers at Jennifer’s Boutique.
Owner Jennifer Williams says her clients have been great throughout all of this. “I have been supported by great clients and I know that I couldn’t be there unless they supported me,” said Williams.
She appreciates the support from her loyal customers like Fiona Williams. “So that they can survive and because of that they will always give people employment and it’s very very important for us to keep that in mind that we need to support local businesses,” Fiona said.
Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to buying things from local entrepreneurs. But this year’s is just a little more meaningful because of the pandemic.
“Humbling, very humbling to see clients calling into the store and saying,” said Williams. “I want to make sure they’re still there we don’t want you to go anywhere.”
Fiona Williams wants to do her part to keep local businesses open. “Very important because we don’t want them to shut the businesses,” she said.
Stylists at Red Salon are just happy to be open again. “We’re real happy that we’re back,” said Tamara Pysick.
Not every small business has been so lucky, though. More than 100,000 small businesses have been forced to closed due to the pandemic.
“It’s been busier, but it’s not quite like it has been in the past,” Pysick said.
But they’re happy to see people in their salon chairs, at least.
Both businesses are hopeful that when more people come to Southwest Florida for the winter, more people will stumble into their shops and business will pick up.