Local shops around the nation got a boost on Small Business Saturday. It’s an annual day to show support for small businesses the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
During a time when small businesses are competing with online shopping, Folsom shut down a street and offered dining specials to get people out and into local businesses. It’s a day where folks can get ahead of their holiday shopping, while also supporting their local shops.
“Good for the economy, good to shop local and support everyone else that supports us the rest of the year,” said shopper Barbara Garcia.
“Like most small businesses, this day puts you into the black. It’s not Black Friday, it’s Small Business Saturday, but it has the same effect on small business owners,” said Ruby’s Books employee Ariel Hardee.
The small businesses on Sutter Street say this is a significant day for them. They say it’s not just about the money, but the community that comes out of shopping locally.
“At the end of the day, if people are sitting on their computers and ordering from Amazon or the big box stores, that’s all we’re going to have left. So you’re not going to be able to come to these cute little towns, have a nice dinner,” said the owner of Dorothea’s Shoppe Jim Metzker.
“We are here in the neighborhood. They can pick it up right now, wrap it, and put it under the tree. And they’re helping to support the people they live next to and the ones working in the stores they’re patronizing,” said Hardee.
The stores CBS13 spoke with were touched by the outpour of support.
“It’s been very busy and this isn’t even our expected busiest day of the year,” said Dorothea’s Shoppe Sherri Metzker.
The city of Folsom also echoed the importance of shopping locally, saying in a statement in part, “Dollars you spend in Folsom help fund vital public services, such as police, fire, schools, trash collection, recycling, and road maintenance—plus amenities such as parks, the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, and the Folsom Public Library.”Â