Local shopping is being promoted by artisans and small shop owners in West Michigan on this Small Business Saturday.
The owner of the The 12th House, Sarah Cash said that it would definitely help when there is more than business in it and they could all support each other and share it.
The 12th House is located beside the corner of Jefferson Avenue SE and Fulton Street is a gift shop. It also promotes hippy art and has products from above 65 artists. The 12th House also participates in the “Christmas on the Westside” along with 9 other small businesses. “Christmas on the Westside” is a yearly event that curates artwork from Michigan Artists and local Grand Rapids.
This year this is hosted by The Art of Life Gallery and Studio. Regarding their participation, Sara Cash said that they are participating in a holiday shop hop with some businesses in the West Side and Monroe Center.
All 10 participants will have their own sale in the event of “Christmas on the Westside”. If a customer visits all ten of them they are considered eligible to enter into a drawing. From that three winners will be selected who would get a $100 valued basket each. The names of the winners will be announced later.
Cash’s The 12th House is marking its debut in this event this year. She said that it definitely was harder as an individual business to try to get seen out there and they all appreciate anyone who can come out and help support their local businesses on Saturday. She continued that it would help to keep Grand Rapids alive, and the small businesses around there.
The owner of Loc Royalty, Tiesha Hogue is setting up another event at Baxter Community Center Saturday for around 15 Black-owned businesses. She said that this is their sixth year doing that and when they first started out they were running two separate events; then they decided to come together because they were having two separate Small Business Saturday events. This event would have different businesses displaying various services and products for the apparel, accessories, and home care.
She said that businesses often face struggles to promote their brand and working together can bring awareness to all of such struggling shops at the same spot. Hogue further said that there is power in numbers and if they use our resources to celebrate others then everybody can win.
Food and music could be found at the event between noon to 5 in the evening. Mrs. Moody Claus and Black Santa would present pictures and story time which would start at 1:45 pm.
Ann Brothers, a shopper, said that she is intending to spend money on local shops this year and she has set her mind towards Small Business Saturday during this year’s Black Friday.
She further commented that it’s kind of a win-win because she can get something unique for someone and she could also support local businesses.
The National Retail Federation while estimating the record holiday sales reported that 46% of consumers it is stated that they’ve already started shopping due to concerns about inflation and getting the best deals.
Nate Hindman and her daughters, a part of this percentage couldn’t contribute towards the small businesses as they could not check away their wish lists. She said that they are hoping for some good sales and getting some early Christmas shopping done, instead of waiting until Christmas. She continued that you got to cut corners in some places and you could not spend on or buy everything that you want.
Genise Brothers, a shopper, said that she along with her husband has decided to be proactive in making the necessary tradeoffs to take on a better holiday shopping budget. She explained that they do not eat out much, they spend more time cooking at home doing things at home, but that allows them to come out and shop at a place like that or go out.
It’s a totally different story for small business owners. Lauren Lasater, owner of Kalamazoo art studio and boutique Colors & Cocktails said that her businesses have witnessed some green over the last year and there was a hike of 11 % in the net revenue. She has noticed new customers as well as her regular ones dropping in for purchasing.
She said that people want to see the success of their small businesses and they want such businesses to stay there because more businesses opting for Amazon and big-budget retailers can considerably decrease the money that would be spent on little communities like hers.
Lasater said that her business would be one among the small businesses that offer exclusives in their stores to celebrate the beginning season. Many other small business owners are also introducing these exclusive offers in an attempt to draw more consumers toward them.
Read More:-
