Wilmington businesses see hundreds of shoppers for Small Business Saturday
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Shopping on the day after Black Friday is designed to encourage shoppers to buy and eat at local small businesses, and over the weekend merchants and shops weren’t short of customers.
Small Business Saturday, bringing out shoppers to the Cargo District.
Rachael Kinsey owns Crafted Outpost and was ecstatic to see the number of shoppers who came out to support local businesses.
“It was really surprising, we opened at 10 a.m., and we had people actually waiting to come in,” she said. “It was really beautiful to see the community show up.”
Shoppers were also showing up in downtown Wilmington – hundreds of people filling the streets like Heather Caveny and her daughter Anna Whaley – getting a head start on Christmas gifts.
“This is my first day of Christmas shopping,” said Heather Caven. “She’s way ahead of me on Christmas shopping.”
“I went Black Friday shopping yesterday but I love the small business stuff honestly,” said Anna Whaley. “It’s like, all unique, the tea is good, and I love it.”
Merchant Alex Kinion was manning Queen Esther’s Teas booth and giving away out free samples.
“I’ve seen an influx of people coming out, everybody’s been super supportive of small business,” he said. “We’ve gotten a lot of love today.”
Four-year-old Addy Hess was out with her family and found the perfect gift for a friend coming to visit.
“A card for Stella, they’re coming today,” she said.
Artist Lisa Hutterer offered something a little different, her business, Super Star Face Painting, offers face painting and animal balloons, she said customers have been loyal to the local business community throughout the years.
“I’ve watched their kids grow up,” said Hutterer. “Everyone’s very supportive of not only me but the whole artistic community, yeah.”
Dawn Porcari is visiting from New Jersey and decided to take her daughter’s advice and support Wilmington’s local businesses and restaurants.
“I’m actually visiting my daughter for the holidays and she had said that they had this small business Saturday here,” she said. “So we came out to support the shops, so I’m supporting.”
Something small and local businesses have appreciated, is holiday shoppers spending their Christmas dollars with them.
Small business Saturday was first observed in the United States on November 27, 2010 – it complements Black Friday and Cyber Monday encouraging shoppers to patronize brick-and-mortar businesses that are small and local.
