Small San Francisco retailer still suffering the post-pandemic blues
SAN FRANCISCO -- At Ambiance, a clothing boutique that has been operating on Union Street for more than 20 years, Small Business Saturday may have been its slowest ever.
Gwen Lee has worked at Ambiance for several years as the director of stores.
She said even a one-day only 20% off discount wasn't enough to lure very many customers into the Cow Hollow boutique all day long.
"It's a little disheartening, I expected - even last year was a lot of fun and flurry," Lee said. "We're hoping for a good holiday season, I'm hoping that everyone's out of town... When I came this morning, the street was completely empty, lots of parking."
Items range anywhere from $10 to $400.
Lee said rising costs and inflation are making customers think twice before purchasing.
"They are buying gifts, but they're very conscious of what they're spending. I used to have customers that [had] piles... you know they would just knock it all out in one full sweep. Now it's - they're waiting," she added.
Damien Porter came in looking for a Great Gatsby-inspired outfit for his fiance.
"I'm much more about finding unique gifts. Both Union Street and Chestnut Street have really cute stores like this," he said.
A new survery from personal finance website bankrate.com shows even more Americans shop on Saturday than Black Friday. But the majority still buy from large businesses.
Lee is staying optimistic despite the disappointing Thanksgiving weekend turnout.
"It's Ambiance, we made it through the pandemic, and we'll figure it out to bring people in," she said.
