Promoting small businesses for the holidays

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday there is “Small Business Saturday.”

Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad issued a proclamation declaring Nov. 26 as “Small Business Saturday.”

He said the reason for doing this was to encourage people to support the local economy, which is best done through small businesses. He said he also wants small businesses to know they are appreciated in the community.”

“When you talk about economic development, we talk about how great it is that we’ve got these big companies and they’re bringing in 200 or 300 or 400 jobs and the small businesses community sometimes feels like they’re being neglected and they’ve been forgotten,” Blad said. “The last thing we want is for them to feel like they’ve been forgotten because truly they are the fabric of our community.”

According to the United States Small Business Administration, there are currently 28.8 million small businesses nationwide. The USSBA said small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all businesses with employees in the U.S. so it’s important to keep them in business.

Old Town Pocatello alone has several small and unique businesses. One of those in Vain and Vintage on Main Street, which is owned by Laura Hamilton.

In her store, she has Christmas decorations, old pinball machines, chandelier crystals, old keys and more. She has a little bit of everything, she said. Hamilton said unique and special items is one plus to shopping at small businesses.

“When you go to the big box of stores you’re going to find a whole bunch of the same old, same old,” she said. “Around here, we know that we can’t compete in terms of their prices and so we make sure that we have unique offerings and things that you’re not going to be able to find there.”

When people shop locally, the money stays locally. Matthew Hunter, president of the Pocatello Chamber of Commerce, said keeping the money locally all boosts the local economy.

Businesses buy supplies locally and donate to local causes, keeping the money all circling in the community rather than going international through larger chain stores, Hamilton said.

“You’re buying dance lessons for little girls, you’re buying milk for kids, you’re paying rents,” she said.

Hunter said it supports the local economy and local people who live in and contribute to the economy as well. He said especially around the holidays, small businesses rely on community shoppers.

“For many of them, this is the one time of the year that they make that break even number,” Hunter said.

“It really picks up around Christmas time and it makes a huge difference,” Hamilton said. “That’s how I buy Christmas for my kids. I count on that to get that extra money to make Christmas good for my kids.”

Hamilton said it’s also an experience shopping at small businesses. Instead of the hustle-and-bustle of larger stores, it’s an experience to shop small and meet people. She said she loves hearing customer’s stories.

Blad agrees – he said things larger stores push, like Black Friday, can make for a miserable shopping experience because people are literally fighting over gifts and prices.

Hunter said at small businesses you also get great, personal service you wouldn’t get at larger stores.

To try and encourage people to get out to local shops, Old Town is holding a candy cane hunt on Saturday. Several businesses in Old Town have hid candy canes in their stores. Each candy cane has a prize attached for those who find it.

Hamilton said this is a fun way to get the community out into the shops and have fun while they do it.

Old Town will also have a Night Lights Parade Friday night at 6:30. More information can be found on Old Town’s Facebook page.

“Small Business Saturday” is a nationwide promotion.