Make a big difference by shopping locally on Small Business Saturday

GROSSE POINTES — Want to know a way you can get your holiday shopping done while improving your community? Shop local, at least as much as you can.

Black Friday — Nov. 29 this year — might be all about the national chains and malls, but Small Business Saturday — Nov. 30 — is about showing the shops in your neighborhood some love. Those businesses, in turn, will reward patrons with special sales and offers in honor of Small Business Saturday.

“Small Business Saturday is, of course, the big kickoff to the holiday (shopping season),” Main Street Grosse Pointe Executive Director Cindy Willcock said during a Nov. 18 Grosse Pointe City Council meeting.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 by American Express and has generated sales topping $200 billion at small businesses since then.

“Shopping local and supporting local businesses is essential for various reasons,” Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce President Jenny Boettcher said in an email interview. “Firstly, when you support local businesses, you are investing in your community’s economy and helping it thrive. Local businesses create job opportunities for residents, stimulating economic growth and reducing unemployment rates. Additionally, purchasing from local stores results in a more personalized shopping experience as you can build relationships with the owners and employees who can provide tailored recommendations and customer service.”

Small businesses can help customers find items that fit and flatter them, as well as offer gift suggestions for loved ones. Some even offer gift wrapping.

“Shopping local, shopping small is important,” said Jenny Buda, owner of the Grosse Pointe Woods women’s clothing and accessories boutique, IRIS. “We have to support local and small businesses, or everything is going to be a big box world.”

Buda said the level of service shoppers get at a small business is unparalleled compared to the big box and many chain stores.

Small businesses support the communities where they’re located in ways that chains don’t, such as sponsoring events or providing merchandise or gift cards for charity or school fundraisers.

“The small business impact goes far beyond local businesses,” Willcock said at an Oct. 21 City Council meeting. “If we can even encourage more people to shop local … it has a tremendous impact on the local economy.”

The Avenue in the Woods along Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Woods, The Park shopping district along Kercheval Avenue in Grosse Pointe Park, the Hill on Kercheval Avenue in Grosse Pointe Farms and The Village on Kercheval in Grosse Pointe City all offer distinctive shops and restaurants with gifts for all ages and interests. Additional businesses can be found along Mack in the Farms, City and Park and on Charlevoix Avenue in Grosse Pointe Park.

Trying to find out what businesses in the area you might want to visit? Boettcher said the GPCC online calendar has a list of Small Business Saturday and holiday events, as well as a list of chamber members, many with links to their business websites. Residents can also check out the GPCC’s Facebook page, GP Chamber of Commerce, or its Instagram page, gp_chamber. A number of local businesses advertise in the Grosse Pointe Times, so that’s another way to find them.

“To discover lesser-known businesses in the community, engage with the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce!” Boettcher said. “Follow us on our social media outlets. Daily, we are posting about new businesses, celebrating businesses who have been around for generations, pop-up events hosting by the businesses, special offers, employment opportunities and more! The Chamber’s website offers a curated list of the local businesses.”

During the GPCC’s Grosse Pointe Santa Claus Parade, which takes place starting at 10 a.m. along Kercheval in the Farms and City, Boettcher said the GPCC will be distributing $500 in Grosse Pointe Gift Cards.

“With a Chamber gift card, the options are virtually endless — from dining and enjoying spa treatments to shopping at boutique stores or attending local events,” Boettcher said. “By giving a Chamber gift card, you are not only showing your appreciation for that special someone but also empowering them to explore and enjoy all that our beautiful community has to offer. Purchase a Chamber gift card today and give the gift of choice and support local businesses in a meaningful way.”

Willcock said The Village has launched a new initiative this holiday season: grown up letters to Santa. Forms are available from The Village website or at participating businesses. Participants can list items they’d like from stores in the Grosse Pointe City business district on the form and drop off completed forms at Savvy Chic Boutique, Small Favors or Spice and Tea Exchange, or email them to cwillcock@grossepointecity.org. Within 48 hours of receipt, wish lists will be distributed to participating businesses — Apple Blossom Baby, Dawood Boutique, Glitter & Scotch, Posterity Art & Framing Gallery, Ridge Crest Outfitters, Savvy Chic, Small Favors, Spice and Tea Exchange, Village Palm and Newport. Shoppers can go to these stores and ask what the recipient has requested on the list so they can find presents that the recipient really wants.

“It makes shopping a little bit easier and it keeps shopping local,” Willcock said.

For more information, visit grossepointechamber.com or thevillagegrossepointe.org.