RENO, Nevada (KOLO) – Black Friday is over and local businesses are eager to welcome customers on the busiest day of the year.
Small Business Saturday aims to give money back to our community.
For Samantha Stremmel, owner of Sierra Water (2055 Dickerson Rd), SBS was a special day for her business.
“Everyone goes out with a lot of intent, and I can’t tell you how much that means to small businesses,” she said. “Just to feel the appreciation and support that people have done all year, but condensed into one day, it’s just a powerful feeling.”
The past few years have been challenging for many businesses. However, Sierra Water actually benefited from the pandemic.
“It’s weird during COVID that everyone wants plants, and we’re busier during the pandemic, which is weird, so it seems to be calming down a little bit now, but we do see more people coming in,” Stremmel said.
On Saturdays, the Plant Shop is offering a 15% discount to all growers and is also partnering with another local business.
“We’re going to open Golden Owl Bookshop, a small local bookstore on a truck,” Stremmel said. “She’ll pop up at our store, and she’s here all holiday season, offering a variety of books for kids and adults.”
Also preparing for SBS this year is Vassar House (221 Vassar St).
“Shop Small Saturday is probably our biggest sale of the year,” says Missy Allison, who co-owns the vintage store with her mother.
On Friday, Alison spent hours overhauling merchandise.
“The way we prepare is to have about 24 hours, from fall to Christmas,” she said.
VH will host a Christmas party and open house on Saturday.
“We’ll be serving eggnog, mulled wine and cider with homemade biscuits just like Christmas out of date,” Alison said.
In addition to antiques, the store introduces different nostalgic Christmas items each year to create a one-of-a-kind gift box.
“These (gift boxes) are a big focus for us, to be able to get ready-made thoughtful gifts out the door, not your standard Napa-Sonoma basket with wine, processed cheese and meat,” Allison said.
For those who love to recycle, there’s no better way than to buy vintage, Alison said.
“There’s no need for further manufacturing. They’re already here, they’re already good, otherwise it wouldn’t last.”
According to the Nevada Small Business Association (SBA), the Silver State has more than 280,000 small businesses employing more than 500,000 people.
Both owners want shoppers to think of their neighbors in front of the big box store.
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