NORWICH – As another holiday shopping season draws near, Chenango County merchants are gearing up to promote shopping local during what local retailers hope will be a successful year for small businesses county-wide.
Holiday sales are expected to top $586 billion this year, according to the National Federation of Retailers. Although big-box stores are actively touting holiday sales, opening their doors earlier than ever for Black Friday – some as early as 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving – many local merchants are pulling out the stops to reap some of the benefits of the busiest shopping time of the year.
“I’m very excited about the upcoming holiday shopping season for the local merchants. They’ve been working hard at getting the message out about shopping local,” said Norwich Business Improvement District Director Roz DeRensis. In addition to crediting the work of local merchants, DeRensis also emphasized the community benefits of shopping local this holiday season. “The reminder to shop local and support local businesses who also support the area where we live helps us to build a better community, and better health and wealth,” she said.
While the Black Friday money saving bargains of chain retailers has drawn so much attention over the years, Small Business Saturday has recently gained significant momentum, thanks in part to nationwide sponsorship from American Express. For local merchants, Small Business Saturday is a chance to showcase the best they have to offer and prompt consumers to keep their money local. In Norwich, several merchants have teamed up for the annual shop local campaign from the Norwich Merchants Association (NMA).
“Our basic goal is to have people support the area where they work, live and play,” explained Anna McLaughlin, NMA President and owner of McLaughlin’s Dept. Store. In past years, NMA adopted different promotional efforts to market local goods throughout the holiday shopping season. This year, the NMA shop local campaign is focused more on Small Business Saturday, with a special “Balloon Pop” in participating stores. Consumers who make a qualified purchase will have the chance to pop a balloon and with every balloon, there’s a reward ranging from 10 percent off coupons to free items from various downtown merchants.
“Small Business Saturday has grown more and more every year,” McLaughlin said. “We just want the consumer to be aware that there are local places to go. It’s all about supporting a local economy to keep it thriving.”
As for her store, McLaughlin said the retailer is doing what it can t to boost consumer interest. “Everything can get so hectic at the mall and big-box stores ... One of the things we hope to do is entice people with less frenzied shopping,” she said. “We’re still pretty competitive with other stores’ offerings. We will start some sales Friday, with sales continuing Saturday too,” she said. “This is the one time of year that the entire store is on sale.”
Just down the road from McLaughlin’s store, Linda McNeil, owner of McNeil Jewelers, is also bracing for the holiday rush. Like McLaughlin’s, McNeil Jewelers will have incentives – as will a number of other downtown businesses – to shop local, and sales beginning this weekend will last through Christmas.
“Shopping local simply helps to keep a viable downtown. If people don’t shop local, the small businesses can’t survive,” McNeil reasoned, “and you get better service when you’re dealing with your neighbors.”
Though not entitled to participate in the same promotional sales and marketing efforts as other local merchants, Made in Chenango on North Broad Street aims to draw in holiday shoppers with unique items sold – and made – locally. The store will have extended hours Friday and Saturday, with coffee and refreshments for patrons.
“Everything here has been handmade,” said Donna Smith. Smith manages Made in Chenango, where local artists consign their work. According to her, everything bought at Made in Chenango has some payoff for the community, be it directly or indirectly. “For every $1 spent here, $3 is returned to the community,” she said. “It’s part of what makes shopping local so important.”
“Small businesses really are the lifeblood of the community,” Smith went on. She said part of what makes shopping local such a positive experience is the taylored service customers can get. “I think we have more control over the quality of what we sell. We don’t have anyone saying what we have to carry or how much to sell it for, or how to promote it,” she said. “We really can cater to the interest of the community.”
The aspect of shopping local to benefit the community as a whole stretches far beyond the perimeters of the city too. In North Norwich, Dowdall’s General Store, though small, is filling shelves with distinctive items, food and otherwise, in preparation for the holiday shopping season. Store owner Wendy Dowdall said the store lives by its motto: “Buy local, support a neighbor and eat well.”
Similar to Made in Chenango, Dowdall’s General Store sells a variety of homemade products consigned by other local businesses, most of which are farmer’s market type items, Dowdall explained.
“It all comes back around to supporting your local community,” Dowdall said. “Every little bit that you can do to support your small circle in the world is helpful.”