With Thanksgiving over, Natalie Patterson needed to get into the holiday spirit. With the holiday decorations and quaint shops, the Marietta Square was just the place.
“You get the Christmas feeling and can find unique gifts,” Patterson said. “At the mall, it’s all the same stuff.”
Plus, it was Small Business Saturday, and Patterson wanted to support local shops, including Doodlebugz, where she found some gifts Saturday afternoon. The chilly, cloudy weather didn’t stop crowds from heading out to support local retailers. And an artisan fair just off the Square offered even more options for those looking for those unique finds.
“It’s stuff you can’t find anywhere else,” said Mike Barie, owner of Park West Vintage. “It’s crafty. It’s one of a kind.”
Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 by credit card giant American Express and has quickly become a fixture of the holiday shopping weekend. Almost the opposite of Black Friday — the day people flock to big-box retailers for advertised deals — Saturday celebrates the local entrepreneurs whose livelihood depends on the consumers. The “shop local” day also comes before Cyber Monday, the annual day designed to encourage holiday shoppers to go online.
An average of 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the local community, according to the latest Small Business Economic Impact Study from American Express. In a separate study, the National Federation of Independent Businesses and American Express found that roughly 90 percent of consumers believe this holiday season that it’s more vital than ever to support local retailers.
At Barie’s nearly 20,000-square-foot store, customers browsed the eclectic assortment of antiques, decor and creations. Sales were steady Saturday, but many purchased smaller items.
“It’s a lot of Christmas ornaments and decorations,” he said. “I think people are getting ideas for gifts.”
He’s not worried, though. Many will be back to buy something that caught their eye the day before. And Barie said his customers aren’t just local, but also travelers who want the local flavor his shop offers.
Sarah McTaggart, of Mississippi, was in Park West Vintage on Saturday, choosing between several handmade mugs. She’s in town visiting her son, a Life University student. But as a painter herself, McTaggart said she’s drawn to the work of other artists.
Kathleen Badialli was also visiting the Marietta Square on Saturday for a reason she never imagined. Her home and everything she owns in Paradise, California, were destroyed by the massive Camp Fire, and when a work friend offered her a place to visit, Badialli bought a one-way plane ticket to Atlanta. She isn’t sure how long she’ll stay, but she’s grateful to her co-worker Gary Acedo and his family for helping her as she starts the rebuilding process.
“It’s great just to walk around,” Badialli said. “We’re just being normal today.”
The fire refugee never imagine she’d end up in Marietta, Georgia. But in a nearby booth, two friends surprised themselves with how well their new business — Hey! Marietta — was taking off.
An idea that started on Instagram developed into a small business about two months ago, Jake Segars and Jon Smith said. The two sell T-shirts, coffee mugs and candles. The pair sold more than 40 T-shirts Saturday, all dark-colored with Marietta spelled out in white letters.
“It was an avenue we thought would be good for the community,” Segars said.
Judging by their early sales, the community agrees. Hey! Marietta plans to launch a website soon for online orders, and Segars and Smith are excited to see their business grow. But until it takes off, they have one goal: Stick to their day jobs.
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