UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. – Small business owners across America are preparing for what they hope will be a great day.
Small Business Saturday is a tradition now in its seventh year. According to American Express, shop owners generated $15.4 billion last year on Small Business Saturday.
Jeff Weintrop, co-owner of The Silver Lady on Delmar Boulevard in University City, says that's good news for businesses and their surrounding communities.
“We're really, I think, the bread and butter of anything that goes on,” said Weintrop. “If you buy here the money stays here.”
That's why Mark Lockwood and his family shop small whenever they can.
“The Loop itself has a lot of stores that have unique things made by local artists and definitely unique pieces,” said Lockwood.
But Weintrop, like dozens of other business owners, finds himself in an unfamiliar place this year. In September protests in the Delmar Loop area turned violent, resulting in costly vandalism to store fronts and ultimately a loss in business.
“I think people were afraid to come down for a while.”
It was a similar story in the Central West End, where shops like vegan fashion boutique Fauxgerty had windows shattered.
“We put boards up immediately,” said Julia Navarro.
The store’s brand manager spent Black Friday preparing for a 60% off sale for Small Business Saturday. She’s hoping the days of unrest are a thing of the past and now she's focused on the future.
“We love small business Saturday,” said Navarro. “Being part of this community is really huge for us and it's really humbling for us to be a part of it.”
“We just hope more people come out and patronize the small businesses in general,” said Weintrop.
