WYANDOTTE, Mich. – It’s Small Business Saturday, where business owners around the country work to get people to think local as they shop for the holidays.
In Downtown Wyandotte, Amanda Olson, who owns Little Dotte, a children’s toy and game store, spent weeks preparing for the season.
“You’ve got to make sure you have enough product for everybody, got to make sure you have a variety of things,” said Olson. “This year, I have more local vendors in the store so I try to make sure they’re being represented as well.”
On top of that, she’s making sure she does everything to earn the pockets of holiday shoppers over big box stores.
“It’s tough in this economy,” Olson said. “People are looking for the best deal, which we totally get, so for me, I constantly check the big box stores, check the websites, to make sure I’m trying to stay competitive, but it is a never-ending project.”
Small Business Saturday and the festivities that come with it help get new people in the door, people like Helena Wein. Saturday was her first time shopping in Downtown Wyandotte for the holidays. She came to snag a goody bag from Community Choice and the city that features coupons, gift cards and freebies.
“Shops I’ve drove past, never come in so yes I have a special needs grandson who likes squishy things so they have assortment here for the sensory part of it so I’ll be back,” said Wein.
And when people shop local it has a ripple effect and Gina Martin, who owns Simple Hot Dogs and Ice Cream as well as Lunch Wyandotte, hopes they can get in on it.
“There’s a lot more foot traffic this morning, probably started at 9,” Martin said. “So we have a one-dollar hot dog special today.”