Shoppers pour in early for Small Business Saturday in Prairie Village toy store

PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. — Small businesses around the Kansas City metro are preparing for the biggest shopping day of the year, Small Business Saturday, which was created by American Express to encourage shoppers to buy locally.

“They’re great people and are very knowledgeable. The toys are great for people of all ages. You can give an employee an age range and they’ll pick something out,” Marguerite Fegan said.

She’s been shopping at The Learning Tree since it opened in 1996. Fegan is entering her 28th year supporting the business.

“I am buying for a neighbor boy who wanted to get some candy pillows,” she said. “They have a wide selection and their prices are just as comparable as buying from Amazon.”

Brian Luton/KSHB

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers advice for shoppers on how to participate in Small Business Saturday. SBA cites American Express shopper spending data, reporting earnings on Small Business Saturday have declined $184 billion since 2010.

The Missouri National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) told KSHB 41 that its Small Business Economic Survey saw an uptick in optimism heading into Saturday.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

“We always look at the fourth quarter as being one of the most important for small business,” explained Brad Jones, Missouri NFIB State Director.

The optimism stems from shoppers hitting local brick-and-mortar stores hard from September to October while economic trends since the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted small businesses financially.

“Inflation is one of the great hobgoblins of small business. It’s Econ 101. If you’re going to have to pay more for your products, you’re going to have to pay more for your labor. You push on the balloon, it’s gotta come out somewhere,” Jones said.

Brian Luton/KSHB

The Learning Tree is celebrating its first year of new ownership. Goodwin relies on the care and expertise of his employees to maintain its reliability to customers.

“This is really a place for all of Kansas City and even people from out of town,” Goodwin said. “The reason it’s special is because of the connections we make, the service we provide, and we care.”

Brian Luton/KSHB

The Learning Tree offers patrons a state-of-the-art ‘Slime Wall’, play tables, and complimentary gift wrapping.

“There’s always new things here that I’ve never seen before and little activities,” Blakely Molecek said, a frequent shopper. “I asked my parents for Christmas if I could get something here… it’s a toy world for kids.”

Brian Luton/KSHB

Jones says small businesses offer a sense of devotion to rural and metro communities, that’s unmatched.

“This is an opportunity for everyone to go out and thank the small businesses for doing what they do. I’m not talking about just being a business. I’m talking about the uniform sponsors for the Little League teams or sponsoring the 5Ks,” Jones expressed. “They’re getting hit up almost every day, if not every week, for a gift certificate donation, a silent auction for one a sports groups, high schools, and grade schools… they’re the kind of the glue that keeps communities together and keeps those uniforms on the kids.”

Brian Luton/KSHB

The Learning Tree’s Dedication to customer service is what has brought Fegan back for nearly three decades.

“They want to provide products that the local customers want,” Fegan added. “If you don’t support small businesses they won’t be here in the future.”

The Learning Tree isn’t the only local business participating in Small Business Saturday this weekend. For more information on small businesses in your community, contact your location Chamber of Commerce via phone or social media, or click here for a list of Missouri Chamber of Commerce members.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

“Small Business Saturday is a really special day,” added Goodwin. “We appreciate when people want to shop at a small business. We work really hard to be the best at what we do. If you want the best experience, we hope you’ll come here and if you want the best selection, we hope you’ll come here.”

For more information on products and hours at The Learning Tree, click here.

KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. Share your story idea with Ryan.

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