Evanston celebrates local stores on Small Business Saturday

The Evanston community took part in Small Business Saturday — a nationally recognized event established by American Express in 2010 to support local mom-and-pop shops — Saturday.

The event was coordinated by Downtown Evanston, Main-Dempster Mile and Central Street Evanston for stores in their respective neighborhoods.

“It’s important to us to promote our local businesses (and) really the entire downtown Evanston business community,” said Laura Brown, Downtown Evanston’s director of marketing.

In addition to the nationwide initiative, Downtown Evanston has built its own program alongside Small Business Saturday in the form of a Holiday Shopping Passport, Brown said. Any shopper that spent $100 at local businesses received a $20 gift card for participating Evanston stores.

The Main-Dempster Mile extended the event to the entire weekend, and Central Street Evanston offered a social media giveaway.

“It gives people another reason to explore the downtown businesses, and they generally have positive things to say,” Brown said.

She said customers who participate in Small Business Saturday usually learn about at least one new business during the weekend. According to Brown, the event is a helpful way for businesses to gain more exposure.

Stumble & Relish owner Jaime Leonardi said she notices a positive trend in shoppers that come out for Small Business Saturday.

“It’s people that are coming out because they’re out after Thanksgiving, but they also want to come out to support the businesses in their neighborhood,” Leonardi said.

Stumble & Relish is a jewelry and gift shop that has participated in Small Business Saturday since its opening on the Main-Dempster Mile in 2013. This year, the store offered discounts and gifts once customers spent $60, $120 and $200. At these purchase amounts, customers would receive a small gift, 15% off and another gift, respectively.

Shaker Traditions owner Judith Igliori said she has noticed a clear change in customer engagement because of events like Small Business Saturday.

“It just makes people aware that maybe the store they walked by all the time might be worth going in,” Igliori said.

Shaker Traditions is a gift shop on the Main-Dempster Mile that sells 100% American-made gifts like cards, candles and baby items.

“It’s our busiest Saturday of the year,” Leonardi said.

Although the event marks the store’s busiest weekend, the cold weather may have impacted this year’s turnout, Leonardi said.

Igliori echoed that explanation. 

“This has actually been kind of a quiet one for me,” she said.

Saturday’s temperature hit a high of just 26 degrees Fahrenheit, more than 10 degrees lower than last year’s Small Business Saturday.

Despite the slower day, Brown emphasized that shopping locally not only enhances the unique character of the area but also fosters relationships between residents and business owners.

“If (you) want a unique kind of vibrant business district, you have to get out and not order from Amazon all the time,” Brown said.

Email: [email protected]

Related Stories:

— Holiday Stroll brings business and holiday cheer to Central Street

— Evanston design agency makes America’s Top 100 Small Businesses list

— City Council eyes new development plans in downtown Evanston amid affordable housing concerns