Longview shoppers hunt for Christmas treasures during Small Business Saturday

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) – East Texans turned out to support local businesses this Saturday, choosing unique small business offerings in their search for the perfect Christmas gifts.

“We’re trying to get local products out for Christmas,” said business owner Lorelei Odom,” because there is no reason for us to be spending our hard-earned money at a corporate conglomerate when you can support local and still get your Christmas shopping list filled.”

Odom is just one of around 15 small business owners who set up shop outside the Longview Mall, aiming to help East Texans find original items and gifts.

“So, I crochet,” Candice Baker said, ”and my name is Mother Made Crochet. I became a mom at 18, so I feel like this is a reflection of who I am. I think it’s important to reach out and be a part of your community because that’s all we have at the end of the day. I think it’s important to shop local because a lot of these people, this goes back into their home.”

With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror and Christmas on the horizon, shoppers search for pretty specific items.

“Well, we were looking for my mom for some Grinch things because we’ve got a Grinch Christmas tree. We decorated it for like ‘Grinch’ because that’s her favorite movie, and we were going to look for a Christmas tree topper,” said Ryan Bernhardt.

“So far, the things that have been for the kids and everything have been like the 3D printed animals,” mother Brooke Fisher comments, shopping with her family. “That’s their favorite thing. They want to get all of them. And then, for the parents, we’ve seen a lot of tumblers and some snacks and basically smell-good candles — who doesn’t like a smell-good candle.”

East Texans, out for a weekend of shopping, put a smile on the faces of some of these small business owners, who emphasized the importance of celebrating community.

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