Small business pitch made in New Haven ahead of holiday shopping season

Small Business Saturday is on the horizon following Thanksgiving and reminders are pouring in to support local businesses around Connecticut.

New Haven held a small business event reminding people there are thriving local shops around the city that would love business headed into the holidays.

According to local officials, the numbers indicate for every dollar spent locally, 67 cents stay within the community when you shop at a small business. But there is also more than monetary value to staying local.

“It’s my first time framing a painting, and I just wanted to give it a beautiful frame,” said Ellie Grenberg, who stopped into The Frame Shop and DaSilva Gallery on Whalley Avenue.

She decided to frame the painting locally landing in the Westville section of New Haven.

“I actually was going to go somewhere else, and I was referred to come local and wanted that one-on-one experience,” Greenberg said.

That one-on-one attention is what shop owner Gabriel DaSilva said is what small business is all about.

“You get someone that can listen to you, and not push anything on you,” DaSilva said.

DaSilva welcomed in local and state officials to his gallery and frame shop to encourage people to think local this holiday season.

“People like to say they are the engines of our economy, I go a little bit further, small businesses are the fabric of our communities,” Catherine Marx with the Small Business Administration said.

Small businesses are getting attention. According to a survey by Lending Tree, 76% of Americans will shop small for holiday gifts this year. 28% plan to get more than half of their gifts from small businesses.

Marx said that’s part of a larger overall trend.

“More people are shopping small, there are also more small businesses that are popping up,” she said.

From clothing to souvenirs and a bite to eat in between, Marx makes the pitch to shop small for every item on your list.

“It is the uniqueness that people are looking for that people want to come out shopping, but it is also that experience,” Marx said.

DaSilva said if it’s small businesses in New Haven, or any across the state, it’s money well spent that will stay in the community.

“Everyone that sees this, please support your local business, in the neighborhood you are in, because it’s just keeps revolving,” he said.

There are over 700 small businesses in New Haven.