Small Business Saturday a time of growth and celebration for Quincy stores

QUINCY (WGEM) – After Black Friday comes Small Business Saturday, a day meant to increase focus on shopping at small, local businesses just in time for the holidays.

The District in Quincy is a non-profit dedicated to helping downtown Quincy and small businesses located across the town grow. The organization’s executive director said people should keep the “small but mighty” businesses in mind as December holidays close in.

She also said there are advantages to Quincy being a smaller city for businesses to be in.

“We’re very unique in the fact that we know each other, and a lot of people that we know own businesses or operate businesses. I think that’s kind of what makes this community a little bit different from most,” said The District Executive Director Brianna Rivera.

Trudy Willis and Chrissy Cox are co-owners of two businesses: Trudy’s Trendy Boutique and Elegance By Paige Marie.

Cox identified Small Business Saturday as a time to rejoice. She said small businesses like hers help keep the Gem City running.

“Small Business Saturday is a day to celebrate all the small businesses that are literally helping this community to stay afloat, to grow, and to bring people into the community,” Cox said.

The temptation is there to shop online with large stores rather than to shop local, according to Cox. That is partly due to town size, Cox said.

But she said it is important to remember the small shops this time of year. A benefit of shopping local is being able to find special items that shoppers may not be able to find anywhere else.

“When you shop locally, then you get unique pieces, quality pieces, some things that you won’t find at a big box store,” Trudy Willis said.

The uniqueness goes beyond the product.

“Having somebody that you know owning a small business in or around The District, or in Quincy in general, gives you an experience that you wouldn’t really be able to receive somewhere else,” Rivera said.

Rivera called Quincy’s variety of local shops a “spice of life.” She said The District is planning on eventually bringing back Shop Local Saturdays as a way to further promote small, local businesses.

Willis advised following your favorite small businesses on social media as another way to support them.

She said word-of-mouth works well, too.

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