Small Business Saturday puts focus on holiday shopping at Hopkinsville’s indie shops

One of Hopkinsville’s newest retail store owners is hoping Small Business Saturday will help strengthen her shop’s foothold in the downtown market. 

“I hope to see a lot of new faces in the shop,” said Crystal Ferreira, who opened her boutique Charlotte’s on 6th in mid-September.

Small Business Saturday — a nationwide observance launched 15 years ago by American Express to boost sales in independent, locally owned businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving — has several backers in Hopkinsville this year. In addition to the business owners, Small Business Saturday advocates include the Downtown Renaissance District, the Christian County Chamber of Commerce and Hopkinsville Small Business Commission. 

“It’s very important, especially when you are in a small town,” Ferreira said. “And given that Hopkinsville has bigger retail surrounding us we want to try to keep people at home and keep that revenue here in our community.”

Ferreira, 49, grew up in Hopkinsville. After high school, she moved away for several years and raised a family. When her youngest son graduated from high school, she knew she was ready to moved back, and in 2018 to returned. 

Charlotte’s on 6th is in the building that housed 6th Street Boutique until it closed earlier this year when owner Janey Moss retired. This is Ferreira’s first retail business but she previously worked as event planner and owned a mobile tanning. Today she divides time between the shop and her part-time job for the Pennyroyal Arts Council at the Alhambra Theatre.

As an entrepreneur with a new venture in her hometown’s downtown district, Ferreira represents the type store owner that Small Business Saturday aims to boost. 

Several events are planned around this year’s Small  Business Saturday. Those include: 

• The Corner Coffeehouse: The coffeehouse, at 11th and Main streets, will have special hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. 
• J. Schrecker Jewelry: Open house from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Representatives of the Downtown Renaissance District will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to hand out  canvas totes and provide free caricature drawings.
• Hopkinsville Brewing Co.: From 1 to 5 p.m. a showcase of local crafters, artisans and small business owners selling everything from popcorn and quilts to macrame jewelry and holiday decor.
• The Book & Bottle Shop: Free wine tastings all day. The shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Hoptown Holiday Hopfest: The band Max Weinberg’s Jukebox will play for this year’s Hoptown Holiday Hopfest, an annual fundraiser for the Alhambra. Audience members get to choose from more than 200 classic rock songs. Tickets, available online, are now half price at $30. 
• Alhambra Theatre: The theater will be open during the day Saturday for merchandise sales.