Small Business Saturday was disrupted by the winter storm for many business owners in Chicago, but in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a group of business owners came together to draw customers.

The Love Rogers Park Small Business Saturday Welcome Station was set up outside Alexander's Restaurant, at 6764 N. Sheridan Rd. at Pratt Boulevard close to the Loyola University campus. Tents were set up outside despite the heavy snow.

The business owners gave out free hot cocoa, gift cards, tote bags, live music by Becca Jaffe, and dozens of deals.

"Today is an important day for small businesses because they have to kind of fight against the Black Friday holiday, and so today is a day where the money stays in the neighborhood," said Carolina Juarez, business district manager for the nonprofit Rogers Park Business Alliance.

Participating businesses included:

• ChiTownBio, Culture of Safety Dojo & Wellness Center, Smack Dab, Tamales Lo Mejor de Guerrero, and Urban Tables on Clark Street
• Chirose Salon & Spa on Devon Avenue
• Rogers Park Provisions on Glenwood Avenue
• Curls & Company and Badou Senegalese Cuisine on Howard Street
• R Public House and Taste Food & Wine on Jarvis Avenue
• Athena Board Game Café and Mickii's Desserts on Lunt Avenue.

The event came on a Small Business Saturday on which Chicago was pounded by a snowstorm that set a record for the month of November, with 8.4 inches of accumulation for the day alone.

Some small business owners blamed the snow for a drop in sales for Small Business Saturday. Many hoped the rest of the holiday season would make up for it.