Shopping activity on Small Business Saturday rivals Black Friday
FREMONT -- Many small business owners across the Bay Area have spent the past few months preparing for Small Business Saturday.
This year it's likely more holiday shoppers will shop on Small Business Saturday than on Black Friday, according to a survey from BankRate.com.
Dirk Lorenz, owner of Fremont Flowers, has been gearing up for a busy Saturday. He appreciates every person who walks in and every order he fills.
"We tend to see more people on that day than we would on a normal day," he said. "As a small business person who depends upon the business for his livelihood and depends upon the business to keep me in this community, it's heartwarming and very much appreciated."
He says that, this year, there is a greater need to see customers in person than in previous years.
"It's incredibly important that we see our customers and they get back in the habit of getting out and supporting their local small businesses," he said. "Small business -- a small brick-and-mortar in your community -- is the heart and soul of your community. In other words, they're the ones out there getting behind the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the baseball teams, et cetera, sponsoring these things and making your community just a great place to live, work and play."
Scott Zalkind, owner of Hayward-based Lucky Dog Hot Sauce, says the weekend is an important kickoff to the holiday shopping season for small business owners.
"I've spent the last two, three months getting ready for this weekend," he said. "Small Business Saturday, in particular, is the big shopping weekend of the year. It's just hugely important for me to get out there and do it because some weekends are not great. Some weekends are rainy, some weekends we have 30 mile per hour winds like two weeks ago and I'm putting 50 pound weights on my tents and am sitting out there for eight hours to sell almost nothing."
He wants people to realize that, when they shop local, they are often supporting more than just one local business.
"You're supporting my small business with a purchase but you're also supporting every small business that I support," he said. "So, it's a much bigger support system. It's not just supporting one company."
