One of my favorite childhood memories is the excitement of finding the Christmas shopping catalogs in our mailbox each year. My siblings and I would leaf through them, circling the toys we dreamed about finding under the tree Christmas morning. I also remember watching news stories about the chaos of Black Friday shoppers clamoring to buy the latest Cabbage Patch Kid dolls.As an adult, I have grown weary of the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. I now enjoy the simplicity of walking into a small business and finding unique items I know my loved ones will appreciate.
Shopping small and local during the holidays is a gift to your loved ones and small business owners. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are just over 62,000 businesses with one to 20 employees in Oklahoma. Whether it’s the local pet groomer, cozy bookstore or dance studio, small business owners rely on their communities to thrive.
But how can you support local small businesses? Here are four to support small businesses this holiday season.
Shop — and keep shopping
The most obvious way to support small businesses is to give them your business. I recently took my youngest on a small business outing. She loved the unique local items we found.
Whether it’s a local retail store or a small service provider, shop and utilize their services consistently. Becoming a regular customer is vital to small businesses.
Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30 is a great holiday shopping alternative or complement to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s a perfect opportunity to support those local businesses you already love and to explore new ones that could soon become your favorites.
But, don’t stop after you’ve finished your holiday shopping. Visit them throughout the year.
At local toy store Kidoodles, manager Jennifer Brooks estimates 60 to 70 percent of in-store shopping happens during the holidays. However, you can return to shop for birthdays year-round.
A cute concept Kidoodles offers is a “Birthday Wish Basket.” Your kiddo can go to the store, grab a round, white basket and fill it up with all the items they would like for their birthday. Then, you can tell family and friends to stop by the store, buy items from your child’s wish basket and leave with the gift wrapped and ready to give. For those last-minute shoppers, Kidoodles also offers a personal shopping service.
Gift experiences
Supporting local businesses isn’t limited to buying products. Consider giving the gift of experiences. It could be a membership to a local indoor playground like The Play Pit, where your littles can play safely while you work. Or, maybe it’s a hands-on private class on beadwork at Alouette for your crafty teenager and her besties.
Buy gift cards
Not sure what your loved one truly wants? Opt for a gift card for items or services from a local small business. Buying a gift card adds to the business’s revenue, and when your loved one uses it, they may find additional items to purchase beyond the amount on the card. And if your loved one is a new customer, they are now aware of a local business they can continue to support. I recently discovered a local anime business where I can buy a gift certificate for my anime-loving son.
Like, follow and share
Like, follow and share your favorite local business on social media for friends to see. For example, was your family photo session amazing? Share and tag your photographer’s social media and website information. Write positive reviews. Get the word out for them!
Heather Self, owner of One Stop Anime, has found social media and the store’s website to be the most effective ways to stay connected to customers and gain new ones.
According to Löhmann’s Good Things’ Brittany Parks, social media serves as an important tool to share products and events.
“Our Facebook page helps us get the word out,” said Parks.
Case in point: that’s how I found the perfect gift for my Gen X husband, who always has a package of mints in his car: mints in a Rubik’s Cube container.
As the holidays approach, support your local community members who are small business owners. Happy holiday shopping!
Find small businesses with these resources:
- Independent Shopkeepers Association, isaok.org
- Visit OKC, visitokc.com
- Keep It Local OK, keepitlocalok.com
- MetroFamily’s list of the best places to shop on local for the holidays.
