BEAUMONT, Texas — Thousands woke up early to kick off their holiday shopping and hop on the deals Black Friday brings.
Area small business owners are hoping shoppers who spend their money in big box stores will show them the same support during Small Business Saturday.
Many Southeast Texas businesses will participate in and are already gearing up for the nationwide event. American Express began Small Business Saturday in 2010 to help area economies thrive.
Some area business owners said the holiday season is their favorite time of the year because they get to know their customers. They also get to share their foot traffic with other businesses.
“When they have family visiting in town, they come out and we get to meet them, and I love all the other businesses,” Daniela Blanco, co-owner of Blanc on Boston, said. “We all work together to try to do events every Saturday in December, so it's lots of fun."
For the owners of Blanc on Boston in Nederland and Small Town Vinyl in Beaumont, friendly faces and open wallets are welcomed all year round. That welcome only gets warmer during Small Business Saturday.
“We're hoping for a good turnout,” Monique Sebastian, manager of Small Town Vinyl, said. “The previous year, every year, it's always a bigger and better sale, and I feel like this year we've maxed out."
This will be Small Town Vinyl's second time participating in Small Business Saturday and Blanc on Boston's fourth.
“We've always had a really big turnout,” Blanco said. “It's almost as big as Black Friday, so it's been great every year.”
Thousands of other businesses nationwide are set to participate in Saturday’s event as they recover from the pandemic.
“I think they should consider shopping with us being a small business,” Sebastian said. “Shop local. We want to be there for the community and the community to come to us."
Both business owners feel there are many benefits to shopping locally.
“It helps support our local economy,” Blanco said. “It helps support our family, and when people shop here, they're also shopping Boston Avenue, which we love all these businesses are family owned."
Blanco said deals from Black Friday for many items in her store will carry over into Saturday. Sebastian said customers will be able to get 20% off all apparel.