MOUNTAIN AREA – Before setting up plans to pitch your tent at a big box store in Fresno for Black Friday this week, consider making it a very happy holiday season for our own friends and neighbors, by dropping your dollars in the mountains.
Whether you’re one of those people who likes to spend the day after Thanksgiving deciding how many layers to make your turkey sandwich, or the kind who likes to go out shopping, please take time to stop and think about how much we appreciate the range of local businesses in the foothills, and on Small Business Saturday (SBS), show our local shops some love.
Nov. 28, has the potential to be a really big day for local enterprises: a call to action encouraging people across the country to support local businesses. What’s now become a tradition began as a movement in 2010 that emerged from the shadows of online retail giants like Amazon and EBay cutting into discretionary spending; the Saturday after Thanksgiving was set aside as a special day and officially recognized by the U.S. Senate in 2012.
This weekend is the sixth year marking Small Business Saturday, dedicated to supporting brick and mortar independent businesses and a welcome counter to Black Friday, the shopping day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday, which takes place a few days later.
Many stores in the foothills have special promotions, extended hours, killer sales and exciting enticements to bring consumers across their thresholds, so contact your favorite retailers to see what’s going on this Saturday. Research shows that for every $100 spent at a local store, $68 dollars stays in the community, whereas chain store shopping leaves only $43 in the community. When shopping virtually, virtually nothing ends up in your own town. Shopping locally supports your own neighborhood with money that’s fed back into schools, emergency services, road repair and jobs.
Last year, shoppers spent an estimated 14.3 billion dollars shopping small and local across the U.S., according to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey conducted in 2014.
Now, it’s your turn. Here’s a short list of local businesses offering special deals, discounts and treats on Small Business Saturday. The SBS celebration in Oakhurst this weekend comes with a little help from American Express, providing promotional supplies to registered businesses.
If you have a small business that’s local to the foothills with specials to promote on Saturday, Nov. 28, email editor@sierranewsonline.com and we’ll add it to this list.
Artifacts Artifacts is having a sale with 10 to 60 percent off all merchandise and invite customers to come in early for continental breakfast of coffee, tea, breads, cookies, cheese, fruit, and more. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (559) 658-6300
Back to Basics clothing will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and has discounts on jewelry, men’s flannels and girl’s/women’s fleece sleeping pants. (559) 683-5696
Branches Books & Gifts starts the day at 9 a.m. and is open until 6 p.m. offering a free Shop Small tote with every purchase while supplies last. Local Author Hans Berger will sign books from 10 a.m. to noon, and the store is selling all board games at 25 percent off, along with the same discount on any Coobie bra, panty or combo set. (559) 641-2019
Eagle Quick Lube will be open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., and with a full service oil change and purchase of an air filter they will offer a free bottle of Lucas fuel injector cleaner for a value of $5.49. (559) 658-2300
Jennie’s Garden in downtown North Fork will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Small Business Saturday (normal hours). The shop is filled with handmade gift items, home décor & accessories, most locally made in the mountain area. Buy any two Massage Gift Certificates and receive a free gift certificate good for one Chair Massage session valued at $25. (559) 877-4884
Just Bisque It Ceramics promises a free gift with all gift certificate and special order purchases on Saturday, open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (559) 683-2529
North Fork Hardware in downtown North Fork will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Small Business Saturday, offering a special deal for the day: buy any three long lasting energy efficient LED light bulbs and get one free. (559) 877-2332
North Shore Clothing & Accessories will be celebrating the opening of their Sale Shack Clothing Outlet from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., where everything is on sale just down the way from their original location. Prices at Sale Shack start at $1.99 with apparel and accessories for the whole family. (559) 642-3898
Oakhurst Feed is having a scavenger hunt on Saturday, and offering $10 off coupons on select dog and cat food. They have BOGO (buy one get one) discounts on a variety of treats and toys, and invite customers to take an additional 20% off all cat towers. Take advantage of complimentary refreshments. (559) 683-7977
Oakhurst Giftworks will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering 25% off Yankee Candles, a raffle drawing and a free tote with purchase while supplies last. (559) 683-7845
Pak & Page is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will continue to be open on Saturdays through the holiday season. They’re offering a buy one, get one-half off on craft supplies and gift items, and offering a free Small Business Saturday tote or a bag of craft goodies free with every purchase, while supplies last. (559) 692-2200
Past to Present Mercantile plans to offer 20 percent off all purses, wallets and jewelry. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Small Business Saturday. (559) 683-5777
Steve’s Pet Shop is raffling off a dog kennel, cat tower, and fish tank; the raffle ticket is free with any purchase, and they’re open that day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with sales on most dog and cat food brands, red tag sales throughout the store, and complimentary refreshments. (559) 683-5222
Sugar Pine Gourmet Pizza invites customers to enjoy a buy one, get one-half off pizza, take-out only, open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (559) 642-4642
Sullivan’s Tire Pros gets in on the action from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by offering any Michelin, Bridgestone, Firestone, Continental and General Tire purchased at dealer cost. Tires must be purchased on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28, but may be scheduled to be installed at a later date. They also offer $10 off oil changes on Saturday only, and 10 percent off gift card purchases that may be used beginning Dec. 1. These deals are not good with any other offers. (559) 683-5900
There may be items on your list that you can’t to find in your home town, but there are also myriad businesses in the mountain area full of unique items sure to make someone on your list jump for joy. Also key to shopping locally is the fact that dollars spent in Fresno do not benefit Madera County or any of the services our tax dollars help support, including roads, libraries, animal control, law enforcement, schools and more.
Small businesses maintain jobs in the community and local businesses support the community in many ways, from paying taxes to generously contributing to every silent auction and benefit raffle that comes their way. That’s especially true in the mountain area.
Small Business Saturday is a reminder to consumers: keep your holiday shopping dollars in your own community and support local jobs.
