Why it’s more important than EVER to shop small in 2020!

With the holidays coming quickly and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating even more quickly, these next few weeks look pretty frightening from the perspective of a small business, but I want to talk to you about why now is a better time than ever to shop small.

1. You have the power to keep our community strong
   When you add up what makes up Buffalo, our small businesses are a huge part of that. Our boutiques, restaurants, salons, auto mechanics, jewelers, cafes, and many other small businesses employ our neighbors and friends. The sum of these businesses is what makes up the character of this amazing region where we live. You will never walk down your favorite retail strip and find an Amazon storefront there. This time of year is vital for small businesses to stay afloat. The pandemic really could not have found a worse time to blossom. The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is usually the time when businesses get profitable and are able to push through for the lean months ahead. Without the support of eager and dedicated customers, many businesses are going to experience a tough holiday retail season and may have difficulty making it through 2020.
2. Small business owners and staff will work their tails off to help you find what you need and get it to the people who you love.
   Never underestimate the power of a small business employee or owner who wants to make you happy! We will move mountains to make our customers’ holidays magical and make your shopping experience feel easy and happy. Give us a chance to be your holiday elves this year!
3. Your money will stay within our community
   According to American Express, 67 cents of every dollar you spend at a small business stays in our local economy. That is an incredible number. You are literally supporting your friends and neighbors by shopping with local, small businesses this holiday season (and all year round!) This is Buffalo supporting Buffalo and we could not be more proud to be part of that cycle.
4. Small businesses give people jobs
   At Lace & Day, we have 8 people on payroll. Those are 8 jobs that are supported by our customers shopping at our store and keeping their dollars local. We love that we have the opportunity to provide jobs and that we have an incredible team of strong women at Lace & Day!

This post isn’t meant to make you feel guilty. On the contrary, we hope this inspires you to reach into your community and find more local places to shop. Keep an eye out for our Pink Friday event, Friday, November 20th. A group of local boutiques are having a special small business Friday event the week before Thanksgiving to drive holiday sales to these small businesses. We are so excited to be among this amazing group of businesses, and if you follow along, I’m sure you will find some new businesses to patronize this holiday season.

Also, keep an eye out for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sales and promotions! Our Instagram and Facebook pages are the best places to follow along.

Finally, thank you so much for your support. If you got this far in this blog post, you are likely one of our people. Thank you a million times.

Xoxo,
Holly & Emily