Boise’s smaller businesses gear up for big day on 10th Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is every Saturday for Molly Humpherys, who loves purchasing her garlic, dog treats and lavender at the Capital City Public Market.
For Humphreys, the personal and social touch of shopping local is what she looks for in her produce and clothes. But the day after Black Friday is often a chance for local vendors to increase their connection with new and old customers alike.
Throughout the past nine years, American Express estimates consumers spent over $100 billion at small shops, restaurants and businesses on Small Business Saturday. American Express, which started the holiday as a campaign in 2010, also estimates two-thirds of every dollar spent on a “small business” stays within that community.
With over 80 locations in the Boise area offering discounts and deals Saturday, locals can find themselves also experiencing that personal touch with a local investment.
Tamera Cameron, market manager for the indoor Boise Farmers Market, says Small Business Saturday does help bring people into the market, especially when paired with the Downtown Boise Association passport promotion and the market’s own raffle.
“For me, it’s about supporting local farmers, local ranchers and local producers. That’s my passion. To make sure local people eat local food,” Cameron said. “The market is a catalyst to bring farmers and producers together with their consumers and it’s also a catalyst to increase business for all these vendors.”
Elayne Rayne grows and grinds fresh corn with her husband and two kids in Homedale as a part of her business, Next Generation Organics, and uses the market as an outlet to sell produce.
“We are all small family businesses. When you come to the market you are helping a farmer make a living. This really helps people who didn’t grow up farming and didn’t inherit land and farming equipment,” Rayne said.
According to Rayne, this also helps her attract new customers — a goal that Mike Sommer, president of the Boise Farmers Market Board of Directors and a farmer for Purple Sage Farms, agrees is difficult, but necessary to growing a consumer base.
“People are getting excited about Small Business Saturday,” Sommer said. “There are definitely more people and new faces, which is the hardest customer to get. It’s easier to get returning customers than it is new customers.”
It’s not just the food and produce that is gathering traction on this shopping holiday. Music, handmade jewelry and home decor are also seeing an increase in buyers.
“Small Business Saturday has grown tremendously for us the last few years,” said Chad Dryden, marketing and promotions director for the Record Exchange. “It really took off for us in 2016 and has really grown each year since then, and judging from what we have seen so far this morning, it’s going to be a pretty good day.”
According to Dryden, The Record Exchange saw a 15% increase in sales during 2018’s Small Business Saturday.
The Downtown music vendor kicked off the holiday shopping season by offering 175 exclusive vinyl and CD releases on Black Friday as an outgrowth of Record Store Day.
“The same organization that runs that also started doing exclusive releases on Black Friday as a way for independent record stores to compete with the big box stores and bring people downtown and support independent businesses,” Dryden said.
Meanwhile, down at the Grove, new and returning customers braved the cold to shop local.
“This is not the easiest place to set up. It’s cold, we have snow, trees fall over,” said local photography vendor David Day. “But Small Business Saturday is essential to making your local economy work. If you buy something from me, I then buy all my materials here and the money circulates.”
The Downtown Boise Association promotion will continue throughout the day Saturday. Stamped passports can be dropped off to be entered for a raffle at Rediscovered Books through 8 p.m.