It’s that time of year when people are beginning to make their list and are checking it twice. While you are considering your purchases this year, I want to encourage you to shop and dine in your local community. Small business is BIG business and it has a great impact on our community in Knoxville.
We all hear about #blackfriday, #cybermonday, #shopsmallsaturday…but what does it REALLY mean to our area when you shop small? Why should you shop locally?
As a small business owner, I will give a little bit of insight to what shopping local means to me. One of my goals when starting my business was to create an inspiring space for people to shop and create. Every quarter, I plan in advance how to style the shop and what to buy on a personal level for our customers. I think about all of the great customers (and friends) and what they would like to see and experience. So many times I think “Oh this is great, this friend would love this!” because selecting things for the shop has become a little like selecting just the right thing for a friend. I teach and host workshops that I hope inspire people to dream big and create pretty things.
I want people to feel encouraged and inspired when they walk in the door. Promoting local and regional artists is a big part of who we are. When small business shops small too, it’s even better.
We love helping in our community. Local businesses love to “do good” by donation of time, services and goods year-round. Our favorite local event we are doing this year is Fantasy of Trees!
Customer Service is more personal when you shop small. We strive so hard to make sure you feel welcome when you come in. It’s the little things small businesses do that big businesses won’t, like delivering something to a home when it might not fit in a car or just making sure everything is always right. It’s important because it’s personal to small biz!
We hire within our community. Employees in small business are generally friends and family. Employees are hired for long term and you will see the same friendly faces almost every time you visit. Local business employees also have constant interaction with owners and managers, so they are highly skilled at what they do and will provide a great experience.
I want to encourage you to shop Knoxville this coming Small Business Saturday. Many of my friends own a small business and it means so much to us when you come visit us. We strive to create places that people love and want you to just stop in to say hello!
