Small Business Saturday highlights ‘the soul of the community’

Black Friday is for big box stores and major retailers, Cyber ​​Monday is for online shopping. In between the two there is a day when the focus is on small, local mom-and-pop shops.

Since 2010, the Saturday after Thanksgiving has been known as Small Business Saturday. On this day, people from all over the country visit locally owned brick-and-mortar stores in their neighborhood.

“We have, you know, over 75,000 small businesses in the District,” said Rosemary Suggs-Evans, director of the DC Department of Local Small Business Development. “Small businesses, as everyone knows, are the backbone of the economy. But even more important is that I say they are the soul of the community.”

As Director Suggs-Evans spoke with buyers and sellers inside Eastern Market, she noted that many people’s first job was at a local business.

“Small business owners hire locally. Small business owners make sure people can support their families…they support the economy,” Suggs-Evans said.

The historic Eastern Market is located in DC’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. From meats, cheeses, fish and flowers, the building that houses the market dates back to the 19th century. The weekly event offers just about everything a farmers market fan would want.

“We’re shopping small in our favorite part of Washington, D.C.,” said Capitol Hill resident Barbara Bomessa. “It’s the place where we live, it’s the people we live with. We want to keep the money in our community. We don’t need to go to the big stores. They have their place, but it is good to buy small.”

Inside, Bomessa bought fish. Also outside, Amy Nazarov, her husband and their dog were shopping. Along with an empanada, Nazarov bought a gift for a special friend.

“There is a person who makes products from old books and I just ordered a set of coasters from him using pages from an old edition of Wind in the Willows,” Nazarov said.

Like many people who shop today, Nazarov makes a point of buying from local businesses.

“They are very important to the character of the Capitol: the small businesses on Capitol Hill are run by Capitol Hill people, Washingtonians,” he said. “So you’re supporting your neighbors, you’re putting money back into the community, and you’re getting products that are unique and special.”

A store that offers unique products this holiday season? the stationery Wonderful DC Cards and Gifts. Hanging over the counter are Christmas decorations of first ladies Barbara Bush and Jackie Kennedy, along with Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It’s vacation time, so the weekend is always good. But on Small Business Saturday, everyone comes out to support,” said co-owner Dennis Dewees.

A buyer with a mission was Alex Wright. Wright and his wife Natalie, and their dog, spoke to WTOP about a recent kitchen mishap.

“The gift my father-in-law gave me was breaking one of my fancy knives,” Wright said.

It seemed like Wright was really happy to go to hill kitchenand he wasn’t the only one. The store was busy and owner Leah Daniels took the time to speak with WTOP after a conversation she had with two customers about the quality of different knives.

“Small Business Saturday is a really fun day. It’s also pretty interesting that it falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year,” Daniels said. “So people who come from out of town, who come every year to see their families at Thanksgiving, come every year on Small Business Saturday and it’s like a homecoming for them.

Daniels, who opened Hills Kitchen in 2006, said this time of year is good for kitchen supply stores.

“We just spent Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the Super Bowl of cooking. So while every other store is people breathing deeply, we’ve been going crazy over the past week,” Daniels said.

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