ROCKFORD, Mich. -- Before you race to the big box stores to get those holiday gifts, don`t forget about the mom and pop shops.
Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held the Saturday after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
Buying local not only helps small business owners, many we spoke with say there’s true beauty in shopping in small towns, comparing downtown Rockford to a Hallmark movie during the holiday season.
"We sell toys, games, puzzles, books, anything, and everything to make a kid smart to make creative to make them use there imagination that's what we're good at," said Candy Lancioni, owner of Aunt Candies Toy Company.
Lancioni and other small business owners are good at offering the best deals for you this holiday season, at least they hope.
"I think its a little bit of both, I would be lying if I say it's not a little nerve-racking but then its also so fulfilling at the end of the season to see everything come together," Amber Kneiber said, owner of Bailey and James Boutique.
"To me [small business Saturday] means creating a community a neighborhood and basically creating hope for future entrepreneurs and supporting individuals, not big corporations, people you actually see, you know their faces their stories know their names," Kneibel said.
Bailey and James Boutique is a gifts store with tons of gifts, different holiday decor, decor for all seasons.
On Saturday, Kneibel is offering 20% off all Bailey and James Boutique items, excluding their Michigan main consignment lines. Also, if you buy three Kalamazoo candles, you'll get your fourth one free."
These owners are all about setting those Black Friday flyers down to pick up small business Saturday deals, all while taking in the beauty of a quaint downtown.
"Yeah all the stores down here will be having some kind of deal some of them will offer percentage off some of them give a free gift some of them do ornaments we all do something different we make it special to our own stores and that's what makes it so nice down here," Lancioni said.
The business owners say shopping small, allows business owners to give back to those in need.
"You should definitely come out to Rockford it is the epitome of a Hallmark Christmas movie during the holidays the dam is lit up, the trees are all lit up, there's Christmas music playing on the streets, everyone is smiling, so being a small part of that just seems magical," Kneibel said.
American Express created Small Business Saturday in 2010 to support struggling business owners. according to American Express, this shop small movement has resulted in a total of 85 billion dollars spent over the past eight years at independent retailers and restaurants across the country.
