OSWEGO — As Christmas approaches, there is a special emphasis on shopping locally and supporting area small businesses.
That’s especially true today on Small Business Saturday.
According to local business owners and elected leaders, this is one of the best times of the year.
Small Business Saturday (SBS) is the annual celebration of local businesses and their contributions to local economies. This “important part” of small businesses’ busiest season can pump upward of more than $19 billion nationwide into communities, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, citing a 2020 survey completed by American Express.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday encouraged consumers to take part in this national event and support local small businesses as they recover from the pandemic.
“As small businesses recover from the economic toll of the pandemic, many are counting on sales generated during the holiday season to make their profits and stay afloat,” Hochul said.
According to the governor’s office, small businesses throughout the state generate millions of jobs. By choosing to shop locally, New Yorkers invest in their neighborhoods, strengthen their communities and keep tax dollars within New York State.
State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, R-Pulaski, on Friday said by shopping locally, residents help the “driving force” behind the state’s fiscal health and support neighbors, families and friends.
“At a time when our economy has been severely disrupted by the impact of COVID-19, plagued by supply chain issues and reeling from ongoing labor shortages, it is more important than ever we support independent retailers,” Barclay said in a Friday release. “While major corporations can fall back on enormous reserves of cash and credit, many small businesses simply do not have that luxury.”
Falling between the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping surge, Small Business Saturday represents a great opportunity for local consumers to find unique items not traditionally found in larger, national retailers, Barclay said.
“New York has some incredible options and items you simply cannot get anywhere else, and buying them greatly benefits both shoppers and local owners,” Barclay said.
Local business owners told The Palladium-Times Friday just how important the local community spirit is, not only to their businesses but also to the area as a whole.
Murdock’s Bicycles & Sports owner Greg Mills said through the community’s increased support to local businesses in recent years, the area has transformed into a community hub and a destination for families seeking a riverside community.
“Revitalization is taking place through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative,” Mills said Friday, pointing to the influx of community investment the city has made to the community. “(The city) is creating a quality of life for people not only to shop here, but live here and to have resources available to them — whether that be a bike shop, book store or candy store — outside your door makes the community and the attraction to living here stronger.”
Since at least 2016, the city of Oswego has dramatically transformed mostly in part to the state funded Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). Oswego was awarded $10 million in 2016 through the state DRI, a program aimed at spurring investment in downtowns across the Empire State.
Local developments funded partly through the state DRI nearing completion or done include The LITATRO building, Riverwalk Apartments, East Lake Commons, Water Street Square and a multitude of similar projects coming to fruition in recent months.
“The city of Oswego and the community has really embraced small businesses in general,” Man in the Moon Candies owner Amy Lear said. “Not just since COVID hit when there has been a big push to support small businesses, but for years, as long as we have been open, the community has really made an effort in my eyes to support the small businesses.”
Although the drive to support local businesses is high, the drastic impact of COVID-19 on the local economy cannot be ignored. For some business owners, it left them with hardships. Currently, supply chain issues have changed the way people are shopping.
“Everyone is shopping earlier this year, and with the supply chain problems and shortages, people are understanding the implications of that and responding to that and starting to see the advantages of buying early,” The River’s End Bookstore General Manager Emil Christmann said. “They’re buying books earlier and putting in orders ahead of time. We’ve seen increased activity on our website, which is great.”
According to Maida’s Floral Shop owner Deb Sherwood, company personnel have had to operate in a non-traditional way to ensure their products are delivered in face of shortages. Among the different measures she said she has taken include placing orders weeks to months in advance and directly contacting farms for flowers as opposed to a wholesaler.
“So far it’s worked out,” Sherwood said. “It’s a little more work and pre-planning but we’re managing.”
Empire State Development (ESD) Acting Commissioner and President and CEO-designate Hope Knight said small businesses, or “the fabric of our communities,” are staples of their communities and help make the state’s economy thrive.
“Every time you head to your neighborhood coffee shop or restaurant or visit that corner store and pick up something that catches your eye, you are supporting a local small business,” Knight said. “ESD has continued to offer support to our small and micro businesses during the pandemic through many programs, but we cannot do it alone. The support of everyday customers is integral, and we encourage New Yorkers to shop your local small businesses this Saturday, and every day.”
One of the options available for local businesses owners facing hardships in recent months is the Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. To date, more than $363 million has been allocated to over 21,000 businesses across the state, according to the governor’s office.
“Let’s all lend a hand by shopping locally at small businesses in our communities on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season,” Hochul said.
