Local Stores A Focus

Shops Await Small Business Saturday

The big box stores opened early Friday — or late Thursday. Rogers business owner Sarah Brown took a different approach.

Brown, owner of the Fleur de Lis Boutique at 218 W. Walnut St. didn’t open until noon Friday — but she featured special attractions for her customers.

“I figured most of the people would be at the big chain stores early in the day. We thought it would be nice to offer tired shoppers a massage and a mimosa,” Brown said.

Fast Facts

Small Business Saturday

Shop Small Business Saturday is a national America Express promotion that reminds people to shop small businesses in the community. It was first recognized in 2010 as a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which features big box retail and e-commerce stores.

Source: Staff Report

A mimosa is made with orange juice and champagne.

Melanie Straener, a licensed massage therapist, took the kinks out of tired backs.

“We had several takers on the mimosa drinks, but not a lot of massages,” Brown said with a laugh. People, she said, were in a hurry.

Chelsea Montgomery, who stopped in during her lunch break from New Hope Animal Clinic, took advantage of a chair massage, which she said she needed.

“I’m not doing any shopping today or even this weekend,” Montgomery said. “If I’m truthful, I probably will wait to the last minute and buy presents the week before Christmas.”

Small business owners in Rogers and Bentonville weren’t getting heavy foot traffic Friday, but were betting today, Small Business Saturday, is better.

“It’s been pretty slow today, said Cynthia Morsedi, owner of Bella LuElla, 1007 S.W. A St. in Bentonville, on Friday. “We had some customers but not many. I think most people are at the big box stores today.”

Bruce Parker, owner of Dollar Saver at First and Walnut streets in Rogers, concurred.

“If it’s anything like it has been the last few years of Shop Small Saturday, it will be a good day,” Parker said.

Parker said it’s better for the community when residents shop at locally owned small businesses.

“I haven’t checked the figures this year, but I remember a few years ago only a small percentage of the money spent in chain store stays in the community. The percentage that stays in the community when residents shop locally owned store is much larger,” Parker said.

The American Independence Business Alliance reported that of every $100 spent at a nationwide chain store, only about $13 stays in the local economy. However, of every $100 spent at a locally owned and operated business, about $45 stays in the local economy.

Parker and other Rogers merchants said they will have specials today, and, in some cases free food and drink.

Barbara Reamer, owner of Mustardseed Menagerie, 103 W. Walnut St., said Friday she was ready for today.

“I’m stocked and ready to go,” Reamer said.

Reamer also said she thinks the national advertising for Shop Small Saturday helps small businesses.

“I think it reminds people to support their hometown,” she said.

Stores on the Fayetteville Square were bustling with shoppers Friday morning, while businesses on Dickson Street got off to a slower start.

Andrea Acree, an associate with Private Gallery on Dickson Street, said most of the store’s customers are students, many of whom left town for the holidays. With the Arkansas Razorbacks playing the Louisiana State University Tigers in Fayetteville on Friday, she hoped to attract more shoppers.

“It’s definitely a big day for Private Gallery stores in malls because they get more Black Friday shoppers,” Acree said. “It’s hard being a stand-alone boutique, but we’re hoping it will pick back up with game-day traffic.”

Brian Bailey, owner of The Mustache Goods & Wears on South Block Avenue, said the LSU game brought more football fans into his store on Friday.

“I’ve seen more people wearing LSU shirts than Arkansas shirts,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing.”

Bailey said he expected a bigger crowd today because of Small Business Saturday and because shoppers won’t be as “distracted with the football game.”

Altus resident Peggy Bartlet said she came to Fayetteville with her son and daughter-in-law for Friday’s football game.

She stopped by The Mustache for her first time to do some holiday shopping and to shop for herself.

“I definitely don’t want to be around a big crowd of shoppers right now,” she said.

Kate Ward contributed to this report.

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