Local Shops Optimistic For Small Business Saturday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- On a beautiful Black Friday in Shadyside, Jonathan and Julia Pizzutti were trying to drum up business for their mother's restaurant, Pizzutti's.
Family is a common theme of many small businesses, including Henne's Jewelry.
"It's a family-run business," owner John Henne told KDKA Money Editor Jon Delano. "It was founded by my great-grandfather in 1887."
Although tougher than ever to compete with big chain stores, America's 28 million small businesses want a piece of the Christmas holiday action.
"I and every other independent business need your shopping dollars now, this season. This is it," says Jean Haller, owner of Journeys of Life.
So between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, have you heard of Small Business Saturday?
Person 1: "I haven't. What's that?"
Person 2: "Is it a support of small businesses and things like that because if it is, I'm all for it."
That's exactly what it is, and some shop-owners hope Americans will spend some bucks at local establishments.
If you need a reason why you should shop at a small business, here's one. Most Americans are employed by small businesses. In fact, 65 percent of all new jobs are with small companies.
Here's another reason. For every $100 you spend at a local small business, $68 of that stays right in the local community.
"This next month will make or break probably 50 percent of the independent businesses in this country," says Haller.
Haller is counting on those dollars.
Her store -- Journeys of Life -- suffered a major fire two weeks ago and is reopening in a temporary location on Small Business Saturday.
"Now more than ever, Small Business Saturday is about community," says Haller.
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