Small Business Saturday 2020: Help Them Stay Afloat In Bradenton

BRADENTON, FL — Small businesses have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, making Small Business Saturday in 2020 more vital than ever. This year, the all-local shopping event falls on Nov. 28 including in Bradenton.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in Bradenton are facing unprecedented challenges due to coronavirus-related restrictions and shutdowns.

The list of Small Business Saturday participants continues to grow, despite the pandemic. Here’s some of the businesses that have signed up so far:

• Detwiler’s Farm Market, 1800 US 301
• Peltz Famous Brand Shoes, 5275 University Pkwy.
• The Chop Shop, 5906 Manatee Ave. W
• Robinson Sports, 6730 Moccasion Wallow Road
• AAA Discount Liquors, 2175 60th Ave. E
• Crowder Bros Cortez, 9516 Cortez Road West
• Palmetto Hardware & More, 1118 8th Ave. W
• Leo & Lucky’s, 8943 US Hwy. 301 N
• Greg Norman, 5461 Factory Shops Blvd
• Cox Chevrolet, 2900 Cortez Road
• Learning Express Toys & Gifts, 8451 Cooper Creek Blvd
• Butcher’s Mark, 8519 Cooper Creek Blvd
• Advantage Trim & Lumber, 7524 Commerce Place
• Rice’s Appliance & TV, 6430 14th Street W
• River’s Edge Liquor, 4933 E State Road 64
• Ryder Bikes, 1905 Cortez Road W
• Apothicare at Lakewood Ranch, 8618 East State Road 70
• Lyteworks, 816 Manatee Ave. E
• Tropical Cadillac Oldsmobile, 4780 14th Street W
• Tropiflora, 3530 Tallavast Road
• Holistic for Pets, 5770 Ranch Lake Blvd.
• Travel Pro International, 5461 Factory Shops Blvd.
• Nissan of Bradenton, 1611 Cortez Road W
• Custom Marine Canvas, 900 4th Street W
• The Furniture Warehouse, 7155 16th Street E
• Genuine Parts, 2000 1st Street W
• Richard’s Foodporium, 2601 Manatee Ave.
• Seagrape Seafood Market, 421 10th Ave. W
• Jess Jewelers, 1312 6th Ave. W
• Market on Main, 312 12th Street W
• Pretty Woman Cosmetics, 1707 1st Street
• The Village Mystic, 1017 12th Ave. W
• Everything FL, 1707 1st Street E
• Manatee Hearing & Speech, 701 Manatee Ave. W
• Something Blue Bridal, 3621 Manatee Ave. W
• Manasota Flooring, 2510 1st Street W
• Manatee Family Pharmacy, 3705 Manatee Ave. W
• Pelot’s Pharmacy, 831 Manatee Ave. E
• The Bungalow of Bradenton, 2419 Manatee Ave. W
• Uphealth, 200 3rd Ave. W
• Hope Chest, 1215 8th Ave. W
• Unique Boutique, 417 12th Street W
• Southern Supply Company, 606 19th Ave. W
• Sandy Paws, 624 14th Street W
• Manatee Auto & Marine Up, 1307 9th Street W
• Power Meals by Dawn, 323 10th Ave. W
• Bill’s Discount Center, 1001 9th Street W
• Wraphx, 1211 1st Street E
• Suncoast Gems, 435 12th Street W
• By the Sea Boutique, 705 8th Ave W
• World of Flooring, 2308 1st Street E
• Phosco Electric Supply, 1734 5th Street West
• Value King Discount Beverages, 1218 9th Street W
• Fibela Products, 1707 1st Street Street
• Bite Me Cookies By Cindy, 1508 11th Street W
• Aio Wireless, 593 10th Street E
• His Girls Bless N Shop, 902 8th Ave West
• Custom Engraving, 87 39th Street Court NW
• Tie the Knot Boutique, 975 Riverside Drive
• The CBD Store, 2723 Manatee Ave. W
• Ruby Food Mart, 2001 9th Street W
• Victor Discount Tire, 1201 9th Street W
• Mad Dog Pawn, 3324 Manatee Ave. W
• Bradenton Motors, 1121 Tamiami Trl.
• The Tide & The Moon Jewelry, 1209 3rd Ave. W
• Aldrich Flooring, 718 23rd Ave. W
• Vargas Produce, 1701 First Street E
• Florida Premiere Turf, 323 10th Ave. W
• Palmetto Pool Care, 443 10th Ave. W
• HP Ingredients, 707 24th Ave. W
• Bradenton Prosthetics, 535 8th Street W
• The Item Shop, 1707 1st Street E
• Card Shop, 1721 1st Street E
• Manatee County Rural Health, 700 8th Ave. W
• Bradenton Motors, 1121 14th Street W
• Designing Windows By Isabel, 735 7th Street W
• Left of Center Gallery, 1013 11th Ave. W
• Luis Produce, 1707 1st Street E
• Housewares 4 Less, 1707 1st Street
• J&J Appliance, 911 23rd Street W
• Richard’s Pat Emporium, 1701 1st Street E
• Lil Buddy’s, 1225 9th Street W
• Medallion Flowers, 400 12th Street W
• High Tide Nutrition, 536 13th Street W
• Salty’s Sweet Memories, 1707 1st Street E
• Big Earth Landscape Supply, 2423 Manatee Ave. W
• U.S. Footwear, 1755 1st Street E
• The 3 Sisters Design Co, 408 27th Street W
• Tijuana Todd, 1047 Riverside Drive
• Papi’s Tire Service, 1601 14th Street W
• Gary W. Sweetman Photography, 2904 Manatee Ave. W
• A1A Food Store, 1417 17th Ave. W
• Dapper Bowtique, 2704 11th Ave. W
• Financial Cycles Weekly, 611 Riviera Dunes Way
• Mad Vapor, 3314 Manatee Ave. W
• YM Studio, 2403 9th Street W
• Five Star Vapors, 839 8th Ave. W
• OkCarz, 2212 1st Street W

ALSO ON PATCH: Bradenton Business Directory

Did we miss anyone in Bradenton? Tell us in the comments or send an email to Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com and we’ll add it to the list.

Temporary closures, capacity restrictions, decreased demand for products and services and delays due to supply-chain issues have led to unprecedented challenges for small-business owners.

But the “Shop Small” movement continues amid these hardships.

“This holiday season looks a little different, but we can still share joy,” American Express, which established Small Business Saturday in 2010, said in a statement. “Shop small and support your favorite small businesses — both in store and online — all holiday season long.”

Sixty-two percent of small businesses in the United States need to see sales income return to the same rate it was pre-pandemic before the end of the year to stay in business, according to American Express.

These businesses, many family-owned, were already fighting for survival against malls, big box stores and online retailers before the pandemic.

“Small businesses have an immeasurable effect on the quality of life in neighborhoods by providing necessary resources and supporting a local ecosystem that includes charitable organizations, schools and churches,” said Caroline Connors, executive director of the Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association, an organization that supports small businesses on the South Side of Chicago.

Since 2010, local business supporters have spent more than $100 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.

A Shop Small Consumer Impact survey from American Express before the pandemic found that 73 percent of people think empty storefronts are a national issue, and 84 percent agree the increase in empty storefronts and the closing of small, independently owned businesses negatively affect their local communities.

The survey showed that when consumers are aware of the impact of spending their dollars locally, 75 percent said they would be more likely to purchase a product or service from small, independently owned businesses.

For every dollar spent at a U.S. small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community, according to American Express. This helps independent shops and restaurants keep their doors open and meet pay for their workers — your neighbors.

That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to American Express.

“With so many small businesses hit hard in 2020, it’s more important than ever to shop locally this holiday season to ensure they are able to continue operating in 2021,” Connors said.

Here are some additional Thanksgiving 2020 stories:

• Coronavirus Spread In Bradenton: See Your Risk Of Exposure
• A Pandemic Thanksgiving: How To Celebrate Safely In Bradenton
• Restaurants Open For Thanksgiving 2020 In Bradenton
• Tanner's Turkeys Thanksgiving Basket Brigade Seeks Donations
• FL Grocery Store Hours On Thanksgiving: Publix, Walmart, Safeway
• Thanksgiving Travel 2020: Worst Times To Drive In Florida
• Black Friday Sales 2020: Store, Mall Hours In Bradenton