Small Business Saturday 2020: Help Them Stay Afloat In Bel Air

BEL AIR, MD — 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 Bel Air.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in Bel Air 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 are some of the businesses participating in Bel Air:

• Aroma Candle Studio, 18 S. Main St., will give a free pour card to those who spend $100 on Small Business Saturday. Buy three candles, get one free on Black Friday.
• The Auto Salon of Bel Air, 139 Baltimore Pike
• Bel Air Carpet, 807 Bel Air Rd.
• Collectors Corner, 17 N. Main St.
• Cuzino's Family Kitchen,331 Baltimore Pike, Suite #3
• Del Haven Service Center, 801 Conowingo Rd.
• Full Heart Soulutions, 107 S. Main St.
• General Automotive Repair, 309 S. Atwood Rd.
• Kelly's Hair Design, 604 Moores Mill Rd.
• The Nest On Main, 110 S. Main St., is celebrating all week long with extended hours, including 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Customers will receive a gift with purchase, 15 percent off wreaths, garlands, stems and cancles. The first five customers who spend more than $100 on Beekman products will receive a free goat tote.
• Red Polish Nail Bar, 309 S Main St
• Richardsons Florist, 816 S. Main St., is taking 50 percent off all holiday decor Friday and Saturday, except the bargain room, consignments, fresh flowers and fruit baskets. Take $15 off any holiday flower order placed Friday or Saturday.
• Salt Works Spa, 201 Gateway Dr., is offering 20 percent off gift cards in spa and online through Sunday.
• Stephanie's Sweets, 134 N. Tollgate Rd.
• Wockenfuss Candies, 20 Fulford Ave.

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.”

ALSO ON PATCH: The Bel Air Business Guide

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.

— By Tim Moran and Elizabeth Janney