Small Business Saturday 2021: How To Support Del Ray Businesses

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Local businesses in Del Ray hope to make the most of Small Business Saturday and other promotions as the coronavirus pandemic continues to redefine the holiday shopping season.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in Del Ray are facing unprecedented challenges as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic changes how Americans do their holiday shopping.

Alexandria Shop Small Week returns for a second year from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2. The seven days of promotions and happenings supports Alexandria's independently-owned businesses. It kicks off with Plaid Friday: Alexandria’s Small Business Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Museum Store Sunday. Then shop online for Cyber Monday and support local causes Giving Tuesday. On Giveaway Wednesday, follow Visit Alexandria’s Instagram at @VisitAlexVA for an Alexandria Shop and Stay giveaway and the chance to win an overnight hotel stay, massage for two at Sugarhouse Day Spa and the choice of three $50 gift cards from participating boutiques. The Alexandria Shop Small Week concludes with a new Moonlight Merriment event on Thursday, Dec. 2.

Shoppers are encouraged to shop small and early to ensure they have gifts in time for the holidays. On Small Business Saturday (Nov. 27), enjoy live music along pedestrian-only areas of King Street and discounts or gifts from over 50 boutiques in Del Ray and Old Town.

Del Ray will also have a Shop Small Crawl along Mt. Vernon Avenue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Shop retailers along the Avenue and pick up a swag bag full of coupons, samples, and holiday goodies starting at 10 a.m. at the Del Ray Farmers Market while supplies last. Only 90 swag bags will be available, and one lucky bag will have a $50 gift card. Get your Shopping Passport stamped when you spend $25 or more at participating stores. Three stamps will get you discounts on your bill at Del Ray Café and Taqueria Poblano.

The list of local businesses listed by American Express for Small Business Saturday in and around Del Ray continues to grow. Here is the full list:

• Evening Star Cafe
• Del Ray Cafe
• St Elmo's Coffee Pub
• The Dairy Godmother
• Cheesetique
• Del Ray Pizzeria
• Northside 10
• Taqueria Poblano
• The Birchmere
• Piece Out - Del Ray
• Live Oak Restaurant
• Hops N Shine
• Yates Dry Cleaning
• Let's Meat On The Avenue
• Mr Wash Car Wash
• Neighborhood Pharmacy
• Purple Goose
• From Head To Tail Grooming Spa
• Lubrication-It
• Anne Welsh Salon
• Executive Lock & Key
• R And B
• Topper's Pizza
• Salon Bisoux
• Your Dog's Best Friends
• Bella Napoli
• Top It Off
• Marino's Pizza & Subs
• Georgetown Automotive Service
• Sugar Scrub Nail Spa
• Alexandria Trading
• The Garden
• Tsim Yung Chinese Restaurant
• Affordable Signs & Banners
• Vocelli Pizza
• Huascaran Restaurant
• 5ive & 2wo Cleaners
• El Paisa Grocery
• Alexandria Bavarian Service
• Meridian Deli & Convenience
• Yates Automotive
• Tops of Old Town
• Association for Commuter Transportation
• Trident Crossfit
• Keyway Locksmith
• Eco Car Wash
• Sophia's Cafe
• Kim's Cleaners
• Colonial Market
• Techys Tailoring
• Asap Printing & Mailing Co.
• Taqueria Senora Lola
• American Used Tires
• Bratti R Associates
• Studio Body Logic
• Area Safe & Lock Service
• Marcela's Bakery
• Tiger Market And Bakery
• Jerry Chan's Restaurant
• Greg's Automotive Service
• Chirilagua Unisex Hair Salon
• Foundation Fitness Of Del Ray
• Power Nectar Yoga
• El Cuscatleco Restaurant
• Auburn Cleaner
• Mount Vernon Barber & Beauty Salon

American Express launched the “Shop Small” movement in 2010 to encourage people to support local businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Since then, it has evolved into a year-round effort to encourage people to support the mom-and-pop businesses and local shops in Del Ray and elsewhere around the country.

Last year, Americans spent about $20 billion on Small Business Saturday, up slightly from the year before.

Supporting local businesses is important, according to American Express, which estimates that 67 cents of every $1 spent remains in the local community. That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to the financial services company.

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 closings 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.

Small businesses have been pummeled by the pandemic, according to a study by economist Susan Woodward. The study looked at the bank deposits of nearly 1 million small businesses with 10 or fewer employees, from every major sector and industry, during the first year of the pandemic.

The study, commissioned by Intuit QuickBooks, looked at bank deposits by the approximately 1 million small businesses using the company’s software and anonymized, aggregated data from the users.

In Virginia, small business was down 17 percent in the first full year of the pandemic.

Retailers and personal care businesses, such as barbers and hair salons, were among the businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, but have enjoyed a stronger recovery than other sectors, according to the study.

• Personal care businesses saw their revenue fall by more than half (52 percent) at the beginning of the pandemic, but by March 2021 reported revenue 16 percent above pre-pandemic levels.
• Clothing stores reported in April 2020 their revenue had decreased by 50 percent, or about $10,000 per business. In March 2021, revenues were 14 percent above pre-pandemic levels.

In general, Woodward’s study also showed:

• The pandemic’s biggest impact on small business revenue was in April 2020, when revenues fell by 22 percent nationwide, equivalent to $4.6 billion for that month alone.
• The top performers over the past year are home improvement and real estate businesses. The annual revenue of mortgage bankers increased by 30 percent compared with pre-pandemic levels — an average increase of $147,000 per business.
• The recreation industry had some of the hardest-hit small businesses. For example, annual revenues at bowling alleys were down 33 percent by the end of March 2021, an average drop of more than $250,000 per business.
• Small businesses in high-density urban areas — especially in states located on the East and West coasts — experienced a greater financial impact from the pandemic. Areas hit the hardest include New York City, especially Brooklyn, and San Francisco.