Small Business Saturday reminds shoppers to love local
While many people have their minds on getting the best Black Friday deal, local businesses are asking shoppers to consider them, as some owners feel the pandemic push of supporting local fade away.
Small Business Saturday marks the day after holiday shoppers go bargain hunting at malls and chain stores to champion local creators and producers.
"Black Friday is all about the big box stores and marking down sales and hoards of people shopping," explained Tracy Losey, owner and operator of Parcel + Prose on 124 Street.
"We're trying to say, okay, the little guys need you too."
Losey says over the pandemic, there was a strong momentum to patronize local boutiques and stores.
"It's actually kind of slipped backwards again," Losey said.
"Local business is really important to the community," she added. "You are not only supporting the business next door, but you are also supporting the family that owns that business.
"We are also employing people who live in the neighbourhood, we are supporting artisans who are making things."
Andrew Danyleyko, an employee at Daisy Chain Book Company, says shopping at a small retailer gives you a chance to get more personalized service and recommendations.
"There's a lot of added value," Danyleyko said. "It's just fun and a way to connect to people."
The small used and new bookstore opened two years ago and hosts local author meet and greets and themed book nights to not only connect customers with each other but the greater literary scene in Edmonton.
"When you purchase something at the store, like Daisy Chain, it directly helps people here and the money often goes right back into the community," he said.
"Really, when you are supporting a small store, you are supporting a whole community," Losey echoed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.