Borderland shops look to cash in on ‘Small Business Saturday’
EL PASO, Texas -- Long lines at retail giants such as Best Buy or Walmart on Black Friday have become second nature. Many retailers offering enticing deals luring borderland shoppers to stand in line sometimes for hours.
While the allure of Black Friday has become synonymous with the Thanksgiving holiday, local businesses have sometimes been left in the dark. Ten years ago American Express made a push to change that, the financial services company looking to keep local business in the forefront of the holiday shopping rush.
El Paso shops look forward to "Small Business Saturday" every year, as it's a chance to gain ground on holiday sales goals.
"Your helping the community you're supporting all the local artists that work in El Paso especially the ones that are here in the shop you also get to represent the city that you're in," said Andrew Candelaria, owner of Chuco Relic shop.
It's not just local businesses that enjoy Small Business Saturday, holiday shoppers like the idea of getting gifts you cant get at big chain stores.
"Their unique and different I'm sure those retails stores have a lot of other good stuff but I think that these are better and the money stays here," a local shopper said.
Big chain businesses have been cashing in on Black Friday for years, now smaller shops get to reap the benefits of the holiday rush through this unofficial shopping holiday.
While it may seem that big chain retailers are cashing in on internet sales, for many local businesses the fact that their clientele lives in the same zip code provides its own advantages.
"They know the easy stuff so we're a little deeper we're right on it when it comes to having the right stock and the right at the right time and the right quantity which is really really important," said George Raynoso, owner of All that Music & Video.
