Small Business Saturday

TUPELO,Miss.(WCBI)—The big box stores get their day after Thanksgiving.

Today locally owned stores take center stage, hoping to cash in on a lot of sales from customers during Small Business Saturday.

American Express is driving force behind small business Saturday which began in 2010 as way to encourage people across the country to support small local businesses. And in downtown Tupelo there was both old long time established local retail establishments like Reeds and Tupelo Hardware, as well as newer tenants in the downtown like Farm House Tupelo and About the South. Jack Reed Junior runs Reed which has been going strong since 1905. He likes the idea of small business Saturday.

“I think it’s just an idea that came about collectively from people that said we need to keep our home town merchants in business. We don’t need to go to Amazon.com. We need to go to all the big box chain stores. There’s still an important place in America business community for hometown merchants so this is just a way to celebrate that,”said Reed.

And Reed says there are…

“A great staff that knows our customers and cares about them and wants to do a professional job I think of quality reputation that you get what you pay for at Reeds and then we’ve just been blessed with a lot of loyal customers through the years that I think see the importance of a business that gives back to the community and is a part of the kind of like an accordion you give you give back you buy you give back. That sort of thing,”said Reed.

Tupelo Hardware owner George Booth takes advantage of his store’s storied history, selling guitars like the one Elvis Presley bought here and propelled the Tupelo native to fame.

“Of course we’re unique with out guitar sales in a way because of Elvis’s purchase of his first guitar here. Men think about buying a pocket knife for their father or son family members. Being part of the community in small town Mississippi is always identified with the downtown retail neighborhood so we look forward to having Christmas shopping,”said Booth.

Bev Crossen owns Farmhouse Tupelo which she moved downtown from its orginal location on McCullough Boulevard.

“First of all I think it’s very important to support your small business because we’re not like big box stores that we can offer huge discounts. But we work very very hard. You know a small business owner you’re working 24/7 so it’s very important to shop small, shop local and support your small businesses,”said. Crossen.

Several doors down from Farmhouse is About the South which also relocated to main street from McCullough Boulevard. Owner Susie Morgan says it was a smart move.

“Downtown Tupelo has come back to life in the past several years when we made the move from out on McCullough Boulevard to downtown it was like a shot in our store. it’s just taken off and gown and we see more and more people shopping downtown and today being shop small Saturday we’ve got the streets are filling up just keeping our money local instead of sending it to some big chain from at the mall,”said Morgan

There is something very nostalgic about coming downtown and shopping on Main Street during the Christmas season. And for these merchants, it’s very important for their bottom line.

“Fourth quarter is what pays our bills. We work really really hard so we really need to have high sales in the fourth quarter to cover our costs for the whole entire year.”said Morgan.

“It is very critical. Fourth quarter’s probably our strongest followed closely behind by Mother’s Day and graduation and wedding season but Christmas by and large does keep us afloat,”said Reed.

Local merchants also bring in much needed tax revenue for their towns that can be used for important projects in the community and provide basic services.