NEW HAVEN, Conn. — As the holidays approach, the U.S. Small Business Administration is highlighting the work of locally-owned shops ahead of Small Business Saturday.
Representatives from the organization visited several stores in New Haven’s Westville Village on Tuesday to encourage people to shop small on Saturday.
“Small Business Saturday started right after the recession in 2010, 2011 and what it was trying to do was encourage people to come make their investment in independently-run businesses,” said Catherine Marx, district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Marx said the relationship can be illustrated in that 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business will go directly back into the community.
It’s a type of support that small business owners, like many in Westville Village, rely on. Many attribute their longstanding success to that support from the community.
“Both SoHo and Odeon are the longest-standing businesses here in the village. Odeon’s 40th anniversary is this year, actually. And SoHo has been here for 45 years,” said Marina Kydes, manager at Odeon Boutique.
Kydes said most customers visit their store for a more personal experience.
“We like to go face to face and make that connection with our customers to help them build a wardrobe they’re very proud of,” Kydes said.
Customers at other Westville stores nearby spoke of the intimacy of small businesses versus big box stores.
“I actually was going to go somewhere else, and I preferred to come, you know, local, and actually, I wanted that like one-on-one experience,” said Ellie Greenberg, who stopped by the DaSilva Gallery & Frame Shop on Tuesday.
“I think people are more aware that the businesses they support in their community are very important to them as well. Because us, the village thrives, the neighborhood also thrives,” said Gabriel DaSilva, owner of DaSilva Gallery & Frame Shop.
Small Business Saturday will be observed across the country this upcoming weekend on Nov. 30. There are 700 active small businesses in New Haven alone.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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