On your mark, get set, shop local

BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — On your mark — get set — shop local.

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“Saturday is definitely the day where we get big groups of people that come out and do all their shopping,” remarked Therese Deutschlander, owner, Thin Ice, president, Elmwood Village Association.

Traditionally the day after Black Friday is Small Business Saturday.

Many small shops around Western New York will be participating to kick-start the holiday shopping season, highlighting small businesses and encouraging you to buy local.

In Buffalo's Elwmood Village you can browse and shop for your gifts along the Elmwood strip and on Small Business Saturday, shops like Thin Ice will be ready for shoppers.

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“Everybody to your stations —we're ready for this — we make sure boxes are made and we're ready to go,” Deutschlander noted.

"I think Buffalo is a really great neighborhood with a lot of really interesting and unique small businesses and its a way to support the city rather than huge corporations that get the business all year long,” replied Alanna Paris, Buffalo shopper.

When you visit the local shops on Small Business Saturday you'll find something about Buffalo and something totally unique.

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“They know that we have really one-of-a-kind items — they know we work directly with local artists — we’ve got over 230, so they come here to find the items that they know they're not at target,” explained Deutschlander.

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“It’s definitely something that it might stick out — you wouldn't see anywhere else — because you kind of figure what you're going to get somewhere else, but here see something new you didn't think off,” replied Paris.

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“What did you find —that’s unique?” Buckley asked. “Well I’m with my family so I can’t shop for them now,” Paris answered.” secret."

Small shops around the region hope you join them for Small Business Saturday. Shops in the Hertel Avenue district in north Buffalo will also be part of it.

The National Retail Federation predicts a double-digit increase in holiday spending over last year — about ten percent more.

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According to the experts, that is good news for both small and large retailers, but a big problem for these smaller shops is an increase in on-line shopping.

“Online it really doesn't matter how big your store is, in terms of your store footprint or what have you, if you have a really good on line presence,” noted Charles Lindsey, associate professor, UB’s School of Management.

But at Thin Ice, they have on-line shopping and offer free shipping through Cyber Monday.

“We have a full website it's all the different local artist and it's a thriving website, so that's how we compete by just joining them,” responded Deutschlander.