HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — For almost a decade, small businesses in the Village of Hamburg have celebrated Green Friday the day after Thanksgiving.
It's sort of a twist on Black Friday, representing the recycling of money back into the local economy.
"Our local businesses, we're your neighbors, your friends, your family. And we need the support of a local community," said Zenia Munger, Manager at Comfort Zone Cafe on Main Street
And this year, the Village Business Advisory Council extended Green Friday to Green Season, from Friday through Christmas Eve.
"Instead of trying to focus all the attention on one day and encouraging crowds all at one time, we decided to make it a Green Season," said Munger.
She said this holiday shopping season is vital for small businesses.
"A lot of businesses make it or break it in this quarter. The fourth quarter is really what gets us through the year," she said.
As the Village of Hamburg gets ready to celebrate Green Season, small business owners want to remind people how important it is to shop local.
"There's some statistic that says for every like $100 that you spend at a local business, $68 of that stays in the community," said Elizabeth Maute, who owns Graphic Poetry.
Her store is just a short walk from the Comfort Zone Cafe.
"I've been a graphic designer for over 20 years, and my stationary side of the business was really growing. So I wanted to have, you know, a permanent location, and really trying to also support other artists that are small women [owned], side hustles and also like local companies," said Maute.
Maute has been in at this location for two years now, and she said she's optimistic about the holiday season as she sees more people trying to support local businesses.
"I'm really optimistic about everything, you kind of have to be at this time I think," she said.
