Small shops opened early, offered 15, 20 or 30 percent off or buy-one-get-one sales to entice customers Saturday.
Small Business Saturday, now in its fourth year, is growing in downtown Holland.
"People love to come out — especially in our community — and support small businesses," said Matt Holmes co-owner of Home and Co., Tip Toes in downtown Holland and Jean Marie's on Chicago Drive.
Melinda Werling, of Zeeland, was back in downtown Holland on Saturday morning after having picked up some gifts there Friday night. Saturday, she was at the Holland Farmers Market buying holiday decorations.
"I want (local stores) to stay around. I don't want them to leave," she said about why she tries to shop local. "I think they have a lot of good merchandise to offer."
"It's fun. There's a lot of variety and we really like small stores," said Nancy Gebben, of Zeeland, who was shopping with her family Saturday morning. Small stores, she said, offer a more intimate shopping experience and more unique selection.
Last year, it is estimated, American shoppers spent $ 14.3 billion at small, independent businesses on Small Business Saturday, according to Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey conducted in 2014.
Holland's Downtown Development Authority has taken on Small Business Saturday and promoted it through a social media contest, asking shoppers to take selfies and post them with the hashtag #DHShopSmall to enter to win an $ 100 gift card to the downtown Holland business of their choice. Nearly 20 downtown businesses officially participated with special deals, promotions and giveaways.
Holmes said Small Business Saturday has grown for his three shops over the past four years, and he sees the Small Business Saturday sales as a reward to his customers for supporting Home and Co. and his other businesses.
"It's one of our largest shopping days of the year," he said.
On Saturday, a $ 2 donation to the Holland Rescue Mission garnered guests 20 percent off their total purchase, something Holmes called a "feel-good promotion," and one of many sale offers that day.
This is the first year American Express, which started Small Business Saturday in 2010, didn't give customers a rebate on their credit card bills for "shopping small." Instead AmEx offered more support and resources directly to small businesses.
Several downtown Holland stores are busy on any given Saturday with shoppers drawn by the farmers market and the appeal of the shopping district.
Page 2 of 2 – Fris Downtown offered plenty of Small Business Saturday sales and had been busy most of the day, said Peggy Holesinger, a sales associate at the store, but only slightly busier than any given Saturday.
"The sales seem to be helping," she said of the markdowns around the store.
"Small Business Saturday is a great fit for downtown Holland because we have such a strong shopping destination and great retail environment," Downtown Development Authority Director Dana Kollewehr told The Sentinel last week. "We're really known for that locally and in the region."
Seventy-three percent of the money spent at locally owned businesses stays local, compared to 43 percent of the dollars spent at non-locally owned stores, according to Local First.
Fustini's Oil and Vinegars Manager Denise Walburg hung "Shop Small" banners outside the Eighth Street store and "Shop Small" bags inside. Saturdays are almost always busy at Fustini's, but this Saturday had a chef cooking up samples of holiday entertaining fare as well as to entice shoppers.
"If you're a foodie, you know we're here. If not, that's not necessarily the case,"Walburg said.
"More exposure," she said, is always a good thing.
— Follow this reporter on Facebook and on Twitter, @SentinelAndrea.
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