Shawn Nowlin shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org
All across the Roanoke Valley, people were encouraged to participate in Small Business Saturday last weekend by shopping locally. Salem small business owners were hoping for a good turnout and many of them say that it is exactly what happened.
Many small businesses have had to modify their operations to remain profitable since the first cases of COVID were reported in 2020. Elaine Edwards has seen firsthand the kindness expressed to her businesses during the pandemic.
“I run a small catering company and around this time of the year, I get inundated with Facebook messages and emails. I never take that for granted regardless of the overall price because someone chose to spend their hard-earned money on me and not someone else,” she said. “My goal was to complete at least 25 order transactions. Because of people’s generosity, I doubled that amount.”
Carlos Cruz said he and his family visited several businesses in downtown Salem, purchasing various accessories from Grandma’s Attic, a few bobbleheads from Sports Haven and some interesting novels from Wonderous Books & More along the way.
“My parents gave my brother and I each $70 and said we could spend it however we wanted, as long as it was from a local small business. This is the first time they’ve done this, but I’m so glad they did because I got to meet a lot of people and learn about their back stories.” Veronica Cruz, 17, said.
Small Business Saturday, which was launched in 2010, generates millions of dollars annually from people spending money at local mom-and-pop shops. According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated 58 million shoppers hit their respective towns and cities last Saturday.
Many small businesses have struggled to retain and hire workers. Data from the Labor Department’s Opening and Labor Turnover Survey suggests that a record-high 4.4 million workers quit their jobs in September accounting for over three percent of the entire workforce population.
In late 2020, Texas A&M University’s Anthony Klotz coined the term “The Great Resignation,” referring to the continuing trend of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs. Industries impacted the most from this reality include leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, health services and retail.
Clifford Walker is hopeful that when people shop during the holidays, they are mindful of just how many businesses are struggling to make ends meet. “I love Starbucks just as much as the next person but instead of visiting them multiple times a week, perhaps consider a local café or coffee shop. The same goes for restaurants, antique stores, vendors and so much more,” he said.
Mayor Renee Turk declared Nov. 27 Small Business Day with a proclamation which read in part, “the City of Salem supports our local businesses that create jobs, boost our local economy and preserve our communities.”
For more information on downtown Salem businesses, visit www.visitsalemva.com.