From Black Friday Shopping into Small Business Saturday, shoppers are on the hunt for gifts this weekend. November 24th is Small Business Saturday, urging residents to purchase items from local merchants causing a boost in local economic growth.
To help local businesses reach as many people as possible: the Nest Holiday Pop Up, Urban Garage Sal and the Milwaukee Makers Market allow local businesses to have booths in one location.
For the last 11 years, Brian Holobk has been the a co-host of the Urban Garage Sale, he says attendance can be anywhere from three to five thousand visitors in one weekend. On November 24th - 25th, shoppers pay $4 dollars from 10 am until 4 pm to shop the more than 20 merchants located in the Mitchell Park Domes.
"I think it's really important to connect with the people that are making things. We've really gotten far way from that, for the instant orders on Amazon and it appearing," says Holobk.
Holobk says he's watched businesses turn from small pop-up shops into large businesses thanks to annual events that help bring in high volumes of shoppers they might not have seen otherwise. Tactile Craftworks co-owner, Anne Warren, says hers was able to grow thanks to events like the Urban Garage Sale on Small Business Saturday.
"It's really satisfying to be able to like try things out," says Warren,"just have that community behind you."
At Discovery World, Milwaukee Makers Market, on November 24th - 25th from 10 am to 4 pm, has more than 30 different small businesses selling everything from figurines to clothing to food. While the variety is vast and unique to each shop, it seems even young children like Brook Ott, Quinn Steck and Alice Steck understand the purpose and message behind Small Business Saturday.
"I think it's nice to shop in the economy and yeah, just yeah," says Steck.
Shoppers Alexis Furseth and Katie Marks say there is more to the whole experience of shopping when you buy local.
"Yeah, it's a little more expensive. But you're helping support someone, and you're helping give back to the community in that way," says Furseth.
"You get a little bit more interaction with the artists and that makes the gift more special, whether I have that memory or I have that memory of giving it to someone else," says Marks.
Jack Toner, Senior at Marquette University, agrees pop-up locations allow small businesses more exposure. Toner helps run the Nest Holiday Pop Up shop off South 1st street. While university students run the shop, it's local business that stock the shelves with their best local products. Toner says the shop's longer hours and dates, November 24th until December 23rd from 10 am to 6 pm, allow shoppers more time to buy local.
