NORFOLK, Va. - Some local businesses in the Ghent section of Norfolk were open on Black Friday and will be open on Cyber Monday.
However, the day they prepare for is the Saturday in-between.
"We've been promoting it with our Facebook page, our e-mail list," says Joan Wilkening, owner of Mrs. Pinkadot. "We love Small Business Saturday, we have so much support from the community."
Small Business Saturday, also known as "Shop Small" Saturday, is a part of a national movement that started back in 2010 to encourage people to support small, local businesses.
According to the Small Business Administration, last year, across the country, shoppers spent an estimated $14.3 billion.
Locally, some Norfolk business owners tell NewsChannel 3 that they are also seeing the success.
"A lot of people came in yesterday, they avoided the big box stores and they came in and they said they were starting their Shop Small Saturday early," says Bridget Brunner, owner of Bridget's. "I think this has been our best Shop Small Saturday we've had."
Some of the small, local shops are even more unique in that some of their products also come from small and local.
"Our goal is to support American artists, we sell a lot of handcrafted items," says Brunner.
While Mrs. Pinkadot and Bridget's did have special hours, sales, and arrivals this weekend, they say shoppers can expect more of that through the holiday season.
