Tenth annual Small Business Saturday lures more shoppers to downtown Warwick
Warwick. Shoppers take advantage of good weather on Saturday before Sunday and Monday's snowstorm.
Warwick /
| 02 Dec 2019 | 04:52
Nicole Repose, owner of Etched in Time is a strong supporter of Small Business Saturday. (
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There's free parking during the holiday season.
Shoppers came out in droves to Warwick’s downtown business district.
Newhard's is always a popular stop for holiday shoppers.
It wasn’t a warm “open door” day but the sun was shining and the skies were clear. But that was expected to change drastically in the next couple of days as the first snow storm of the upcoming winter season arrives.
On Nov. 30, the 10th annual "Small Business Saturday," a campaign launched by American Express, shoppers came out in droves to Warwick’s downtown business district.
Merchants reported excellent sales and a steady flow of traffic, not only for Saturday but also for Friday, when many of the shops offered extra incentives.
Small Business Saturday, sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, was created to attract shoppers to local businesses nationwide.
“We’ve had lots of traffic this Saturday,” said Nicole Repose, owner of Etched in Time Engraving. “But we also had a very Good Friday when we offered shoppers free Christmas ornaments.”
Mary Beth Schlichting, past President of the Warwick Merchant Guild and owner of Frazzleberries Gift Shop, said that many of the shoppers told her that they had deliberately shopped in the downtown business district to show their support for small business.
The good turnout was welcome since the holiday shopping season is a week short this year because of a later than usual Thanksgiving Day.
Business owners also cited the many advantages of shopping local including personal service, saving fuel and time, free parking, avoiding unnecessary aggravation and fueling the local economy.
A viable downtown business district benefits the entire community.
- Roger Gavan