Eleventh annual Small Business Saturday lures more shoppers to downtown
Warwick. Shoppers follow COVID-19 restrictions and enjoy good weather for holiday shopping
| 30 Nov 2020 | 01:00
“We’ve had lots of traffic this weekend,” said Nicole Repose, owner of Etched in Time Engraving. “It’s been very good and our customers, who waited outside to enter our store in limited numbers and keep everyone safe, were understanding and very cooperative.” Photos by Roger Gavan.
Frazzleberries, a popular gift shop on Main Street, enjoyed excellent sales and a steady flow of traffic.
Mayor Michael Newhard, owner of Newhard’s Gift Shop, served as doorkeeper to welcome shoppers and limit their number for a safe store capacity in observance of COVID-19 restrictions
Free parking and holiday decorations are part of the advantages of shopping loca in the Village of Warwick.
On Saturday, Nov. 28, with temperatures in the mid-50s, it was what downtown merchants call an “open door” day.
And on that particular day, the 11th annual “Small Business Saturday,” a campaign launched by American Express, shoppers came out in droves to Warwick’s downtown business district.
But because of COVID-19 restrictions, many shopkeepers or their employees were stationed at those entrances to make sure shoppers were wearing masks and to limit the number of people in the store. And the visitors understood the rules and cooperated.
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 weekend,” said Nicole Repose, owner of Etched in Time Engraving. “It’s been very good and our customers, who waited outside to enter our store in limited numbers and keep everyone safe, were understanding and very cooperative.”
Many of the shoppers deliberately shopped in the downtown business district to show their support for small business..
The good turnout was welcome since during this holiday season some of the Home for the Holidays traditional attractions such as the free horse and wagon rides had to be canceled.
Business owners, however, have always 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