Some Baltimore Stores Hope Small Business Saturday Extends Through December

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Small Business Saturday fell on the Thanksgiving weekend but some small Baltimore businesses want it to go on.

Gigi Barnett has more on how one holiday event is giving them a big boost.

Ah, the perfect Christmas gift. For many people, the search starts at the mall or a big box store with deep discounts and deals. Only on Small Business Saturday---the Saturday after Thanksgiving---do most shoppers turn their attention to mom and pop retailers like Maryland My Maryland, a business that focuses on all things Maryland: the Ravens and O's, Old Bay and the flag.

"It's just great gift items for the holidays," said David Trapp, who owns the store.

But now the smaller businesses are launching a campaign to extend their holiday bargains for the rest of the month.

"We're going to extend that and push for Small Business Saturday to be every Saturday in the month of December," said Bill Cole, Baltimore Dev. Corp. President.

Cole runs the Baltimore Development Corporation, or BDC. Every year, the organization plans the "Miracle on Main Street" program. It's a holiday event by nine city neighborhoods that encourages shoppers to enjoy the holiday at a local main street and buy local.

"You're going to find things in these shops that you're not going to find online. You're not going to be able to find them anywhere else," Cole said. "We've got amazing quirky little shops in all of our neighborhoods."

Cydney Vigliotti owns Punch Boutique on South Charles Street. She says small stores offer unique ways to shop, too.

"We're going to have a holiday wish list so you can come in and register just like a wedding registry," she said. "And that's something that you really just can't get at a mall."

The BDC says dollars spent in small stores go right back into the community and into the pockets of workers. Nine out of every 10 jobs in Baltimore are provided by small businesses.

Some of the nine Baltimore neighborhoods extending Small Business Saturday include Fells Point, Waverly and Highlandtown.