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Local Small Businesses Hoping For Big Holiday Season

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's that time of year -- the holiday lights are going up downtown, and it's starting to look a lot like Christmas.

But, for businesses hit hard after last year's uprising, this is an opportunity to make up major losses.

Trees that are now luminescent bring a transformation to usher in the holiday season in downtown Baltimore. Business owners are hoping the lights and the fun, will help their bottom line.
The newly-opened ice rink by the inner harbor is the essence of the holiday season. Organizers say 20-thousand people had some fun here in 2015. For downtown businesses, like Forno restaurant on Eutaw Street, the hope is that 2016 won't disappoint.

Sales are up ten percent, as they try to rebuild more than one year after the unrest.

"Anything that's happening within a few miles of us that's bringing people into the city that wouldn't other be, that's great for us," said Ricky Johnson, Forno Restaurant.

Across the city in Mount Vernon, businesses are also waiting for the holiday rush.

"I mean listen, the hope is to do every year a little bit better, a little bit bigger, a little bit grander," said Tim Chin, bartender.

Experts says hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake here.

"Friends and family want to break bread together and that's good for our community but it's also really good for these independent business who have families of their own to feed," said Mike Evitts, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore.

"That's why we live here because there is so much to do. We could be home right now in the dark, hanging out watching TV, but it's a nice excuse to get out, and come out into the energy, in the atmosphere and grab a bite," Beth Leety, Baltimore local.

Now the next big event ahead of the holidays will be the monument lighting in Mount Vernon, which will be on Thursday, December 1.

The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore says businesses are looking good now, but stressed a strong holiday season is still very important.

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