"Support cycle": Helena small businesses prepare for small business Saturday | Business

Saturday's Small Business is an opportunity for many of these companies to open their doors and invite buyers to a warmer atmosphere. The facades of the windows will be decorated for holidays, twinkling lights and others. Welcome rugs with festive colors will be put in place and preparations emitting the smells of the season will warm up to the lights of the tea.

This day is an opportunity for business owners to make every effort to show the public why they like what they do.

In downtown Helena, companies are gearing up for one of the best days of the year.

"The downtown area hosts small businesses on Saturday," said Lisa Abelin, owner of Funky Trunk, a consignment store in downtown.

Abelin is promoting small businesses on his Facebook page and will decorate for the season just in time for the event. On November 24, she will offer holiday treats to visitors and will distribute a pair of free leggings at $ 20 with a purchase of $ 50 or more until stocks last.

"It's one of the best times to shop in small businesses," Abelin said. "Really any moment is the best moment."

Cathy Burwell, director of the Helena Chamber of Commerce, encourages the community to go shopping a small day.

"It's a fun activity to spend the day shopping, eating at the pedestrian mall, having lunch and visiting local businesses," Burwell said.

Rex Seeley, owner of the Montana Outdoor Sports local sporting goods store, does not just fill his shelves with staples. He highlights his worries and his interest in his hobbies. The store sells hunting, fishing and supplies for a variety of other outdoor sports and activities.

"We sell what we do," said Seeley. "We are also price sensitive. We try to be at the same level or below the online and big box prices.

Seeley knows that people compare prices and shop. He tracks prices online and in the area and adjusts his price tags to stay competitive.

The knowledge that Seeley puts behind its product is something buyers appreciate. It is easier to shop when the seller knows more than the buyer about the item.

"Small stores have a niche," Burwell said. "And they often have experts on what they sell, while big box stores usually do not have experts on each product."

While Seeley competes through pricing and service, others compete with one another by offering totally unique items or experiences.

Carla Martens is the owner of Copperleaf Design Center, a store that sells unique decorative items and offers courses where customers can learn how to make their own decorative items.

Martens is organizing an open house on Saturday for small businesses from 1 pm to 4 pm She invites the community to enjoy a hot drink while shopping.

Martens is a big on the reuse of the article. She spends a lot of time looking for old objects and bringing them back to life. This makes almost everything unique in his store at 100%.

"There is no cookie cutter, stuff made in China in my store," Martens said. "Everything is unique in its kind."

Amy Barrett, owner of the 23-year-old Lasso the Moon toy store, agrees.

"It's where small businesses come in," said Barrett. "Big box is homogenized and produces massive quantities of the same products."

Barrett said specialty toy stores like his own had a different philosophy than big box stores.

"Customers understand that when you come to a store like this, you usually get something different and better, but not necessarily more expensive," she said.

However, Barrett faces a challenge because the majority of his store's toys are not advertised on television. Bringing people to his store to see these unique toys is the biggest hurdle.

Barrett said that she was competing with big box stores because they both wanted customers to buy at home.

Unique and unique products do a lot to attract people to local businesses. Martens likes the fact that everything in his store is unique. She feels an inestimable feeling when she sends a customer home from one of her workshops with a unique article made by her care.

Melisa Syness, owner of Buzz Boutique, also offers unique products and services over the supermarket and is slightly different from a consignment shop.

"I shop at other mail stores in places like Seattle and Portland," she said. "I then bring these haute couture items back to Helena to offer customers discounts."

Synness said that one of the highlights of her store is more than 400 items from Eileen Fisher, a designer who believes in recycling clothing and fabrics to make clothes more durable. She said the brand attracted people from across the region to her store.

Buzz Boutique also offers modification, adaptation and repair services. Synness will work on all clothing, including men's clothing.

"Previously, personalization services were offered in department stores, but they disappeared," she said. Men who purchase costumes online and have them customized later are often entrusted to Buzz Boutique.

"In general, the city center remains competitive because we are proposing something completely different from what it is elsewhere," said Synness. "We respond to our customers, we know what they like."

It's a feeling with which Martens and Barrett are in agreement.

"We small businesses adapt to customers. We offer a different shopping experience, "said Barrett. "Knowing and remembering your customers is a big part of that."

"From time to time you have a friendly employee, but I personally involve myself in many of my clients' home designs," Martens said. Besides the products that she creates and sells, Martens teaches art classes and collaborates with clients and decorate their homes. These services are not usually offered in big box stores.

Barrett said that in his business, they did their best to make the shopping experience fun. The store offers play areas for children and free gift wrap for guests. Barrett said it was important for her to provide excellent customer service.

"The importance of making small purchases resides in different, unique purchases or in locations that represent your community," said Barrett.

"It's important that small towns stand out in unique places," said Martens, echoing Barrett's statement. "It also keeps money in the community instead of sending it to big companies."

Martens called small businesses "the backbone of the community".

Keeping local money in Helena is an important selling point for many small businesses.

"We hire local employees and the money we earn stays local," said Seeley. "We donate 10% of our profits to local organizations."

Synness said that she was investing a lot of the money that she was earning in advertising to local businesses.

"I also give a lot of gifts to non-profit organizations. I am passionate about it because I spent 30 years as a non-profit executive, "she said. "It's important for communities to support their local businesses because the relationship goes both ways.

"When people support me, I can give back to the community."

Seeley, who is heavily involved in community organizations, said he also encouraged all his employees to get involved in the community.

"We small businesses are striving to make Helena a better place," he said. "Big box stores are just trying to make more money."

Burwell called local purchases a "support cycle" in which community members make regular purchases from each other.

"Do not forget that these companies are an important part of our tax base – our city needs small businesses," Burwell said.