MANSFIELD — Each local business has something unique to offer, says Sandy Messner, director of marketing and communications for the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.
Messner, a small business owner herself, said Small Business Saturday is sometimes the busiest day of the year for participants. Since mid-November, the Chamber has been following Small Business Saturdays for local businesses on its Facebook page.
“Small Business Saturday allows shoppers to find stores that offer unique items and gifts they can’t get at big box retailers or online,” Messner said. “For local businesses, it brings new purchases to their stores every year. , and contributes greatly to brand recognition.”
Small businesses celebrate across the country on Saturday. American Express started Small Business Saturdays in 2010, and the U.S. Small Business Administration has co-hosted the shopping holiday since 2011.
U.S. consumers spent an estimated $23.3 billion on Small Business Saturdays at independent retailers and restaurants last year, according to American Express.
Richland County saw 74 businesses from a variety of industries participate in this year’s Small Business Event on Saturday, November 11th. 26. The Greenwich and Norwalk locations of the Painted Cowgirl Western Store in Huron County also participated.
Each local business must provide a sweepstakes worth at least $25. No purchase required.
Most participants provide gift card drawings, but giveaways can vary by business, Messner said. Van’s Auto Service & Tire Pros will give away $200 worth of service, Messner said.
Visitors to each store can participate in each store giveaway up to once and scan the poster QR code for an additional prize worth $100.
These $100 grand prizes are donated by the Chamber of Commerce, and each store can win up to 6 grand prizes.
Small Business Saturday in Richland County is co-hosted by the Chamber of Commerce with Downtown Mansfield, Shelby Area Business Group, Be Focal Buy Local Richland County and the Clear Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Boot Life co-owner Holly Troupe said she had spent months preparing for Small Business Saturday at her Mansfield city center store. This year, The Boot Life is giving away coffee mugs on the first five orders over $150 and is selling select apparel with a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
Troupe said a Boot Life T-shirt and rubber bracelet will be given away with purchase. Boot Life’s sweepstakes is a $215 gift card, available through December 12th. 31.
“Small Business Saturdays are a great way to spend quality time with loved ones while getting to know the community,” Troupe said. “You can turn it into an adult scavenger hunt.”
Joshua Lehman, owner of Operation: Fandom and Blackbird Records, said the Mansfield store would be open for extended hours over the shopping weekend.
The store at 31 E. 4th St. will be open Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with sales running throughout the weekend.
Blackbird Records will be launching a special Record Store Day edition on Black Friday, Lehman said, and will be selling a variety of Operation Fandom merchandise.
This year will be the third Small Business Saturday for Operation: Fandom and Blackbird Records, as the Mansfield location opens in October 2020.
“It’s definitely our favorite time of year for shoppers to find something unique,” Lehman said.
Lehman said he typically sees more sales of novelty gifts and autographed memorabilia around the holidays.
“We sell year-round, but we see people buying these types of things as unique gifts when the holidays roll around,” he said.
OPERATION: The Fandom and Blackbird Record sweepstakes is a $50 gift certificate that can be used at any store.
Ontario BBQ serving What’s Smoke’ will be participating in the first Small Business Saturday of the year.
Richland source file photo
Owner James Winans said his raffle will be a $25 gift certificate. He’s also offering $100 off $600 or more and $150 off $1,200 or more.
“I expect to sell a lot of grill pellets and sauces, and hope to sell some premium grills as well,” he said. “I’ve been building up inventory and lowering our prices a little bit.”
Eric Petersen, owner of Y-Not Cycling & Fitness, also hopes to sell more accessories on Small Business Saturday. In addition to a variety of bicycles and e-bikes, Y-Not in Lexington offers baskets and bells, bike locks and fitness gear.
“We probably have too many accessories to name, and they’re going to be marketed differently,” Peterson said.
Traffic at Y-Not typically increases around the festive season, Peterson said. He has recently seen a growing interest in e-bikes. Y-Not offers e-bikes with pedal assist and all-electric models.
Y-Not’s raffle is a $50 gift card.
The list of participating companies is as follows. Contact information for each business is on the Richland Area Chamber website.
shelby
113 ACE Hardware – 157 Mansfield Ave.
Shelby’s Alta Floral — 71 W. Main St.
Blackfork Commons Mercantile / The Well Coffee Shop — 24 W. Main St.
Denim & Lace – 217 Mansfield Ave.
Dove Candle Bar — 45 E. Main St.
Glenn’s Surplus Sales Company — 14 E. Smiley Ave.
Ivory Bean Cafe — 44 E. Main St.
K&S Tobacco & More – 48 Mansfield Ave.
Shelby’s Small Store — 40 E. Main St.
Lottie & Lemon Boutique — 40 E. Main St.
Marigold Bakery—67 W. Main. British stone.
S&S Second Chances Art & Craft Studio — 82 W. Main St.
Fan Cave Shop—111 W. Main St.
Q — 19 N. Gamble St.
The Vault Wine Bar — 29 W. Main St.
mansfield
Third Cup of Tea — 101 N. Main St.
Alta Florist and Greenhouse — 935 S. Home Rd.
Bankz Salon — 42 N. Main St.
Bloom Boutique – 48 Park Avenue.The west
Buckeye Museum of Imagination — 175 W. 3rd St.
Budokai Martial Arts — 926 Ashland Rd.
City News/ Suzy’s Smoking Room — 100 N. Main St.
Crowe’s Shoes – 56 N. Main St.
Art Elements — 96 N. Main St.
Elite Care Auto Center – 1401 Lexington Ave.
Flower Gardens Florist – 74 Lexington Ave.
Golden Poppy – 1084 Lexington Ave.
Health Transformation, LLC — 27 E. 4th St.
Heritage House Furniture and Gifts — 1170 Lexington Ave.
Holly’s Book Rack — Appleseed Center 1464 Lexington Ave.
Johnson Brothers’ Jewelry & Loan — 30 Park St. South
Kingwood Center Gardens — 50 N. Trimble Rd.
Lasercraft Enterprises – 591 Park Ave.The west
Mad-Fit — 926 Ashland Road.
MADD Nutrition — 866 Ashland Road.
Mansfield Arts Center – 700 Marion Ave.
Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society – 100 Reformatory Road.
Metronome Music — 40 S. Trimble Rd.
Ohio Bird Sanctuary — 3774 Orweiler Rd.
Olive & Oak Company – 271 Crane Ave.
Operation Fandom/Blackbird Records — 31 E. 4th St.
Sugar Baby Patch and Garden — 4153 Park Ave. West
Richland Carrousel Park — 75 N. Main St.
Salon Sorellina – 1529 Lexington Ave.
Salon Vivace — 18 W. 4th St.
Sparks of Light – 409 Lexington Ave.
Studio 19 Salon & Spa — 19 E. 4th St.
Tara’s Floral Expression — 48 W. 4th St.
The Blueberry Patch & 1285 Winery — 1285 W. Hanley Rd.
Boot Life — 36 W. 4th St.
Crescent — 301 North Mulberry Street
Phoenix Brewing Company — 131 N. Diamond St.
Umoja Clothing and Self-Care — 371 W. 6th St.
Vans Tire Professionals of Mansfield – 801 Lexington Ave.
Wade Gardens Landscaping and Gift Shop — 3360 Possum Run Rd.
Wayne Country Market – 2440 Lexington Ave.
What Goes ‘Round Thrift Shoppe — 11 N. Main St.
ontario
Black Tie Event — 2183 Richland Mall Suite D12
AR Workshop Ontario — 805 N. Lexington-Springmill Rd.
Arnold Garden Center – 3180 Park Ave.The west
Licensed Avon Beauty Center — 2176 Richland Mall Suite C4
McCready Interiors/Norwalk the Furniture Idea — 784 N. Lexington-Springmill Rd.
What’s Smoken’ – 665 Ashwood Dr.
Lexington
Foxy Clutter Company — 305 E. Main St.
Kimmy’s Cucina – 65 S. Mill St.
McManes Personal Training — 208 Darby Drive
Nickel & Bean — 27 E. Main St.
Shady Lane Alpaca Farm and Store — 3073 Gass Rd.
Y-Not Cycling & Fitness — 64 E. Main St.
Belleville
Bellville Flowers — 72 Main St.
Elzy Milling and Trade — 25 E. Ogle St.
Love Our Hero’s Thrift Store — 24 Bell St.
Panchos Tacos — 844 State Road 97
Wishmaker House Bed & Breakfast, Restaurant & Winery — 116 Main St.