When Crystal Moses was pregnant, no retail store had maternal clothing she could afford. She had lost her job and could only rely on thrift stores for garments that wouldn’t rip every time she bent down.
Frustrated over the high prices of new maternity wear, she decided to open a small business complete with shelves of fresh clothing for mothers-to-be and babies. With the financial help of her family, she opened Archer + Jane about eight months ago on Henderson’s Water Street.
But like other stores stores on Water Street, business has been sluggish, which is why Moses is hoping tomorrow’s Small Business Saturday event will bring in some much needed cash.
Small Business Saturday is a nationwide initiative that began in 2010 to encourage consumers to shop at their local mom-and-pop stores. Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s a reminder that big retailers aren’t the only shops open for business and offering discounts this holiday weekend.
With corporations like Walmart starting their shopping deals as early as Thanksgiving Day, marketing became a must to push the idea of visiting local shops to the forefront of consumer’s minds.
“It’s a way to raise visibility for small businesses,” said Juergen Barbusca, a spokesperson for Cox Communications in Las Vegas. “We didn’t have a day designed to focus on the world of small business.”
In a 2015 Cox survey, 70 percent of respondents said they felt it was important to buy local.
But for business owners like Moses, whose store has yet to make a profit, that means nothing if customers don’t walk through her door.
“I’m hoping that our community will come out and support us tomorrow,” she said.
Moses said while some of her products were cheaper than those at big retailers, getting the word out was challenging.
“I don’t have a big budget for marketing like bigger stores do,” she said.
Just a few doors away from Archer + Jane is The Purple Monkey, a local shop packed with handcrafted items. Like Moses, store owner Linda Martin, who has been in business for about two years, also has felt the heat from big retailers.
“A lot of casinos are having art festivals every month, so that is hurting us,” Martin said.
But Martin is confident that while customers may have a lot of options when it comes to art on the Strip, her store offers better-quality products.
“We get something new every week because handcrafters create something new every week,” she said. “Everything here is unique. These are things you can’t look up on the web if you tried.”
Plus, she says, there’s one-on-one interaction that’s virtually nonexistent at some big stores, especially during the rush of the holiday season.
“What sets us apart from Black Friday and Cyber Monday is the personal experience,” Martin said. “It’s the calm Christmas music. You’re hearing the stories of who made the products. It’s that homey feeling.”
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Here are some local deals being offered during Small Business Saturday:
Archer + Jane located on Water Street:
• 10 percent off any purchase with a non-perishable food donation
• A free red race car toy with the purchase of any item made by Green Toys
• 20 percent off any Noodle & Blue purchase
The Purple Monkey and Shabby Sheet located on Water Street:
• Free wine and cheese
• Free apple cider
• Free hot chocolate and homemade cookies
Writer’s Block located in Downtown Las Vegas:
• 15 percent off all books
• Complimentary gift with purchases
11th Street Records located in Downtown Las Vegas:
• 15 percent off any $100 purchase
Downtown Lip Smacking Tour located in Downtown Las Vegas:
• 10 percent off starting at 5 p.m.