PITTSTON — Small Business Saturday was observed in Greater Pittston the day after Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, in an effort to get shoppers to support local businesses. Small Business Saturday was conceived and first observed in 2010 to allow local stores to compete with big box stores and online shoppers.
“Small business owners work hard to serve you and your community; it only makes sense to support their efforts and dreams,” said Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce administrator/events coordinator, Brandi Bartush. “Buying from small businesses enriches a community by creating and supporting local (businesses).”
Another major point of Small Business Saturday is to ensure money spent locally stays locally to support local economy.
Many small business merchants participated in Small Business Saturday with the cooperation of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce with Michelle Mikitish, chamber executive director, and Bartush leading the way.
Small Business Saturday packets, complete with cloth recyclable shopping bags, stickers promoting the event and a doormat, were distributed to area merchants the week before Thanksgiving.
“Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to drive business downtown,” said Pittston City Mayor Michael Lombardo. “It’s a great partnership with the Chamber and you don’t get progress without partnerships. The Chamber did a great job this year of getting out there.”
Saturday’s sales were slowed by the threat of the possibility of rain, sleet and snow but some merchants did have brisk sales.
Eileen Rosen, owner of The Snooty Fox Consignment Shop at the Mid-City Plaza, offered 30 percent off all merchandise and 50 percent off all jeans. Rosen was happy with sales for the day.
“It worked out great and we had lots of customers,” she said. “The Chamber helped promote us and has been really helpful. Facebook ads have been helpful, as well. I have great customers and great consigners and the merchandise speaks for itself.”
Lu-Ann Sperrazza, of West Pittston, was shopping with her mother Rose Mary Oliveri, of Exeter. “Everybody knows everybody downtown and it makes it so much fun,” Sperrazza said. She went on to say she would enjoy seeing more retail in the city.
Art e Feckts Gallery, a new downtown business, had an even flow of traffic through the gallery. MPK Photography Studio, located at the rear of the gallery, was also open for bookings.
Mary Kroptavich, manager of the gallery and owner of MPK Photography Studio, was busy between both businesses. “We had a lot of shoppers with a lot of sales,” she said. “This was our very first day for sales and I’m quite pleased.”
Deb Monteforte, of Pittston, admitted to the ease of shopping online as well as shopping at the big box stores, but felt it was important to shop locally to support the community and support small businesses.
“The downtown is beautiful and they did a great job,” Monteforte said. “With the new restaurants coming in, it would be nice to see shops and make it one stop for everything.”
