Holiday shopping season underway in NJ on Small Business Saturday
COLLINGSWOOD, N.J. (CBS) -- The National Retail Federation says nearly 166 million people will shop between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And today, many small businesses across the Philly area were hoping to cash in for Small Business Saturday.
Driving or walking down Haddon Avenue in Collingswood, New Jersey, is sure to put you in the holiday spirit with lights strung across the street.
And small shops like Time Lapse welcomed in shoppers for Small Business Saturday.
"People really enjoy the local shopping experience, especially if you create an experience that's unique and interesting and gets people excited about coming here," Eric Ingala, the owner of Time Lapse, said.
Christmas carolers outside locally owned businesses on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill also offered a unique experience for shoppers, as many business owners are still trying to rebound from the pandemic.
"It's been really good today," Shannon Williams, owner of the Spice Rack, said. "It's been busy, I've had a fair amount of people coming in the door."
A bank rate survey finds more people were expected to shop on Small Business Saturday than they did on Black Friday this year. And an estimated 63% of small retailers expect higher profits this holiday season.
"I think it's important to support small businesses and I live really close, so supporting the local economy is great, especially for homemade products and this store," Alessia Pirrera said.
"We've just really been looking at all the food options, and then going to the bakeries," Grace Wyook said.
This is the first holiday shopping season for Time Lapse in Collingswood. The store opened in March, and the owner says he started to see an uptick in sales before Thanksgiving and hopes it continues.
"You're inspired when you're in here to maybe pick up a gift for someone you wouldn't have thought of, so I think that goes a long way," Ingala said.
Many businesses stayed open longer to take full advantage of Small Business Saturday and they said they're planning on extending hours over the next few weeks with more customers expected to shop local this season.