Old Sacramento Mexican gift shop hopes for economic boost from Small Business Saturday
SACRAMENTO — Local businesses have spent months preparing for Small Business Saturday, and while the day has come and gone, shopping locally can impact on a large scale.
The owner of Kolores, a shop in Old Sacramento that sells various Mexican imports, gifts, and tin products, says community support is keeping her shop alive.
"We focus on imports from the state of Guanajuato, so we do take a lot of pride in that," owner Nancy Garcia said.
Each item they sell is handcrafted in Mexico. Garcia and her husband also travel to Mexico to pick out their inventory.
"That's why it's so special to us. Because we do go and specifically choose every piece out," Nancy said.
Garcia takes pride in knowing she's selling items that shoppers can't find at major retailers. But the combination of competition and inflation makes her job difficult.
Small Business Saturday and a busy holiday shopping season are two ways that help Kolores and thousands of other local shops stay afloat. Many small businesses rely on the revenue they make from the holiday season to survive during the slower months.
Cathy Rodriguez Aguirre, President of Sacramento's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, says local businesses are the backbone of the community. By shopping at local businesses, money goes back to the community through sales tax, helping fund public resources and education.
"Spending locally, you're also investing locally. That's a really important message for people to understand," Rodriquez Aguirre said.