Stores prep for Small Business Saturday

WAUWATOSA (CBS 58) – If big box stores and crowded malls aren't your thing, Small Business Saturday might be a good time to get your holiday shopping done.

“It puts the emphasis back on the little stores,” said Leslie Matson, who owns Salamander in Wauwatosa.

Small Business Saturday started in 2010 and last year the day generated $15.4 billion dollars for small stores across the country.

“In this age of big box, Amazon, internet, we struggle anyway but this gives credability to us I think,” said Linda Burg, owner of The Little Read Book in Wauwatosa.

For these stores along State Street in the Tosa Village, Small Business Saturday is one of the first big shopping days since the road was reconstructed.

“It was hideous, as construction is at any time,” Burg said. “It cut business probably in half.”

For months, the street and sidewalk in front of Salamander and The Little Read Book were nothing but piles of dirt.

“It was a tough go last year but  you have to do that to get the improvements,” Maton said.

Now with those improvements, store owners expect a big holiday season and say they're already noticing a lot of foot traffic.

“Everybody is commenting they love the change,” Matson said. “They're really fond of having a place to park every day.”

Matson says on Saturday she's offering customers a percentage off, depending on how much they spend, but Small business Saturday is also about more than just the deals and discounts

“This is the kind for store where you can walk in and ask for advice and have people pick things,” Burg said.

For a list of stores participating in Small Business Saturday, please click here.