Franklin is the kind of place where shoppers can park their car near the courthouse square and, within walking distance, grab a cup of coffee, find an old refurbished sign or vintage Christmas tree, buy gifts at a local toy store, peruse vinyl records, skim a good book and sit down to eat at a variety of restaurants.
That’s why Tiffany Phillips, the owner of the Wild Geese Bookshop, fell in love with the town. And it’s one of the reasons she and her husband, George, decided to open a bookstore in Franklin and call it home.
The city represents what Small Business Saturday is all about, she said.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
“I think the day highlights what’s so good about our community. It’s important to bring awareness to the service that so many of these businesses do in the community every day. These are businesses that give back, employ locals and give us that sense of, ‘Do I want to live, work and play here?’ Absolutely,” Phillips said.
“Having shining storefronts that are bustling with life, and business, and community … I see so many good people working towards that goal here.”
Wild Geese, at 107 S. Water Street, is one of several Johnson County businesses gearing up for the annual shopping event, which encourages folks to hit up local businesses on Saturday rather than the corporate chains and online stores offering massive deals the Thursday and Friday before.
American Express started Small Business Saturday in 2010 to connect local stores with shoppers in their own communities and to emphasize what makes small businesses unique. Now, it’s recognized by all 50 states and is included in a string of shopping days following the Thanksgiving holiday, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
“When American Express started this, it just kind of caught on. They’ve done such a wonderful job marketing and really creating a brand for this day that benefits everybody. I think you would be crazy not to participate. And the public expects it now. I think, my very first Small Business Saturday, I was shocked by how many people did show up to shop the small businesses,” said Jennifer McAlpin, owner of Vintage Whimsy, 112 W. Jefferson Street.
McAlpin, who has owned and operated her Franklin store for six years, used to work for a major retailer. She remembers the big Black Friday rush.
“I just didn’t necessarily think about that happening here. We don’t have 1,000 people waiting in line when the doors open, but the turnout is still amazing,” McAlpin said. “It really makes me proud of what I do because when the people come out and shop, they’re happy and they love what we offer.”
Small Business Saturday is about the communities as much as it is the businesses.
“Other cities and towns have so many boarded up storefronts. It’s important to remember that some of that is the result of major retailers like Amazon who put those mom and pop shops out of the market,” Phillips said.
“So if you want a community that’s not boarded up like that, you have to shop local. The community itself has to build it and support it. If they don’t, we won’t be here anymore. We do what we do because we believe in it. We are so thankful when our customers show us that they believe in it, too.”
Beyond discounts that are offered year round to students, educators, and military men and women, Wild Geese is offering Saturday shoppers the chance to be a bookseller for a day. Anyone who buys something from the store on Saturday can be entered into a drawing to work at the store for one Saturday of their choice.
The opportunity comes with employee perks, including a discount and their very own “Staff Picks” shelf, Phillips said.
“So often we have customers tell us that they would love to work in our store or own a bookstore of their own — that it’s always been a dream of theirs, too,” she said.
Now those regular readers have a chance to try it out without the headache of actually managing a store, Phillips said, laughing.
It’s not a huge sale, which is something small business owners agree is hard for them to offer, but it’s something. All small businesses should participate in Small Business Saturday, not just clothing and department stores, she said.
“We thoroughly enjoy telling our customers about other things they can find around the square and beyond. I don’t want people coming to town just to see me. I want them to come to town to see our community,” Phillips said.
A fitness studio in Greenwood is not the kind of place shoppers would expect to find deals during the holiday shopping season. But Jacque Bush participates — and actually organized a Small Business Saturday event for two years — because all local businesses should come together to support each other, she said.
“I think it brings more awareness to all of these businesses when you start getting them to work together for an event. Whether it’s for one day or a week, you’re going to get more foot traffic. Greenwood’s special because you can do a little tour of Old Town and try different places you probably would have never tried,” said Bush, co-owner of Studio 317 Fitness and Cycling.
The studio is located in a fairly new shopping center known as Greenwood Oaks at 500 S. Polk Street just east of downtown. The two buildings include several small businesses, all of which are participating in Small Business Saturday this year.
“The people who run these businesses, most of the time they’re doing it because they love what they do. They’re not doing it for the money, trust me. Many of them are still in the phase of growing their businesses, so they’re not getting these huge corporate-like checks like a lot of people might think. We’re all just normal people,” Bush said.
“For small businesses to offer any kind of deal is a huge deal.”
When Restore Old Town Greenwood, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the city’s historic attributes and linking local businesses, started organizing the makeshift holiday last year, participation doubled, and local businesses started to boom the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Bush said. This year, 18 Greenwood businesses are participating in the event.
That includes new businesses, such as Gigi’s Girl Boutique, which will have its grand opening this weekend and offer deals on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Although the two sisters who run the store have managed a pop-up shop for several years, they’re excited to have a physical store for their loyal customers, they said.
Angie Bartram and Kristen Hayse are seasoned Small Business Saturday shoppers, and they still plan to visit as many local shops as they can this year. That’s why the boutique will only be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
“We’ve always loved to shop small businesses because you can meet the owners and build a more personal relationship. You’re helping a family rather than a corporation,” Bartram said.
Gigi’s Girl offers a selection of women’s clothing, children’s clothing and Christmas apparel, all for less than $40.
“We want our (merchandise) to be accessible to all people of all sizes. We’re a small company, so we don’t have the markups the larger stores have,” she said.
Johnson’s BBQ, a Bargersville-based food truck, will set up shop in the Greenwood Oaks parking lot on Saturday, and Mallow Run Winery will offer samples and sell wine inside the boutique.
“This location is great. It’s right off (Interstate) 65, so people could come from all sides of town. Other than our little shopping center, downtown is really starting to take shape again. Now that everything’s open and looks great, if everyone stayed in the same area, there’s a lot of different options to shop and eat. We encourage people to hang around and have food as well,” Hayse said.
Shoppers in Greenwood can kick off their morning at Coffeehouse Five, 323 Market Plaza, where the first 36 shoppers will get a free tote bag filled with coupons and Old Town Dollars, which can be used just like cash at most of the businesses that are participating. The event kicks off at 9 a.m.
In Franklin, the Chamber is offering a similar kickoff event that will include coffee and donuts as well. Their annual Start Here Open House is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Vintage Whimsy will offer warm apple cider and snacks, as well as discounts ranging from 10 to 20 percent off. Shoppers can also enter a drawing to win a $50 gift card.
“I think more and more people are discovering Franklin and what we have to offer and they’re coming to shop. I have no doubt that they’ll be here Saturday,” McAlpin said.
“Of course we would love for people to think of small businesses year-round. I think small businesses offer a unique assortment of gifts versus some of the big box stores. For a store like us, you get a mix of vintage, antique and even new stuff, so you’re definitely going to find things here that you cannot find anywhere else.”
Phillips agrees.
“Franklin is unique in that you can walk around downtown and get all of these different things that you can’t get online or at the major retailers,” she said. “My hope, obviously, is to experience more throughout the year what we see on Small Business Saturday. Most shopping needs can be met if you just get out of your car and walk around.”
