In the wake of Black Friday, the biggest sales holiday of the year, Small Business Saturday was founded in 2010 to encourage shoppers to also consider buying holiday gifts from local shops as well.

More than 130 million people around the U.S. are expected to shop on Black Friday this year, according to the National Retail Federation. The organization also predicts more than 60 million will go out on Small Business Saturday.

Many small businesses emphasize that shopping locally is important to boost a community’s economy and keeping money in the region, instead of going to national big-box stores or Amazon.

Smaller businesses also help build the character of cities like Denver, said Julie Watson, owner of the Blue Ruby, a boutique located at the Dairy Block.

“Every single purchase that somebody makes at a small business is a vote for the kind of city and community that people want to live in,” Watson said.

About 86% of businesses in the City and County of Denver are considered small businesses, according to data from the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and Denver Economic Development and Opportunity.

Every 76 cents of a dollar spent in the City and County of Denver also stays in the city, the EDC’s data shows.

“Every time you choose to shop local, you’re doing more than making a purchase, you’re investing in jobs, supporting neighborhood businesses, and keeping more dollars circulating right here at home,” said Adeeb Khan, Executive Director of DEDO, in a press release.

Four businesses around Denver shared with The Denver Gazette why the shopping holiday matters for them, what economic trends are affecting their business and also what other local businesses they recommend shoppers to go to.

Here’s what they had to say:

LAURA PHELPS-ROGERS, CURATOR OF FOOLPROOF CONTEMPORARY ART

FooLPRoof Contemporary Art opened in 2018 at 3240 Larimer St, Denver in the River North Arts District and features collectible works from celebrated artists. Laura Phelps-Rogers is currently expanding the art gallery to have pastries and drinks for a new concept called The Gallery, where people can come to enjoy the art over a cup of coffee, even if they’re not buying expensive pieces.

“There aren’t enough Small Business Saturdays,” Phelps-Rogers said with a laugh about why she decided to expand. “Trying to find homes for everything is a very big challenge.”

What does Small Business Saturday mean to you?

“It really means a lot because you’re competing all the time against all of these really big companies and internet sales. In the fine arts sector, you compete against Amazon, Wayfair, Hobby Lobby, and Michaels, where people can just go buy some sort of clay that’s been printed out on canvas and they’re framed.

Younger people and a lot of people who are decorating their space are not as committed to buying original art as they used to be at one time.

Small Business Saturday gives you a chance to introduce that conversation and it is one of the things that Foolproof Contemporary Art is committed to: educating younger collectors that you can buy original art at affordable prices and the value that it presents for the long term in your life.

Any special deals this year?

I’m offering a special on Louis Recchia paintings and he’s a longtime local artist. I’m offering 10% off of all of his paintings. He has a very advanced practice and he’s in both the Kirkland Museum and the Denver Art Museum, but he has works that start as original works, which are his studies, in the gallery that start as low as $60.

Even some of the larger paintings are very affordable at under $3,000 and $4,000. So it’s a great value for young collectors and established collectors since he’s got that stature.

What trends in the economy are affecting your business the most?

It’s my firm belief that you really cannot buy art online, not if you’re buying original art and you’re really interested in connecting with the process and how the piece was made in particular. Even Google, they direct all the traffic to your website, and I need people to come to the gallery.

Small business Saturday allows that to happen. It encourages people to actually visit a physical space.

Other than your own, what local business do you think deserves extra love this holiday season?

I would just encourage people to come to the block where the gallery is because they’re all small businesses. None of them are owned by the corporations. 
There’s The Greenwich, there’s Dio Mio, and now we have an empanada shop called The Argentos.

BRAD WYNN, OWNER OF PEAK-A-BOO TOYS

Brad Wynn bought Peak-A-Boo Toys in 2020 in Breckenridge and has since expanded the toy store to Denver’s McGregor Square in 2023 at 1991 Wazee St. Wynn got into the business after leaving Kroger as an executive and wanting to trade in corporate life for small business management, which he said has “been a blast.”

What does Small Business Saturday mean to you?

It really puts the focus on the small business and gets customers thinking and trying to support small businesses.

Any special deals?

We’re doing an ice rink promotion where if somebody goes to the ice rink and participates in the ice rink, they can come to the toy store and spin the wheel and win different discounts. And then also on Friday, we’re doing an online special.

What trends in the economy are affecting your business the most?

Customers are looking for value because there obviously are some price increases and reduced spending power. 
But we’re doing great. We’ve focused a lot on some of the value items. So if somebody wants to come in and they know exactly how much they want to spend, there are items that they can buy that are really cool.

Other than your own, what local business do you think deserves extra love this holiday season?

Sam’s Diner. It’s a classic. 
It’s been there forever. Great place. I go there pretty often for breakfast. Another really cool place would be Little Man ice cream.
And I know a lot of retail places too have started to open up on 16th Street.

JULIE WATSON, OWNER OF BLUE RUBY

Julie Watson has run the Blue Ruby Boutique for 19 years and has moved her store over the years from Littleton to Larimer Square and now the Dairy Block at 1855 Blake St. Watson said many independent boutiques have closed in downtown Denver over the years but she’s “refused to give up on downtown.”

What does Small Business Saturday mean to you?

It actually means a ton because sometimes you don’t know whether your community really sees and appreciates how hard it is to have a small business still downtown.

And then on a day like Saturday, when you see so many people from the community show up specifically, just to support small business, it just really does mean a lot. It’s like they’re making an active choice to shape their city and they want to support small businesses and try to keep some of the vibrance in downtown. Like we’ve lost so much of it.

Any special deals?

We always do free gift wrapping and we have a hot cocoa bar and a coffee bar. 
We do a lot of special Christmas events and sales. On Saturday, we will be doing a lot of surprise sales and incentives to people who are in stores that are not going to be offered online at all.

What trends in the economy are affecting your business the most?

People aren’t going to buy as many gifts, so the things that they buy, they will want them to mean more and to be a little bit more special. Which is what I think is like the whole meaning of Christmas anyway.

Other than your own, what local business do you think deserves extra love this holiday season?

Rockmount on Wazee has stood the test of time. We all let Cry Baby Ranch go… and I never want that to happen to Rockmount.
It is such a beautiful place.

TEAGAN GLASS, FOUNDER AND CEO OF MADE BY US
Made By Us was a pop-up of local artists and creatives founded in 2021 that opened in its own brick-and-mortar shop in September with a curated collection of jewelry, art pieces and home goods in the RiNo Arts District at 1360 27th St.

What does Small Business Saturday mean to you?

Just the fact that it exists is like a change in mentality of people from just buying gifts off Amazon or just trying to get the best deal. And I would say it’s like a more intentional approach to shopping and retail and just shows that people really do care about supporting their local creative community.

How can people support your business this year? Any special deals?

We’re teaming up with the team of baristas from a spot called Art Club Coffee. It’s kind of like a co-working space for creatives, as well as a coffee shop. But we’re bringing in their baristas to do a hot cocoa and cider bar here in the shop. We are also inviting all of the artists and creators that we feature in the shop to come in and hang out. It’s like a meet and greet thing for holiday shopping.

What trends in the economy are affecting your business the most?

If you like artwork and you like cool clothes and home goods and all that stuff, I think it’s important that people realize that you can do a lot for your own community by buying those things locally. 
Even if people think they look cool walking by or seeing an Instagram post or whatever, that stuff doesn’t stick around if people aren’t buying it.

Other than your own, what local business do you think deserves extra love this holiday season?

I would almost feel bad by throwing out someone in particular because I think everyone deserves the support from all their fans and deserves a lot of new people to find them as well.

Supporting local is incredibly important. Even if it’s you walking in and buying a cup of coffee, like it can make a business owner’s day from you choosing them over going into a Starbucks or going to Walmart or clicking buy-now on Amazon.