BOISE, Idaho — Holiday sales have become a season of their own, with national retailers running sales throughout the entire month of November. Which has led some consumers to pay less attention to the savings come the day of Black Friday.
"It was just fun to go out and shop through the holidays," local shopper Nicole Bjorklund said. "Those places, you can just go and buy online. You don't need to go anywhere."
But some people still want to go out and shop during the holiday season, and Chad Dryden, co-owner of The Record Exchange, says that's led to strong support for local businesses around the holidays. Which has led to the creation of Small Business Saturday, a day to encourage people to support local businesses.
Holiday sales are crucial, according to Dryden. He says anywhere from a 10-20% increase in sales can make or break a business heading into the next calendar year.
And to incentivize getting customers in the door, businesses in Downtown Boise are offering deals and sales.
"That's definitely the scenario we're in as The Record Exchange, and historically always have been," Dryden said. "Support has moved to Small Business Saturday. And for us, that's a really cool thing to see. We have people that specifically tell us they are waiting until small business Saturday to come and shop at The Record Exchange. They want to show us that support on that day."
The shift has been positive for people like Nicole and her mother Nancy Van Dinter because, for some, they just prefer the local shopping experience as a whole.
"I want them to stay in business. So, I want to support them and show them they matter to the community, and I want them to be part of the community," Van Dinter said.
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