From Chestnut Hill to Haddonfield and from Manayunk to Germantown, many locally owned stores were ready for shoppers on Small Business Saturday.
Many shoppers say that even if they didn't shop on Black Friday, they felt it was important to support their local businesses.
"It's been tough. I mean, there was a time when the street was completely shut down and I would come in here and not even put the lights on," The owner of Urbanburb in Manayunk, Jim Donahue told NBC10.
In the five years since Joe Donahue opened his furniture store, he's weather Hurricane Ida, the pandemic and inflation. His customers are acutely aware of that.
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"They took the initiative to start their own business. I think it's important to push that initiative and support them as much as we possibly can," Kim Serrano of West Oak Lane said.
According to a recent research study, this year 36% more people planned to shop in person for Small Business Saturday than just 27% for Black Friday.
"I think Black Friday has kind of gotten a little messy with the presales and everything like that. So when it comes to this small type of business, it's great to see everybody come out and support us," Donahue said.
For many Main Street shops in Manayunk, Small Business Saturday is their biggest sales day and biggest foot traffic day of the year.
"Between the people who live here, who want to see the businesses that they love survive - between the Manayunk Development Corporation which just does a lot to spread the word about the small businesses that are in this corridor - It's a great place to be," Laura Anne Lamprou, owner of Lila Boutique Manayunk, told NBC10.
And small business doesn't just mean those with a brick-and-mortar store.
In Germantown, there's a holiday pop-up market to feature businesses without a building.
"It helps pay for my groceries, my rent and things like that. It's a lot more personal," owner of Mystical Treasures, Eva Calabrese said.
Along with avoiding mall crowds and parking struggles, Small Business Saturday brings people out to quaint downtowns with holiday decor knowing we're supporting entrepreneurs who live in the same community.
