With COVID-19 taking a toll on many businesses, shopping local is more important than ever.
The Marlboro Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Bennettsville have partnered to help citizens to shop local and support the small business community.
On Small Business Saturday (Nov. 28), shoppers and diners are encouraged to register at the Marlboro Chamber, 122 S. Marlboro Street, beginning at 10 a.m.
Shoppers will receive a “Small Business Saturday” tote bag filled with freebies and a rack card listing participating downtown businesses.
To win a prize, all customers who have shopped or dined on Small Business Saturday can bring their receipts to Chamber from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Shoppers receive one raffle entry for each purchase made with prizes from A+ Auto Spa, Breeden’s Quality Meats, Floyd’s Jewelers, Fowler Pharmacy, Gifts & More, Magnolia on Main, Reassigned Blessings, The Dairy Dream, The Humidor Cigar, Wine & Jazz Lounge, The Ivy Shop, and The Village Marketplace.
At 4 p.m., all winners will be selected and notified. You do not have to be present to win.
Last year, receipts from seven participating businesses showed that $3,820 of revenue came into downtown Bennettsville during Small Business Saturday.
Ed Taner, secretary for the Marlboro Chamber of Commerce, said this will be his second year participating in Small Business Saturday.
“Last year, we were pleasantly surprised about the actual turnout (the number of locals and people from out of town),” he said. “We can’t wait to see how it grows.”
In addition to shopping, there will be food trucks parked downtown and an FM transmitter providing holiday music.
Taner felt that the pandemic will have a positive impact on Small Business Saturday because more people have been prone to stay at home. “When the pandemic hit, people didn’t travel so I think more people used local services and businesses for curbside pick up and special services,” he said.
Taner added Small Business Saturday is very important to the community because of the amount of money that stays in the community. It is money that will help to promote downtown businesses and supports the local economy.
Elisabeth K. McNiel, Main Street Bennettsville program manager and director of Tourism, Parks, and Recreation for the City of Bennettsville said Mom and Pop businesses are the backbone of America.
“National news will tell you that it is major corporations and major shopping entities but the truth, it is not,” she said. “It’s the small businesses that are still holding this country up.”