Small Business Saturday aims to keep dollars local
CARIBOU, Maine — Large retailers are accustomed to welcoming hordes of excited shoppers on Black Friday, a commercial holiday in which consumers are treated to incredible deals and discounts.
Small Business Saturday, on the other hand, encourages shoppers to support businesses in their community on the day after Black Friday.
Started by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday reminds consumers nationwide to support their local retailers. The city of Caribou not only participated in this event, but also created an additional incentive for local shoppers.
“We have passed out bags, crowns, buttons, and pins to small businesses in Caribou and have nine participating,” said Caribou Marketing and Event Coordinator Lydia Kieffer. “Aroostook County citizens will pick up a sheet with all of the businesses listed and if they visit five of the nine and turn in their sheet to the Rec Department the following week, they will be entered to win a prize basket. The basket is full of gift certificates and items from the participating businesses.”
This year, the participating businesses are Plourde Furniture, Freme’s Jewelry, Monica’s Scandinavian Imports, Frontier Pharmacy, Plourde & Plourde, Noyes Flower & Plant Shoppe, S.W. Collins Co., Brambleberry Market, and Sleeper’s.
Doug Plourde, a fourth-generation owner of Plourde Furniture in Caribou, described the origin of his family business.
Plourde adds that he would like to see the store continue as a family business for “as long as we can do it.” “The family store started back in the early 1900s in Van Buren,” said Plourde, “and it was moved here in 1960. My grandparents Clifford and Janet established the business in Caribou. It was Clifford’s parents, I believe, that started the store in Van Buren.”
Monica’s Scandinavian Imports, located on Sweden Street, began in 1964 when Monica Soderberg opened a small Scandinavian imports shop to remind her of Stockholm, where she was born. The original shop was located on Prospect Street in downtown Caribou, but closed when Monica retired. It was moved to Sweden street and reopened by Monica’s son Carl and his wife Lisa 11 years ago, with some of the original staff still working on the shop floor.
“There are many people in the area that have Swedish or Scandinavian roots,” said Nancy Holmquist, shop manager. “So when they are coming home, they like to come in and pick up items that they may remember from growing up. We don’t have only Scandinavian items. There are other items in the store. We try to balance price with quality, which maintains the integrity of the store. This is a popular place for a special gift, whether it is for a birthday, wedding, or Christmas.”
Though the store emphasizes Scandinavian products, Holmquist said there is enough variety for shoppers of all backgrounds.
Debbie Sutherland, owner of Brambleberry Market in Caribou, said she had been dreaming of opening her own business for years.
“I was a secretary for over 30 years,” explained Sutherland, “and I wanted to do something different. I didn’t at first, because my husband owns his own business, so one of us had to have a steady income. Thirty years later, after I got tired of secretarial work, I wanted to open this business, and that is how it came to be.”
“People shopping local is what keeps our businesses going,” added Sutherland. “In turn, when people spend money here, we spend that money in the community for gas, at restaurants, or for any other shopping that we need to do. We spread the money around in Caribou.”
Sutherland added that “Brambleberry Market would like to thank all of their customers for shopping local, because without you, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Sleeper’s was a general store that was started back in 1914 by my grandfather,” said Sleeper. “They sold everything. It just evolved from there to where we are today, which is still pretty much a general store.” Joe Sleeper, an owner of Sleeper’s store in Caribou, described the origins of the family business.
Sleeper’s future plans are to continue the business and “follow the growth of Caribou.”
“At the end of the day, we work hard every day to try to continue what we do as well as we can. A big part of it is customer service coupled with trying to provide items that are relevant to the consumer in this market.”
Plourde, Sutherland, and Sleeper stressed the importance of supporting local businesses.
“Everybody in the community wants to have the convenience of local business,” said Plourde. “and it’s so important to support that. Local business pays the taxes here in town. Supporting local business helps make this community a whole. The money stays in the community and it supports employees that live in the community, so it’s a win-win all the way around.”
Sutherland posed some questions about shopping at a local business versus buying online.
“If you ordered online,” said Sutherland, “was the product what you expected in terms of size and quality? How much did you have to pay for shipping? Was it gift-wrapped? Did you receive it broken? Do you have to pay for shipping again when you return it?”
Sutherland asked similar questions about big-box retailers.
“Do you see the quality of an item when you look at it?” Sutherland asked. “Will you be able to find a clerk to help you? Can someone pull out a tape measure and measure that picture or item for you to make sure it will fit on your wall? Can a ‘big box’ store change a bow on your wreath for you to a different color of your liking? Will they giftwrap your Christmas gifts for $2 each? Will they contribute to your high school cheerleaders, your Uncle Bob’s benefit auction, or your local church’s needs?”
Joe Sleeper also weighed in on the importance of supporting small businesses.
“I watched an American Express advertisement about how they are making a conscious effort to revitalize ‘Main Street’ and main street businesses, which have struggled,” said Sleeper. “In certain markets, there is an emerging ‘Main Street.’ I think Bangor has brought some restaurants and small businesses back into their downtown area. Caribou continues to try to grow ouR Main Street. Hopefully there are some good things coming soon for Caribou that will spawn other opportunities. That is, to me, what it’s all about.”
