Despite pandemic, A-K Valley shoppers come out for Small Business Saturday

Customers streamed into the newly opened Emma + Jane Shoppe along South Pike Road in Sarver on Saturday to check out eclectic gifts such as Freeport-themed Christmas ornaments, organic honey and Yinzer holiday cards.

Small Business Saturday, started about 10 years ago by American Express, has grown into a tradition that mom-and-pop shops depend on, particularly this year because the pandemic significantly slowed foot traffic.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our community, and we have to forge on,” owner Nicole Saville said.

About half of the items in her store are made by local artisans. Among the festive displays are leather earrings by CeCe Designs in Greensburg and custom-made signs by Keystone Steel on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

“I always wanted to be part of a small business,” said Saville, a home decor guru. “This is meant to bring people together, and I’m glad they are turning out.”

Outside her door, Saville arranged for Freeport students to serenade shoppers throughout the day. Sharing the sidewalk was Cathy Burnheimer, who set up tables with her gourmet popcorn.

Her outlandish Popped Envy flavors, especially the new cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting, had a crowd clamoring around the pop-up station.

“When we opened two years ago, our focus was on fundraising,” said Burnheimer of Sarver. “Since covid-19 hit, we are doing more vendor shows and things like this. It’s nice to see people out supporting everyone.”

Small Business Saturday looked a bit different this year with masks and social distancing, but local shopowners looked on happily as loyal customers showed up in droves to browse and buy.

In Leechburg, Market Street came alive with the ninth annual Luminate Leechburg event, which coincided with Small Business Saturday.

Shoppers milled in and out of local hot spots like La Dee Dah, a collectibles store where owner Judy Provias noted locals are “very good about making an effort to support the merchants.”

Provias’ store is bursting with a little bit of everything. There’s costume jewelry and Tarot cards and Hardy Boys books.

She turns out the lights at night and her collections reproduce, Provias joked.

“Everybody’s got their thing that they collect. Even if I don’t know what it is, it’s entertaining to hear about,” she said.

On Saturday, customer Melissa Bowser and her daughter, Cecilia, browsed the shop and came away with pink Depression glassware and a 1970s-era Christmas sleigh.

“It’s a good girls day to go shopping, and we try to support our local businesses,” Bowser said.

Sponsored by the Leechburg Area Community Association, Luminate Leechburg was scaled back somewhat this year because of covid-19 concerns. The parade was canceled to alleviate the throng of people that typically fills the streets.

Still, Santa was scheduled to arrive by fire engine for a traditional tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. in Freedom Square in the VFW Courtyard.

Throughout the day, holiday music blared from the square, putting visitors in a festive mood. Santa seated himself at CoCo Coffeehouse to visit with youngsters, while elves behind the counter worked double-time to whip up peppermint mocha lattes.

Owner Nikki Saxion of Apollo said the spike in sales on Small Business Saturday doesn’t go unnoticed.

“It is important that people are aware of small businesses, and we appreciate the support,” she said.

In Lower Burrell, Hole in the Wall Gallery owners Casey and Christine Dymkoski were hopeful Saturday’s strong showing might be the turnaround they keep looking for in terms of the pandemic.

“We were a little unsure of how it would be,” Casey said. “Things have been weird.”

Christine Dymkoski was more direct. She said covid-19 has had a “horrible effect” on business and that profits were down 75% in November.

Their two-floor gift shop is filled with charming trinkets and holiday décor, and usually sees a packed house for at least three months leading into the holiday.

The pair are thinking on their feet to thwart the downturn, be it delivery, personal shopping or curbside pickup.

“I don’t want to be gloom and doom,” Christine said. “But we need to see some turnaround. We thank the people who come out to support us, and we definitely see it today.”

Hopeful and “cautiously optimistic” are the watchwords for many store owners as they enter the crucial holiday shopping season — from Black Friday and Small Business Saturday to Cyber Monday and through the remainder of the year.

Many businesses suffered this year when Gov. Tom Wolf ordered “nonessential businesses” to close for 2½ months to slow the spread of the coronavirus. More losses came as parties, proms, weddings and other events were canceled.

Local retailers face more challenges during the holidays as about 96,000 people in the Pittsburgh region remain unemployed, with the region’s jobless rate at 8.2% — a far cry from the 2019 holidays, when that rate was 4.7%, according to state labor statistics.

Maybe the good news for retail shopowners in this year of economic turmoil is a prediction from Duquesne University associate marketing professor Audrey Guskey, who believes “consumers will spend about as much as last year. Holiday sales are likely to be flat in the region because people are concerned about job security and many who are working are doing it from the comfort of their home.”

Nationwide, holiday sales are expected to increase between 3.6% to 5.2% over 2019, according to the National Retail Federation, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing more than 16,000 member companies. The federation predicts a bright holiday shopping season despite a national unemployment rate of 6.9%, with 11.1 million people out of work.

“We’re expecting pretty strong growth, particularly given the fact that there’s been a pandemic this year. But we’re seeing really encouraging signs of spending from consumers and a lot of interest around holidays or celebrations,” said Katherine Cullen, senior director of industry and consumer insight for the retail federation.

A less-rosy holiday sales picture is painted by CBRE Retail Research, an arm of a national real estate services and investment firm, which predicts holiday sales will rise less than 2% from last year, assuming there is no major resurgence of the virus or mandated store closures.

Guskey believes consumers in the region will be focusing their spending on practical and essential items for the home, particularly for entertainment or physical fitness because they are spending so much time at home.

Retail analysts see online sales are benefiting from the pandemic and concerns over gathering in crowded stores. CBRE predicts e-commerce sales will have a record year-over-year growth of at least 40% in the final two months of the year. More shoppers are turning to online sales this year and picking up the items curbside, so they don’t have to go inside or don’t have to rely on delivery services that are swamped, Guskey said.