SAN ANTONIO – Small businesses have had a tough year as inflation and paying higher wages have cut into their profits.
Business owners are making difficult decisions on whether or not to pass the higher costs onto customers, but their holiday sales often decide if the business will stay afloat next year.
One reason to shop from a small business is for one-of-a-kind holiday presents.
“On Christmas morning someone opens up that present, sees something that they have never seen before or even heard of because it was crafted by a local artisan. That’s a really great, special thing,” Mike Fisher from Galacticfish Productions said.
Every purchase from a small business is a gift to the owner.
“You’re a direct contributor to keeping someone else’s passion and dream alive,” Adrianna Castillo from Nana’s Nuts said.
And each item has a personal story behind it.
Castillo sells sweet nuts, but it all started when her dad wanted a sweet treat. Now she is using her earnings to pay for her dream job.
“This helped me fund my nursing school that I just graduated, so supporting me in all these events was really, really awesome and I am so thankful,” Castillo said.
For every dollar you spend shopping locally, at least $0.67 stays in the community but at Folklores Coffee House, every dollar, every profit is going directly to the barista’s wallet Saturday only.
“It’s real hard to give a bonus you know, because we’re not like rolling into the profits, you know. So we figured out you know what the best thing is maybe one day we just give them you know whatever we make you know show that we really do care,” Tatu Herrera, owner of Folklores Coffee House, said.
According to a 2019 U.S. Small Business Association report, enterprises with fewer than 500 employees accounted for 44% of U.S. economic activity.