Small Businesses Thrive On Local Shoppers

FERNDALE (WWJ) - Small businesses in metro Detroit are benefiting from Small Business Saturday. Lakita Griffin works at Ferndale's Candle Wicke Shoppe and says competition from the malls is keen.

"It's tough sometimes because they have a lot of advertising on TV & radio stations - where we have strictly word of mouth and people who rely on our products, so it's tough to compete but I think we'll pull out pretty strong in this," said Griffin.

Marisa Linn shopped at Modern Natural Baby in Ferndale and says she doesn't like the big box stores.

"This is good, I mean everybody, it's very personalized and I can, I mean, I know they carry the brands that I like of the cloth diapers, so it works out," said Linn.

For the owner of The Twisted Shamrock, Jim Monahan sent an e-mail blast to customers and says it helps that American Express participates with a discount offer.

"Last year it really did well, and there has been a lot of build up and anticipation for it this year," said Monahan. "

Monahan says they're a specialty shop and provide a different level of service than a mall or big box store. Judy Shirey, of Troy, is shopping small businesses. "I always have, it's important, it keeps our community alive."

Kelly LaPointe owns Naka in downtown Ferndale and she said that a day set aside to concentrate on shopping the small businesses is great news to her.

"It's a pretty big deal, last year it was a very successful event for us. It brought a lot of people out and it just kind of gave an awareness of the small business movement," said LaPointe.