Small Business Saturday expands

Small Business Saturday, a promotional effort coordinated locally by the Spokane County Library System, and on a national basis by credit card purveyor American Express, returns Nov. 25.

In its first year with a Cheney-only launch, the event attracted 13 businesses, which took part in a scavenger hunt that encouraged customers to visit those firms, fill out a map and return it to the library for prizes.

As of mid-October there were 11 businesses recruited in Cheney and 10 in Medical Lake and two in Airway Heights. The deadline to be a participating business passed on Oct. 20.

This year it expands to include Medical Lake, Airway Heights and south Spokane at Moran Prairie. Each branch will have events that promote both business and libraries. Also, those visiting businesses this time will collect puzzle pieces that they assemble and return for prizes.

There was a great deal of enthusiasm among other librarians to embrace the idea that helps promote patronage of the small businesses that are often drowned out amongst the tidal wave created by big box stores on Black Friday.The first-ever Small Business Saturday took place in 2010. It encouraged people across the country to support small, local businesses following the traditional largest shopping day of the year, Black Friday, which follows Thanksgiving.The libraries took up the promotion under the title of being neighborhood champions.Both small businesses and the traditional library model are faced with mounting challenges from numerous fronts. Local brick and mortar shops and service providers not only have competition from Spokane, just minutes away by freeway, but also from the Internet.

The same is true for libraries whose business model has had to adjust to use of Google, and others as a research tools, as well as online books.

During the piloting of the program in 2016 the biggest piece was the positive feedback from businesses, and we continue to grow this as much as we can," librarian and event coordinator Tami Chapman said.

Kicking off in Cheney in 2016 made more sense in the initial partnership year because the city's business district is pretty well defined.

Chapman said one of the notable success stories from 2016 came from Cheney and Lily Kate Boutique.

Owner Tina Sikkema told Chapman it was one of her best shopping days since May. "So in a six month period, Small Business Saturday was one of her strongest."

"I guess one thing I noticed most last year is how excited all the shoppers where to get out into their community and support the local businesses who do so much to support our local schools and events," Sikkema wrote in an email. "There was a definite air of appreciation by everyone I met and it was wonderful getting to talk with friends and neighbors and loyal customers turned friends."

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.