AURORA, Colo. – Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday took the spotlight this weekend.
Retailers at Aurora’s new Stanley Marketplace opened their doors for the very first Small Biz Saturday at the new location.
Of the more than 15,000 businesses in Aurora, about 94 percent are small and locally-owned. This included the 54 shops at Stanley.
“We are just doing what we do every single day,” Shana Colbin Dunn said. She’s the owner at True at Stanley.
“When people come out, they're a part of it too,” she said.
She means "part of" Aurora’s rejuvenation. Sixty-eight cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in that community.
“So, all the services of police and firemen, but also just vendors and also schools,” Denise Burgess said.
Burgess is chairman of the Board of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. She is also a small business owner herself. “So I understand how every dollar counts and about how you put your whole heart and soul into it,” she added.
On Saturday, Burgess joined Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock as they encouraged shoppers to shop small and shop local.
Burgess told Denver7, “I understand the comfort of Cyber Monday, and I understand the cost cutting and cost saving of Black Friday. But it's nice also to give back to your community.”
The group also spent some time thanking store owners for their local contributions to the community.
Denver7 caught up with Stanley shoppers.
“It's great that you have support from the larger businesses in the area, but this is the community," said Robert Klamser. "Businesses like this create the atmosphere you want to be in.”
He was in a large group that included shopper Sarah Stern and a handful of kids.
“We also feel really fortunate to have our kids in a neighborhood where they have access to local businesses,” Stern said.
The group spent their Saturday morning supporting local businesses, boosting the economy and preserving their neighborhood.
One of the kids in the group interrupted and said, “If they’re going to do a bunch of shopping, they’re going to have to work more. They don’t realize that.”
Stern smiled and simply replied, “We’re going to have to work more.”
American Express introduced the idea of Small Business Saturday back in 2010.