DENVER -- With Black Friday behind us and Cyber Monday ahead, shoppers got out to support local business owners on Saturday for Small Business Saturday.
Stanley Marketplace in Aurora is home to 55 local businesses.
"Everybody needs to go out and support small business because that is what really keeps Denver running," said Josh Schwab, owner of Glazed and Confuzed Donuts. "We appreciate just being apart of the Denver scene."
"Nicole the owner of the shop, she is a local Stapleton community member and she has built this shop from the ground up," said Kenzie Hassey, employee at Poppy & Pine. “We call it our Stanley family.”
Stanley is also unlocking other small business opportunities in the health and fitness realm, such as the strength training studio Endorphin.
Cherry Creek North (CCN) has one of the largest concentrations of small businesses in Colorado, around 175 of them. Out of those shops, 50 percent of them are owned by women, including Denver Darling which opened earlier this year.
“It's so nice to be part of such an amazing group of women," said Molly Fortune, co-owner of Denver Darling.
"We are just so excited to have people in here in our first year of Small Business Saturday," said Abby Miller, co-owner of Denver Darling.
“Businesses like ours, the small boutiques really create the diversity and experience that Denver is becoming known for on an international scale," said Jeremy Dowdall, owner of Victoria's Chocolates in CCN. “Really just wanted to do something to made people smile.”
“I think most people react really well to the color in the gallery," said Bonnie Zueger, owner of Masters Gallery in CCN. “What we usually try to do is try to introduce them to who the artist is, a little bit of their background and something about techniques."