Inflation remains a top challenge for 46% of small businesses, according to the Quarter 3 2025 Small Business Index. And according to data from the upcoming Q4 MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index, 79% of small businesses say this holiday season is important for overall profits for the year.
Small business owners surveyed in the index are optimistic but hampered by inflation and escalating costs. Shopping days like this weekend’s Small Business Saturday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday can help local businesses get into the black.
Colin Murray owns Kylee’s Gift Cottage in the Middleton Hills neighborhood. Sometimes people visit and comment on how there aren’t many local gift stores around these days.
“There’s a reason for that: because people don’t support them,” said Murray, who runs the shop at 6711 Frank Lloyd Wright Ave. “You have to support them if you want them to be around. You hear when a restaurant closes and people say, ‘Oh, I used to go there all the time,’ and they haven’t been there in three years. Well, that’s why they’re closing. You have to support them on a regular basis if you want them to remain open.”
Small Business Saturday is one way of focusing attention on local businesses, and to shop at such locally owned operations, which are a key part of thriving Madison area neighborhoods.
“There’s nothing wrong with going with the big box stores and shopping there, but don’t forget the local guys and make sure that you support them as well,” Murray said.
To help shoppers this year, Murray created the Shopsmalldanecounty website. Businesses were encouraged to submit their information if they are participating in Small Business Saturday. Murray includes the business’s information on the website and adds them to an interactive Google Map.
Murray served as president of Dane Buy Local from 2011-2013 and retired from the organization in 2023. He coordinated Small Business Saturday efforts for the area while there, but saw a lack of organized push last year.
He decided a website would be easy enough to put together, so that’s what he did.
“I’m not looking to start another buy local group or anything like that,” Murray said. “I do want to promote the fact that Small Business Saturday is up and running and alive and well, and people should support local.”
Murray plans on continuing the website next year as well.
He’s not the only one putting in extra effort into Small Business Saturday. Both Sun Prairie and Monroe Street on Madison’s near west side have Small Business Saturday events.
Various Monroe Street stores, restaurants and service businesses are participating in the day by offering specials and providing customers with a chance to win a tote bag and $25 gift card via a random drawing. The Monroe Street Merchants Association organizes the event.
Artsy Fartsy, at 1717 Monroe St., is one of the businesses taking part in the day’s events. Jeaneatte Burda, who owns the business with her daughter, said Monroe Street has several newer businesses, making Small Business Saturday a great way to get their businesses in front of people who are still discovering them.
“It’s nice,” Burda said of the event, “because we have posters that they (the association) put up for all of us, and there’s some little things for kids that they can sign up for, drawings and stuff. That brings a few more people in.”
Burda has been in business for three years and said the Monroe Street area has matured into a destination shopping center.
“People just naturally think of this as a destination similar to a mall, because now there are enough restaurants and bars and stores and a good variety down here,” Burda said.
Just down the street from Artsy Fartsy is Pizza Brutta at 1805 Monroe St., and across from her storefront is Garth’s Brew Bar at 1726 Monroe St., which Artsy Fartsy has worked with for beer tasting events like a sip and shop. For those collaborations, the store offered 10% off everything and customers could try different beers while shopping.
While places like Garth’s may only receive an indirect effect from shoppers visiting on Saturday, it’s still meaningful.
“People come to Monroe Street because of its eclectic mix of shops they want to support, and by extension, they end up finding us,” Garth’s owner, Garth Beyer, said, “often with a record from Strictly Discs or a bag from Orange Tree Imports in hand. Sometimes we’re the spot someone hangs out with a beer while their partner or family is out shopping the street, so their quick stop becomes more of a neighborhood journey.”
Burda said the day may not always mean hitting sales targets, but it’s still an important part of the holiday season.
“It’s a great day for us,” Burda said. “That might not be, you know, the best sale day we have during the season, but it brings a lot of people in, and they see the store, and then they will come back, and that’s what we like about it.”
Sun Prairie is hosting a similar destination event for Small Business Saturday, with a Facebook page detailing the businesses participating in the event.
Shoppers can grab a “passport” at a participating business, and if they visit each store that is a part of the event by 4 p.m., they are entered to win one of five $150 gift baskets. Plus, the first 100 shoppers to visit Faded Roots Boutique at 146 Cliff St. receive a free “Shop Local” canvas tote bag.
Holiday events like Santa Saturday, a free clay event at Dongzhu Potter Studio at 116 S. Bristol St., and a holiday parade are all taking place on the same day. Sun Prairie business owners hope shoppers will make a day out of it.
Moda Muse at 375 E Main St. is a women’s clothing store in Sun Prairie, and this Small Business Saturday event will be its first. Owner Taylor Wellman is ready for a big day after hearing about past event success.
“Really excited to see what the turnout is going to be, but it’s going to be huge for my business, just from an exposure standpoint,” Wellman said. “There’s still so many people that have no idea that I exist, or maybe they’ve heard of Moda Muse, but they haven’t had a chance to come in, just because life gets crazy.”
To draw people in, Wellman is selling everything in the store at 30% off and giving out a swag bag of accessories for every $50 purchase.
Since American Express began Small Business Saturday in 2010, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the shopping day has brought in $201 billion. In comparison, Amazon’s Prime Days in July from July 8-11 brought in $24.1 billion, according to Adobe Analytics.
“Supporting local means supporting people who have poured their passion, savings and sanity into creating something for their community … often while walking a tightrope financially,” Beyer said.
“You might feel like your purchase is small, but for a lot of us, that one extra visit can be what pulls the week out of the red. And it’s not just about the transaction. When you shop local, you get to talk with the staff — who are often the owners — and turn a simple purchase into a real connection and story.
“That’s the magic of shopping local: you don’t just leave with a product, you leave with an experience.”
