Greenville’s Main Street businesses ready for Small Business Saturday

The customers who still venture down the stairs come for specific orders, not to browse. It’s not all bad; her closing ratio is really good, Young said.

She’s also handling more individual sales for high-end items, like diamond pieces. The bulk of Young’s work is redesigning rings and creating custom engagement rings. She handles one or two custom orders a week, she estimates. 

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Jewelry and Art by Kathy Young on North Main Street, Wednesday, November 11, 2020. (Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

During the pandemic, Young’s business is sustained by word of mouth. She hasn’t transitioned to an online business model; she’s not a “tech savvy person,” she said.  

Because she doesn’t have employees, Young didn’t receive federal business funding during the pandemic, she said. She received a $1,000 grant through the city, but it didn’t make much of a difference, she said. 

“It was like a little drop in the bucket,” Young said. 

She’s approaching her peak season, Christmas time. With the holidays coming, she hopes there will be more business than what she’s seen in the past few months. 

“It’s very difficult to stay optimistic,” she said. 

The holiday open house at The Kitchen Emporium & Gifts and Wine Shop on Main Street in Anderson will still happen, though the crowds are expected to be smaller and samples for popular products placed in individual serving cups rather than their traditional party serving bowls and platters.

“Our vendors, who help independents like ourselves, out are allowing some Black Friday sales to help increase foot traffic,” owner Gay McLeskey said. “Everybody used to take their circulars to map out a plan of attack for the day at the big box stores, but I think they’re adjusting their way of shopping and we are adjusting as well.”

Some businesses have surged

Meanwhile, at Vintage Now Modern, a home furnishings store down the street, it’s a different story. 

From summer to October, business was the best it’s been since 2017, owner Tony Weaver said. He chalks it up to people spending more time in their homes, which can inspire a desire to change up décor. 

Vintage Now Modern staff are adapting accordingly, switching up the store’s featured pieces. 

“We’re featuring small things that people love to decorate their homes with,” Weaver said. 

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A cyclist looks at a message written on a storefront window on South Main Street in Greenville, Friday, April 10, 2020. (Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

The store is also catering to tourists restless for a weekend away, selling more small items like soaps and candles. About 15% of the store’s business is local, but the majority comes from travelers from places like Charlotte, Atlanta and Columbia, Weaver said. 

In the past, Weaver would open the store early for Small Business Saturday and schedule clearance before the end of the year. This year, he expects more customers even without the extra incentives. 

“We’re stocking up for whoever wants to buy custom furniture, lighting, original art,” he said. 

Adapting to new habits

At Custard Boutique, owners Bo and Tara Kirkland are also adapting to new customer demands. 

They’ve started carrying things that are both practical and well-curated, like bread and cocktail kits and more casual clothing. More front-facing earrings, “because everybody is on Zoom calls,” Tara said. 

“I try to think about my customer and who they are,” she said. “I want them to be able to have small things that make them happy that are not going to hurt their wallet.” 

The store’s foot traffic was “completely wiped out” during the pandemic, although the website did get a bump in online sales, Tara said. As restrictions have eased, business has picked up again, but nowhere near what it would normally be in October.  

“We’re seeing more tourists now than we were because a lot of people are experiencing pandemic fatigue,” Tara said. “A lot of people are wanting to leave where they live, especially if they’re in a place that’s more regulated.” 

The boutique will open this year for Small Business Saturday, and the Kirklands will offer free gift wrapping. They usually serve refreshments, but won’t this year to encourage people to keep their masks on, she said. 

With the holidays approaching, Tara hopes visitors will remember to buy gifts locally. 

“We’re trying so hard to send them to other small businesses to eat and drink and shop, sort of share the wealth,” she said. “If someone is out and they’re shopping, we want them to spend money locally, you know?”