Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Small Business Weekend were held last week, where families got together to share a meal and what they are grateful for, as well as shop some of the best deals of the season. Moorestown businesses celebrated the two shopping holidays with a plethora of sales and special offers.
Last week, The Sun walked around Main Street, asking visitors and residents what their shopping plans were for the holiday season and their thoughts on shopping small businesses.
Kelly Hillver, a former Moorestown resident, came into town to celebrate Thanksgiving and will be back for Christmas. She stopped on Main Street with her daughter Grace and her mother Laura Darling to check out some favorite local businesses, including Navy Blue Home and Gifts, Happy Hippo and Peter Pan.
“I’m a strong believer in small business shopping and supporting downtown America. (Moorestown) has great shops and owners right in town with things that are curated for us. And some of them even know our names,” Hillver said.
Michaelina Petti and Cali Barton, both Moorestown middle schoolers, were touring the street along with fellow students. Petti said she would be going shopping this year to Macy’s and online shopping, as well as the local stores in the mall. Barton said she would shop at the department stores. Both girls agreed, when asked, that they will both be shopping locally as well. Barton’s mom and aunts love to go shopping at Peter Pan.
“(It is important to shop local) because it helps the local businesses and supports them,” Petti said.
“They have been around since we were little, so it is nice to have the history of that,” Barton said.
“You can’t find places like this anywhere else; it is pretty original,” Petti said.
Catherine Mairone of Mt. Laurel was walking around and checking out the Moorestown stores before the big holiday weekend with her family.
“We try to give the small businesses some business. It is important to shop local. I think they have more customer service and know their product better,” Mairone said.
The Sun stopped into some local businesses to ask why it is important to shop local.
Melody Manning owns Peter Pan and T.R. Belle Gifts, which are celebrating their 48th year in business on Main Street in Moorestown. They offer products such as cards, clothing, handbags, soaps, toys and, of course, seasonal items.
According to Manning, the local small businesses really put a lot of dedication into getting products that customers want and would like, as well as offering services that larger stores and businesses don’t have.
“When they buy full price items, we offer to gift box and giftwrap them free of charge. It is friendlier services. We offer services that bigger stores don’t,” Manning said.
Manning said supporting small businesses not only helps that business, but the local community and economy. An example of that is Moorestown True Value Hardware, which donated 10 percent of all purchases on Saturday, Nov. 28 to the Community House, as there was a fire at the building two weeks ago.
“Small stores are the ones employing local people and supporting the community. We support the small, local charities … those dollars are going back into the community when they shop local,” Manning said.
Moorestown True Value Hardware offers most hardware needs, as well as other products such as gifts, flags and other things for the house. It also offers Christmas lights, lawn ornaments and other holiday products. Each Saturday, it gives out popcorn and soda to visitors.
“Small businesses are the fabric of America, I believe, and to keep parts of town alive and vitalized, you need shops in town and people to support them more than once a year. In our business, we get a tremendous amount of support from our customers,” True Value owner Julie Bender said.
According to Bender and fellow True Value owner Peter Bender, it is all about the customers. They wouldn’t be where they are today without them.
“We are a part of the community and feel that in a big way. We feel very much a part of town. We love this place and our customers,” Peter said. “It is a privilege to have a business in town and be a special part of this town.”
“We have a very loyal customer following. We know them on first name basis and we appreciate those customers and they appreciate us,” Manning said.
Moorestown Mayor Victoria Napolitano and Deputy Mayor Phil Garwood toured some of the local businesses earlier in the week and also encouraged shopping local this holiday season.
“In addition to visiting our local businesses on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, we hope our neighbors will join us for a new tradition on Dec. 3 as the Moorestown Business Association and Main Street Merchants roll-out the first-ever Main Street Holiday Stroll,” Garwood said in a release. “Town Council is proud to stand with our local business community, and we are proud to live in a town that continues to value these businesses that are truly an integral part of Moorestown.”
“Please take the pledge to shop local and learn more about what our county freeholders are doing to help our local businesses through the Shop Burlington County First campaign by visiting www.shopburlingtoncounty. com,” Napolitano said. “Together, we can add millions back into our town and county’s economy and support our friends and neighbors that own these businesses and help keep our small-community charm alive.”
The MBA Main Street Holiday Stroll will be held on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. where Main Street will be decked out for the holiday season.
