GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — As people gear up for the biggest shopping weekend of the season with Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, NBC 26 took a look at why shopping small and shopping local is crucial.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers made a trip to Green Bay today to visit some locally-owned businesses.
“Small business Wisconsin is such a huge part of the state's economy that I think it is incredibly important to be an advocate to shop local,” said Evers.
Among the four stops was a 4th generation candy shop, Beernsten’s Candies. The downtown store has been around for decades and has out-lived the typical “3rd generation curse” Mark Beernsten says that he is thankful that he always had candy-making to fall back on.
“I have been lucky, most businesses don't make it past the 3rd generation and my son has made it to the 4th.” After working 20-plus years on the railroads Beernsten decided it was time to come home, to the candy store.
Just across the block was the second stop for Evers, Petal Pushers. Nichole Campbell may not have envisioned herself as a small business owner but now that she is there is no going back.
“I have had other jobs where you wake up and you know you have to go to work… I have never felt that here, its I get to go to work today.”
But a small business is nothing without its community.
“I have repeat customers that come back year after year for their holiday candies.” said Beernsten, “We really do have a very loyal customer base.”
And the same goes for the florist.
“Oh we know some of our customers on a first-name basis,” said Campbell, “We have families that we have seen through generations, we have married their kids, been there when they have babies, sending flowers.”
It’s the small businesses that make the town unique and the support from its people is what makes the small business, business, worth it.
