Mom and pop’s hope shoppers will spend on Small Business Saturday

Black Friday might be the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, but a lot of mom and pop businesses are hoping shoppers will hold off and support the little guy on Saturday.

Small businesses across the state and the entire country are taking part in the annual Small Business Saturday, a campaign created by American Express in 2010 to drive dollars their way.

Julie Hunt, the owner of Wide World Travel in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, says the holidays are critical to her success, let alone survival.

“It’s our best month of the year. It’s when we make probably 25 percent of our income. Without a good holiday season, it would be very difficult for us to survive,” she says.

Small businesses like her can’t compete on price against the big box stores and online giants like Amazon, but Hunt says what they can offer is personalized service and community.

“In the case of our store, we can help you with planning your trip and answering your questions in a way that others can’t.”

Just as important, Hunt says all the money generated by her business stays in the community, from the paychecks she provides two full-time and five part-time employees, to the taxes that go to the city and state.

Along with special pricing, small businesses will be offering a number of other specials and activities to try and draw shoppers in. At Wide World, there will be hourly drawings and appearances by authors and travel experts.