GREAT FALLS — The Christmas shopping season is in full swing, and while online shopping and big box stores offer convenience, local retailers say it's hard to beat the personal touch customers can get from small businesses during events like Small Business Saturday.
Before Santa flips the switch on the City of Great Falls Christmas tree after the annual Parade of Lights, shoppers from the Electric City and surrounding area will be digging for deals to complete their Christmas lists.
For many shop owners, keeping the cash registers ringing on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year is about more than just their business's bottom line.
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Hometana owner Shirstie Gaylord says Small Business Saturday is her store's biggest sales day of the year and embodies a spirit with local options that keep the community vibrant.
"Our landlords are local. We design and print all of our own stuff. We buy our supplies locally. We have over 50 artisans that come from the state of Montana. So when you're shopping at a place like Hometana, over 80% $0.80 on every dollar stays in your community," Gaylord said.
Farmer's Daughter Fibers owner Candice English says spending money locally is more important than ever because those dollars go right back into the community.
"Often times, we're supporting, you know, your kid's sporting events for supporting nonprofits, all of those different things. And so by coming in and shopping with us and shopping small, it makes a huge difference," English said.
Nicole Wiegand and her husband Lee own and operate Let's Play Games and Toys in downtown Great Falls. She says the benefit of shopping at a store like theirs is the personal connection customers get.
"You go in to Target, Walmart, those places where maybe you find an employee, maybe you don't. Maybe they know a lot about what you're looking for. Maybe they don't. Whereas if you know, if you come to us, we know our products. We brought them in with our customers in mind. You know, we've picked everything out here thinking that someone in Great Falls would love this," Wiegand said.
Longtime businessman Brian Kaufman says Great Falls is experiencing sustainable growth which, downtown, can be credited to young entrepreneurs.
"What it's done is it's created a culture downtown here where people come to drink, can come down and eat, dine and and shop and just have a wonderful, wonderful time. And there's always great things going on all year round," Kaufman said.
"I think everyone is working really hard to make sure that downtown Great Falls is a destination for people in Great Falls, but also a lot of our surrounding areas as well," English said.
Gaylord says her store is a small fabric of all the things happening in Great Falls and sees Hometana's role as more than just a retailer.
"If you have questions about the parking, if you have questions about the event, feel free to just come on in and tell us. I don't know what time the parade starts. We're just here to help with whatever you need," Gaylord said.
