Delco shoppers think small, boost small biz in their towns
Delco shoppers turn out to support Small Business Saturday
MEDIA >> Shoppers took to the streets once again Saturday, this time many intentionally patronizing local businesses to pour some funds and attention to retailers who are often their neighbors as well.
Mother and daughter Eileen and Stephanie Jennings strolled along State Street looking for unique gifts - but with a purpose their desire to support their local, small businesses as they’ve done the last four years.
By mid-afternoon, they had visited 10,000 Villages, Earth & State and Kuta. The two spoke of what they liked about shopping small.
“You can get unique stuff here that you can’t get anywhere else, you can’t get in the mall,” Eileen Jennings said.
Her daughter added, “And just supporting the communities.”
Started eight years ago by American Express, Small Business Saturday received recognition from the U.S. Senate in 2011 as a way to support small businesses.
Here in Delaware County, there are 12,000 businesses with 100 or fewer employees and that makes up 98 percent of the county’s economy. Nationally, about 60 million Americans are employed by small businesses.
“When you support small business, you’re supporting your local economy, the national economy and your community,” Delaware County Councilman Brian Zidek said.
At local home + gifts at 29 W. State St. in Media, Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland joined store owner Kathleen Rode and Delaware County Women Against Rape interim executive director Candice Linehan in collecting “Purses with a Purpose.”
Through Dec. 20, this program allows community members to donate new or gently used purses filled with personal items such as gift cards, scarves, toiletries or socks that will be distributed to victims of violent crime. In exchange, Rode was offering customers of her store a 20 percent discount for making a donation to the program.
A few years ago, Rode had worked with a group of friends in Connecticut to do a similar collection for victims of domestic abuse. This year, she wanted to work locally, so she teamed up with WAR and the district attorney to affect Delco victims in a positive way.
“It was so successful and seeing the outpouring of support once we were letting people know about the event was just amazing,” Rode said. “We were able to give out about 100 bags that particular year ... We were just overcome with emotion when we were able to hand these bags over, knowing that some women wouldn’t be opening anything on Christmas day and we were handing them these fun and beautiful gifts.”
Linehan explained that being a crime victim can be very isolating and that can be difficult for those who’ve not experienced such violence to understand what such a gesture can mean to them.
“It reminds our clients who have suffered a great deal of trauma that there are people out there who are supporting them,” she said. “Every day, they’re suffering and for us to be able to hand them over and say, ‘Somebody thought of you,’ it impacts them in such great ways.”
Copeland added this collection is one way to draw attention to crime victims, to support small businesses and make a difference for someone all simultaneously.
“This time of year, there are victims of crime who don’t necessarily have a support of family,” the district attorney said. “If we can brighten their day with something as small as a donation, just to make them happy and bring a smile to their face, we definitely want to. Why not take advantage of a moment like this to bring joy to somebody’s face?”
Local home + gifts also has another location at 11 Brookline Blvd. in Havertown that is collecting “Purses with a Purpose” through Dec. 20. Linehan said they will be distributed as they are received.
Back on State Street, Media resident Maureen McVeigh was visiting Earth & State, 10,000 Villages and local home + gifts.
“I like that they’re my neighbors,” she said. “The more I support them, the more diversity of shops and restaurants I think that we’ll have. I want them to be successful.”