Small Business Saturday 2020: Help Them Stay Afloat In Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Small businesses have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, making Small Business Saturday in 2020 more vital than ever. This year, the all-local shopping event falls on Nov. 28 including in Moorestown.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in Moorestown are facing unprecedented challenges due to coronavirus-related restrictions and shutdowns.

The list of Small Business Saturday participants continues to grow, despite the pandemic. Here're some businesses that have signed up so far:

• Moorestown True Value Hardware, 300 Mill Street;
• Healthy Garden Cafe, 73 East Main Street;
• Pie Lady Cafe, 9 East Main Street;
• Ralph’s Market, 137 West Main Street;
• Happy Feet Nails and Spa, 13 East Main Street;
• Happy Hippo Toys, 135 West Main Street;
• Soffiato Via, 11 East Main Street;
• Luna Y Sol Mexican Restaurant, 61 East Main Street;
• Glorious Color, 349 East Second Street;
• Studio Ten, 217 Chester Avenue;
• La Vitas, 121 West Main Street;
• La Di Da, 17 East Main Street;
• 21st Century Cabinets, 540 Glen Avenue;
• Air Workshop, 41 East Main Street;
• Salon at Marc Stephens, 213 Chester Avenue;
• Health Haven, 69 East Main Street;
• Caryn & Co Salon & Spa, 131 East Main Street;
• Cathy’s Carryout Cuisine, 15 East Main Street;
• Moorestown Flowers, 65 East Main Street;
• Navy Blue Home and Gifts, 3 East Main Street;
• Omni Med, 800 Glen Avenue;
• Ra Wireless, 212 Route 38;
• La Vie Hair and Nail Salon, 79 East Main Street;
• Heirloom Woven Labels, 205 Bridgeboro Road;
• Gypsy Soul Xo, 33 East Main Street;
• Tao Vital Qi Therapy, 57 East Main Street;
• National Karate Institute, 9 West Main Street;
• Supply One, 111 Whittendale Drive;
• Chemique, 315 North Washington Avenue;
• Albert Ellis, 124 Mill Street;
• Mark 1 Restoration, 311 New Albany Road;
• Wittman Antiques, 279 West Main Street;
• CJ’s Salsa and Dips, 722 North Church Street;
• Onguard Fence System, 355 New Albany Road;
• Bonhamtown Food Center, 55 South Main Street;
• E&B Coin, 232 West Main Street;
• Edward Rambler & Son, 232 West Main Street;
• Never1 Cupbakery, 75 East Main Street;
• Carollo’s Little Italy, 77 East Main Street;
• Brain Freeze Ice Cream Parlor, 99 West Main Street;
• Vtrainers Personal Training 300 Chester Avenue;
• Moorestown Nutrition, 115 West Main Street; and
• Oriental Pearl, 133 West Main Street.

Read more here: Local Business Guide: What’s Open/Closed In Moorestown?

Did we miss anyone in Moorestown? Tell us in the comments or send an email to anthony.bellano@patch.com and we’ll add it to the list.

Temporary closures, capacity restrictions, decreased demand for products and services and delays due to supply-chain issues have led to unprecedented challenges for small-business owners.

But the “Shop Small” movement continues amid these hardships.

“This holiday season looks a little different, but we can still share joy,” American Express, which established Small Business Saturday in 2010, said in a statement. “Shop small and support your favorite small businesses — both in store and online — all holiday season long.”

Sixty-two percent of small businesses in the United States need to see sales income return to the same rate it was pre-pandemic before the end of the year to stay in business, according to American Express.

These businesses, many family-owned, were already fighting for survival against malls, big box stores and online retailers before the pandemic.

“Small businesses have an immeasurable effect on the quality of life in neighborhoods by providing necessary resources and supporting a local ecosystem that includes charitable organizations, schools and churches,” said Caroline Connors, executive director of the Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association, an organization that supports small businesses on the South Side of Chicago.

Since 2010, local business supporters have spent more than $100 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.

A Shop Small Consumer Impact survey from American Express before the pandemic found that 73 percent of people think empty storefronts are a national issue, and 84 percent agree the increase in empty storefronts and the closing of small, independently owned businesses negatively affect their local communities.

The survey showed that when consumers are aware of the impact of spending their dollars locally, 75 percent said they would be more likely to purchase a product or service from small, independently owned businesses.

For every dollar spent at a U.S. small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community, according to American Express. This helps independent shops and restaurants keep their doors open and meet pay for their workers — your neighbors.

That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to American Express.

“With so many small businesses hit hard in 2020, it’s more important than ever to shop locally this holiday season to ensure they are able to continue operating in 2021,” Connors said.