MANSFIELD — Each local business has something unique to offer, said Sandy Messner, director of marketing and communications for the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.
A small business owner herself, Messner said Small Business Saturday is sometimes the busiest day of the year for participants. Since mid-November, the Chamber has been spotlighting local businesses for Small Business Saturday on its Facebook page.
“Small Business Saturday allows shoppers to find stores that offer unique items and gifts they can’t get at big-box retailers or online,” Messner said. “For local businesses, it brings new shoppers into their stores every year and helps significantly with brand recognition.”
Small Business Saturday is celebrated nationwide. American Express started Small Business Saturday in 2010, and the U.S. Small Business Administration has co-sponsored the shopping holiday since 2011.
Last year, U.S. consumers reported spending an estimated $23.3 billion at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.
Richland County has 74 participating businesses across a variety of industries for this year’s Small Business Saturday Nov. 26. The Greenwich and Norwalk locations of Painted Cowgirl Western Store in Huron County are also participating.
Each local business is required to offer a prize drawing of at least a $25 value. No purchase is required.
Messner said most participants offer gift card drawings, but giveaways can vary by business. Messner said Van’s Auto Service & Tire Pros is giving away $200 worth of service.
Visitors can enter each store’s giveaway a maximum of once per store, and scan poster QR codes for an additional prize entry worth $100.
These $100 grand prizes are donated by the Chamber, and allow one entry per store for up to six stores.
Richland County’s Small Business Saturday is hosted by the Chamber in conjunction with Downtown Mansfield, The Shelby Area Business Group, Be Focal Buy Local Richland County and the Clear Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The Boot Life co-owner Holly Troupe said her downtown Mansfield store spends months preparing for Small Business Saturday. This year, The Boot Life is giving away coffee mugs with the first five orders above $150 and selling select apparel at a buy-one-get-one-half-off sale.
Troupe said Boot Life T-shirts and rubber bracelets will be giveaways with purchases. The Boot Life’s prize drawing will be for a $215 gift card to use by Dec. 31.
“Small Business Saturday is a remarkable way to spend quality time with your loved ones while getting to know your community,” Troupe said. “You can make it a grown-up scavenger hunt.”
Joshua Lehman, Operation: Fandom and Blackbird Records owner, said the Mansfield store will have extended hours for the shopping weekend.
The store at 31 E. 4th St. will be open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, with sales running all weekend long.
Lehman said Blackbird Records will carry special Record Store Day Black Friday releases, and various Operation Fandom merchandise will be on sales.
This year will be Operation: Fandom and Blackbird Records’ third Small Business Saturday, as the Mansfield location opened in October 2020.
“It’s definitely our favorite time of the year for shoppers to come out and find some unique stuff,” Lehman said.
Lehman said he usually sees more sales of novelty gifts and autographed memorabilia during the holidays.
“We carry that all year long, but we see people buying those types of things for unique gifts as we get to the holiday season,” he said.
Operation: Fandom and Blackbird Record’s prize drawing is for a $50 gift certificate that can be used at either store.
Ontario barbecue supply What’s Smoken’ will participate in its first Small Business Saturday this year.
Owner James Winans said his prize drawing will be for a $25 gift certificate. He is also offering sales of $100 off any purchase above $600 and $150 off any purchase about $1,200.
“I’m expecting to sell a lot of barbecue pellets and sauces, and hopefully sell some quality grills too,” he said. “I’ve been setting up inventory and knocking down our prices a bit.”
Y-Not Cycling & Fitness Owner Eric Petersen also expects to sell more accessories on Small Business Saturday. In addition to a variety of bikes and e-bikes, Lexington’s Y-Not carries baskets and bells, bike locks and fitness gear.
“We have probably too many accessories to name that will be on different sales,” Petersen said.
Petersen said Y-Not’s traffic usually picks up during the holiday season. He’s recently seen an increased interest in e-bikes. Y-Not carries e-bikes with pedal assistance and fully motorized models.
Y-Not’s prize drawing is for a $50 gift card.
The list of participating businesses is below. Contact information for each business is on the Richland Area Chamber website.
Shelby
113 ACE Hardware — 157 Mansfield Ave.
Alta Floral of Shelby — 71 W. Main St.
Blackfork Commons Mercantile/ The Well Coffee Shop — 24 W. Main St.
Denim & Lace — 217 Mansfield Ave.
Dove Candle Bar — 45 E. Main St.
Glen’s Surplus Sales, Inc. — 14 E. Smiley Ave.
Ivory Bean Coffee House — 44 E. Main St.
K & S Tobacco & More — 48 Mansfield Ave.
Little Shops of Shelby — 40 E. Main St.
Lottie & Lemon Boutique — 40 E. Main St.
Marigold Bakery — 67 W. Main. St.
S&S Second Chances Art & Craft Studio — 82 W. Main St.
The Fan Cave Shop — 111 W. Main St.
The Q — 19 N. Gamble St.
The Vault Wine Bar — 29 W. Main St.
Mansfield
3rd Cup Tea — 101 N. Main St.
Alta Florist and Greenhouse — 935 S. Home Rd.
Bankz Salon — 42 N. Main St.
Bloom Boutique — 48 Park Ave. West
Buckeye Imagination Museum — 175 W. 3rd St.
Budokai Martial Arts — 926 Ashland Rd.
City News/ Suzy’s Smoke Room — 100 N. Main St.
Crowe’s Shoes — 56 N. Main St.
Element of Art — 96 N. Main St.
Elite Care Auto Center — 1401 Lexington Ave.
Floral Garden Florist — 74 Lexington Ave.
Golden Poppy — 1084 Lexington Ave.
Healthy Transformation, LLC — 27 E. 4th St.
Heritage House Furniture and Gifts — 1170 Lexington Ave.
Holly’s Book Rack — Appleseed Center 1464 Lexington Ave.
Johnson Brothers’ Jewelry & Loan — 30 Park St. South
Kingwood Center Gardens — 50 N. Trimble Rd.
Lasercraft Enterprises — 591 Park Ave. West
Mad-Fit — 926 Ashland Rd.
MADD Nutrition — 866 Ashland Rd.
Mansfield Art Center — 700 Marion Ave.
Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society — 100 Reformatory Rd.
Metronome Music — 40 S. Trimble Rd.
Ohio Bird Sanctuary — 3774 Orweiler Rd.
Olive & Oak Company — 271 Cline Ave.
Operation Fandom/ Blackbird Records — 31 E. 4th St.
Sugar Baby Patch and Garden — 4153 Park Ave. West
Richland Carrousel Park — 75 N. Main St.
Salon Sorellina — 1529 Lexington Ave.
Salon Vivace — 18 W. 4th St.
Spark of Light — 409 Lexington Ave.
Studio 19 Salon & Spa — 19 E. 4th St.
Tara’s Floral Expressions — 48 W. 4th St.
The Blueberry Patch & 1285 Winery — 1285 W. Hanley Rd.
The Boot Life — 36 W. 4th St.
The New Moon — 301 N. Mulberry St.
The Phoenix Brewing Company — 131 N. Diamond St.
Umoja Apparel & Self Care — 371 W. 6th St.
Vans Tire Pros of Mansfield — 801 Lexington Ave.
Wade Gardens Landscaping & Gift Shop — 3360 Possum Run Rd.
Wayne’s Country Market — 2440 Lexington Ave.
What Goes ’Round Thrift Shoppe — 11 N. Main St.
Ontario
A Black Tie Affair — 2183 Richland Mall Suite D12
AR Workshop Ontario — 805 N. Lexington-Springmill Rd.
Arnold’s Garden Center — 3180 Park Ave. West
Licensed AVON Beauty Center — 2176 Richland Mall Suite C4
McCready Interiors/ Norwalk the Furniture Idea — 784 N. Lexington-Springmill Rd.
What’s Smoken’ — 665 Ashwood Dr.
Lexington
Crafty Clutter, Inc. — 305 E. Main St.
Kimmy’s Cucina — 65 S. Mill St.
McManes Personal Training — 208 Darby Drive
Nickel & Bean — 27 E. Main St.
Shady Lane Alpaca Farm & Store — 3073 Gass Rd.
Y-Not Cycling & Fitness — 64 E. Main St.
Bellville
Bellville Flowers — 72 Main St.
Elzy Milling and Trade — 25 E. Ogle St.
Love Our Hero’s thrift store — 24 Bell St.
Panchos Tacos — 844 State Route 97
Wishmaker House Bed & Breakfast, Restaurant and Winery — 116 Main St.
