Supporting Local Businesses Small Business Saturday and Beyond
Grace Phillips
Ashland Beacon
When you think of Thanksgiving several things come to mind…food, family, and SHOPPING. In 2010, the Saturday after Thanksgiving was designated as Small Business Saturday by American Express. It is a way to support our local business owners who boost the local economy. These local entrepreneurs come in many forms. Some have brick-and-mortar stores, but many work out of their homes and are found on weekends in the areas craft and vendor shows.
This year there are a number of events in which you can support the local businesses and artisans in our area. There are two events on November 25th. The first is at Ashland Middle School. Twyla Agee is the coordinator for the event. Twyla said this show started with a need for equipment for the band. She does many shows each year herself with her business, just a Small Town Girl Tees, and saw a need for an event to highlight the area’s small businesses while allowing her to help with support for the band.
According to Twyla, “I have approximately 60 vendors including food trucks that will be participating.” The show will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and feature a variety of businesses in one location. Agee continued, “We have some bigger names that people may be familiar with…CB Bears, Southern Sassy Sisters Boutique, Local Mercantile and SOASH with the pink bus, Bubbles and Sweets will be in the concession area. There are also smaller local businesses, Sweet Bee Gardens and Stephy Kats Scensory Play, plus so many more. Santa will be there from noon -4 p.m. as well as an inflatable for the kids.” The Ashland Middle School is located at 2800 Kansas Street, Ashland, Ky and admission is free.
From this event, you can drive just a few miles down Route 23 to Russell, Ky where Bluegrass Mamma Creations is participating in Small Business Saturday in Russell. Bluegrass Mamma’s features homemade wooden door hangers, signs and nursery décor. Chelsea Potter shared, “I am really excited to be a part of the Small Business Saturday. At this time, I have 20 local craft vendors that will be set up in my parking lot and inside the store. The event will run from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. I will have to-go paint kits available in the store as well as a keepsake-type ornament for kids to make while they are there.” Bluegrass Mama’s is located at 444 Bellefonte Street, Russell, Ky.
The next stop on our shop local events is on Sunday, Dec. 3 with Greenup’s Christmas on the Square. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., downtown Greenup will be transformed into a magical Christmas Village. Kathy Osborne invites everyone to bring their family and join in the festivities as well as support the local vendors who will be in the courthouse square. “This is going to be a great time for our community to come together for a great time. Our original thought from last year was everything costs parents so much…why don’t we plan an event where it is free? We wanted to give them a place where they could enjoy a day of fun and activities totally free except for purchases from the craft booths or food.” Osborne continued, “We have about 20 locations set up throughout town where every location will have something free for their children. It may be a craft, make your own hot chocolate, or decorate your own sugar cookie. My office will have goody bags that are Jesus-oriented, so it will be the true meaning of Christmas. The library will have story time and a book or craft.”
Nearly 40 vendors participating will be handcrafted vendors only, and there is no charge for setting up. Each one will be decorated for Christmas. Church choirs will be performing throughout the afternoon, and there will be an abundance of door prize drawings beginning at 4:30.
Osborne said that one of the most exciting attractions is the Giant North Pole Snow Slide. It is a 20-foot-high dual snow slide complete with snowblowers sponsored by ARC. The day will conclude with a Christmas parade at 5 p.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 16, our journey will take us to the Boyd County Convention Center near I-64 at Cannonsburg for the 5th Annual Christmas Craft Show. This event is sponsored by KimsKreations Boutique. The show will run from 10 a.m. -4 p.m. and features nearly 70 local crafters and independent businesses.
Kimberly hosts several shows each year. Santa will make an appearance, and you can take your own photos with the jolly man in the red suit. Kimberly also stated, “We will have a number of raffles featuring donations from the vendors as well as a gift card tree valued at $500 or more. All raffle proceeds will go to the Wildwood Baptist Church of God for their Guatemala 2024 mission trip. Church members will go and build a home for a family, as well as worship, fellowship and teach the word of God while there.” The Pigs Blanket will provide concessions for the event and small business owner, Rachel Foglesong, will be reading Christmas stories to the children throughout the day. She is also having a toy drive for anyone who would like to drop off a new toy. Admission to the show is free.
There is no shortage of shopping opportunities to support local crafters or home businesses during the next month.
A few other events are:
December 2nd
- Christmas Craft Fair, Ashland Area YMCA 10 a.m.-4 p.m. featuring a variety of crafts and vendors, a silent auction including YMCA memberships, registration fees, and birthday parties.
- Fairview Independent Schools, Breakfast with Santa Vendor Fair at Fairview High School 8 a.m. — 11 a.m. Proceeds will support the Fairview Beta Club.
Dec. 9
- The safety patrol at Catlettsburg, Elementary is hosting a craft fair
- Christmas in County Dec. 8 & 9that Imel’s Greenhouse located at 2836 State Route 1, Greenup, Ky
