WILBRAHAM/EAST LONGMEADOW/SOMERS – Fred Romano, owner of Somersvillage Gifts & Gourmet Baskets at 111 Main St., in Somers, is banking on Small Business Saturday. Begun in 2015 by American Express, Small Business Saturday is a campaign to encourage people to shop local, small businesses for the holidays. Shoppers can find small businesses at americanexpress.com/en-US/maps?cat=Shop-Small&intlink=us-GABM-Map_Home. This year it falls on Nov. 28.

“In Somersville we always have Small Business Saturday. It really has blossomed into something good. This year, small businesses could use the boost more than ever,” Romano said.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to shut down for a few months this year, and that hit many small shops and boutiques especially hard. Many of those businesses are now finding ways to bring customers in during the holidays, despite the ongoing business restrictions.
 

“We do a lot of specialty gift baskets. We do sympathy baskets,” with keepsakes and food, Romano said. “We have a nice selection that nobody else has because I buy from small companies.” Romano said he specializes in unique items like sweets from fifth-generation candy makers in Minnesota and a Michigan-based company that makes pasta by hand.

Romano said Christmas has started early this year but he doesn’t have as much help as he normally would.  “Most of my help is older people and they don’t want to come out,” due to the virus. Still, he said, “We’re holding our own.”

The pandemic has also impacted Denise Brown, owner of Gilbert’s Written Word Stationary and Gifts at 72 Center Sq. in East Longmeadow. She told Reminder Publishing that because she lost three months of business, she had to let her single employee go. She now runs the shop by herself with shortened hours. Fortunately, she said, it hasn’t cut into her business that much.

“Sales haven’t been that different from when we were open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Brown said. The store now opens at noon Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sunday.

Brown said that she is “reasonably optimistic” that the holidays will generate sales the way they have in past years. While she said she doesn’t have time to put together special holiday events, Gilbert’s offers seasonal greeting cards and select gifts for the holidays.

In Wilbraham, Sandy Polom, owner of The Scented Garden gift shop just finished a five-day “open house” in which different vendors set up on the covered sidewalk outside the shop. Due to pandemic restrictions, only seven customers are allowed inside at a time. Having the vendors in front allowed people to browse outside until they could enter the store. Polom said having a different vendor every day encouraged people to stop by and shop.

Polom has found other ways to drive sales, as well. She has been advertising promotions on the store’s social media accounts, such as a current one for special holiday ornaments. The Scented Garden, located at 2341 Boston Rd., #A110, does not have an online store, however, as Polom said the logistics aren’t quite manageable yet. But, “come into the store or call and we’ll be happy to help you,” said Polom.