Small Business Saturday 2021: ‘Shop Small’ In Nyack

NYACK, NY — Local businesses in Nyack and Piermont hope to make the most of Small Business Saturday and other promotions as the coronavirus pandemic continues to redefine the holiday shopping season.

The village and chamber of commerce are helping, with free parking and lots of special discounts, and one-of-a kind gifts and goods.

The focal point is Saturday but many Nyack establishments are not stopping there, taking on the big box stores and online giants with enticements for Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchasing as well.

“Nyack is one-of-a-kind — a village with an amazing array of eclectic shops, service establishments and eateries recognized as among the best in the Hudson Valley,” said Roger Cohen, President of the Nyack Chamber of Commerce. It’s a winter 'wanderland,' with shops and restaurants you could never find anywhere else. It’s heaven for the discerning shopper.”

Smart shoppers who come to Nyack will get special deals on a broad array of goods and services offered by dozens of Nyack establishments ― including a broad array of retailers, as well as Nyack’s top-rated restaurants and bars that will be joining in to offer shoppers refreshment and many delicious ways to relax.

“Good things come in small packages,” said Cohen. “Nyack packs over 100 businesses into an area covering just over one-and-a-half square miles — all easily walkable."

Despite the village's many advantages, it's no secret that Nyack businesses, like many independently owned enterprises nationwide, suffered severe hardships during the pandemic. Many were forced to shut down. But the Nyack community has proven its resilience despite nearly insurmountable odds.

"We lost over two-dozen businesses during the height of the pandemic, and the challenges continue," said Don Hammond, mayor, Village of Nyack. "But we've also welcomed just as many brave new businesses to the village during this very same timeframe. It's proof that our village can survive and thrive during the toughest economic conditions."

The 2021-22 holiday season will mark a critical turning point. As an example, many retailers traditionally count on the holiday season to deliver 40 percent of their total annual revenue. This season, some businesses will be aiming for holiday sales to provide upwards of half their annual take.

"That's why we see shopping local as a win-win," said Hammond. "Shoppers who come to Nyack get great merchandise, and our businesses get the sustenance they need to keep going."

"There's another win," commented Maria Luisa Whittingham, Nyack Merchants United and owner, Maria Luisa boutique. "What better way to reduce our carbon footprint than by shopping local and shopping small? Also, many of our shops source their merchandise from suppliers who support sustainability and ethical production practices."

As economic data show, there's nothing small about small businesses. Independently owned retail shops, restaurants and service establishments make big contributions to their communities and local economies, providing jobs, paying taxes, offering local products, working with local vendors and supporting civic programs and institutions.

Taking a bird's eye view, the 2020 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey commissioned by American Express (founder of the"official" Small Business Saturday), shows that, in 2020, consumers who made purchases in independent shops and restaurants spent nearly $20 billion on the one Small Business Saturday shopping day alone.

It's no surprise then, that small businesses create two-thirds of new jobs in the U.S. and deliver well over 40 percent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), according to a 2019 report issued by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA also reports that, unlike large corporations, small businesses more accurately reflect the diversity of the U.S. population: 36 percent of small businesses are owned by women, nearly 15 percent are owned by people of color (Black, Latinx and Asian) and 9 percent are owned by veterans.

"Bringing the big numbers down to street level, it's clear that small businesses have a huge impact on all of us — and that Nyack is a model small business village that we should invest in," said Hammond. "We're proud of our small business community, and the vitality, talent and diversity they contribute to our daily lives."

"The great thing about Nyack is that we're in business, but we're not all business," added Cohen. “Shoppers can also take advantage of village attractions, such as touring the home of renowned realist painter Edward Hopper, or taking in some river-gazing from the shared use path along the Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge. A day of shopping in Nyack can become a truly memorable experience.”

“Nyack is a treasure trove,” said Whittingham. “Our village offers a special experience, a chance to slow down, savor life and appreciate the beauty of people, place, and special things.”

FOR SHOPPING LISTS (AND BREAKS): Here's a sampling of Nyack's offerings for the holidays and year-round:

• Chic fashions, accessories, lingerie
• Specialty and hand-crafted jewelry
• Holiday decor
• Antiques and unique home furnishings
• Books: best-sellers and hard-to-find
• European chocolate
• Artisanal cheeses and charcuterie
• One-of-a-kind gifts and novelties
• Top-of-the-line eye glasses
• Vintage vinyl
• Gift cards, coupons and beauty supplies from spas and salons
• Food, drink and live music for shopping breaks, served up by Nyack's fine restaurants, casual eateries and night spots

NYACK BUSINESS LISTINGS:
Visit Nyack’s Directory of Shops, Restaurants, and Businesses

PARKING: Nyack's streets will open to vehicular traffic and parking for holiday shopping. Shop Small parking will be FREE on Saturdays in the Main Municipal lot and the Artopee lot on the dates below. (Parking is always free in Nyack on Sundays).

Free Shop Small Holiday Parking 2021:

Saturday, 11/27/2021 Saturday, 12/4/2021 Saturday, 12/11/2021 Saturday, 12/18/2021

American Express launched the “Shop Small” movement in 2010 to encourage people to support local businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Since then, it has evolved into a year-round effort to encourage people to support the mom-and-pop businesses and local shops in Nyack, Piermont and elsewhere around the country.

Last year, Americans spent about $20 billion on Small Business Saturday, up slightly from the year before.

Supporting local businesses is important, according to American Express, which estimates that 67 cents of every $1 spent remains in the local community. That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to the financial services company.

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 closings 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.

Small businesses have been pummeled by the pandemic, according to a study by economist Susan Woodward. The study looked at the bank deposits of nearly 1 million small businesses with 10 or fewer employees, from every major sector and industry, during the first year of the pandemic.

In New York, small business was down 35 percent in the first full year of the pandemic.

The study, commissioned by Intuit QuickBooks, looked at bank deposits by the approximately 1 million small businesses using the company’s software and anonymized, aggregated data from the users.

Retailers and personal care businesses, such as barbers and hair salons, were among the businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, but have enjoyed a stronger recovery than other sectors, according to the study.

• Personal care businesses saw their revenue fall by more than half (52 percent) at the beginning of the pandemic, but by March 2021 reported revenue 16 percent above pre-pandemic levels.
• Clothing stores reported in April 2020 their revenue had decreased by 50 percent, or about $10,000 per business. In March 2021, revenues were 14 percent above pre-pandemic levels.

In general, Woodward’s study also showed:

• The pandemic’s biggest impact on small business revenue was in April 2020, when revenues fell by 22 percent nationwide, equivalent to $4.6 billion for that month alone.
• The top performers over the past year are home improvement and real estate businesses. The annual revenue of mortgage bankers increased by 30 percent compared with pre-pandemic levels — an average increase of $147,000 per business.
• The recreation industry had some of the hardest-hit small businesses. For example, annual revenues at bowling alleys were down 33 percent by the end of March 2021, an average drop of more than $250,000 per business.
• Small businesses in high-density urban areas — especially in states located on the East and West coasts — experienced a greater financial impact from the pandemic. Areas hit the hardest include New York City, especially Brooklyn, and San Francisco.