Valley businesses push to shop local this holiday season

The rise in COVID cases numbers are the last thing small business owners want to see heading into the holiday season. Holiday sales can make or break business during a typical year but in a pandemic the stakes are even higher. 

News Channel 3’s Dani Romero reports on how businesses are trying to make it through the year without having to close their doors. 

With restaurants and retail stores like the ones in Old Town La Quinta are struggling to keep their lights on. They said Small Business Saturday isn't arriving a moment too soon. For some this year, it’s a life line. 

“Support through this terrible times of COVID, we were locked down for four months and a lot of us had to shut down right in the midst of the peak season," said Virginia Vicent.

Owner of Le Chateau in La Quinta, Virginia Vicent is hoping to see a boost in sales this Saturday.  

“Its not the same crowd of people that we normally we would have and we don’t have events," said Vicent.

Vicent said her biggest challenge amid the pandemic is getting people inside the store. 

“People aren’t aware if they can try on or not because bigger stores aren’t allowing them to try on, inviting them to have that comfortable environment and safe environment," said Vicent.

But as small businesses near the end of 2020, They’re hoping people  consider them a top priority when thinking about where to do their shopping. 

“Shop local doesn’t matter what day it is the more you can support your local community the better," said Joshua Bonner, President of Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Bonner said for every $100 you spend locally, $68 dollars of that stays here.

But if you spend that $100 bill at a big box stores, only $43 stays in the community.  

“As you go into larger chains or you go outside of the area that number really starts to slide down you could get all the way down to no money is staying local," said Bonner.

And these next several weeks proving critical for many shops and stores. 

“These small mom and pop stores, their lives are invested in these stores and if we don’t support them then we shouldn’t be surprised when our town’s crumbled and all we have is Amazon," said Lesley Jackson, part-time La Quinta resident.

Small Business Saturday is between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. So owners tell me they need that support more than ever before. 

For more information about shopping locally. CLICK HERE.