WINOOSKI, Vt. (WCAX) – The signs of the season are here — Christmas trees, snow in the forecast, and holiday shopping. Whether you’ve added items to your holiday shopping list or are already wrapping gifts, this time of year is crucial for Vermont’s small businesses.
Businesses in Winooski are hoping for a steady flow of holiday shoppers.
“We probably do roughly 30 percent of our overall sales. I think it’s like five to six times busier than an average month,” said Nicole Carey, the owner of Golden Hour Gift Company. But right now, she says it’s been anything but business as usual. “Sales are down, dealing with the construction, after the pandemic, and the economy is a little slow this year.”
Just up the road, the LPs at Autumn Records are still spinning for Greg Davis. He says online sales have been a game changer but that costs are a major concern. “Costs of inventory, utilities. Health care is a big one– that’s a huge cost, just on the personal side of running a business,” he said.
Vermont Senator Peter Welch visited Onion City business owners Friday as a way to kick off the lead-up to Small Business Saturday and the holiday shopping season. He says a major focus for lawmakers is keeping credit card companies in check. “We’ve got to level the playing field, and I think there has been an immense amount of abuse by the major credit card companies and what they rip off the merchants for. These are small businesses, they really matter. Every nickel matters,” he said.
Officials with the Small Business Administration joined Welch on the tour to offer some advice. “We’re trying to encourage them to consider different payment methods that some of the other national retailers are able to offer. If there’s layaway, things like that, offer promotions. Definitely communicate a lot with the public — what are your store hours? where are you located?” said the SBA’s Darcy Carter.
According to the SBA, 99% of businesses in Vermont are considered small and comprise just over 60 percent of Vermont’s total workforce.