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11/20/2019 07:30 AMFollowing the madness of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, millions of people across the nation try to support local stores during Small Business Saturday. This year, Clinton residents can support their neighbors on the day by heading to the Henry Carter Hull library for a pop-up market featuring all items made by small businesses, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30.
The event is free for attendees, and there is a $25 charge for a table to be a vendor. Proceeds from the vendor fees go to helping support the library. Limited spaces for vendors are still available, and those interested in being a vendor should email barb@hchlibrary.org.
The event is a collaboration between the library and the Clinton Chamber of Commerce to support local business and artists.
“This is our way to participate in this national event,” said the library’s Adult Programming Coordinator Sarah Borgnis-Tobin. The chamber’s executive director Paul Orsini said that as an incentive there will be a basket raffled off that contains donated goods from several of the small businesses in the area.
Borgnis-Tobin said that the event is a great way for people to gift shop, as many of the merchants are local artisans who sell things like hand-crafted jewelry, tote bags, and decorations.
But, she added, “it’s not just a craft fair. It’s open to business that may only be online and don’t have a store front.”
For businesses, the event will be a great way to meet new customers, and it will be a good networking opportunity for those business owners, she said.
Another goal of the event is to alert attendees to the business resources available for use by people who work from home or run a small business. The library has a Business Resource Center that offers access to services like Consumer Reports, Cypress Resume, ReferenceUSA, workshops, a job board, and community sponsorship opportunities. There are also printers, fax machines, copier, and free Wi-Fi available in the resource center.
“A lot of businesses don’t realize we also have meeting rooms they can reserve for staff meetings or training too,” said Borgnis -Tobin.
While the library has hosted craft fairs in the past, this is the first year they are holding this particular event. The idea to host the event came from a Chamber of Commerce meeting where members were brainstorming ways to promote Small Business Saturday.
“It’s been a good partnership between the chamber and the library. They’re going to be there highlighting the stuff going on in town,” said Borgnis-Tobin.
Due to the way the dates fall this year the event will be held the day before the town’s annual Christmas in Clinton event, and organizers are hopeful that the large crowd that typically shows up for that weekend will come by the library as well.
“This is our first year so its always tricky getting these things started. I grew up in a family that owned a small business so I like having an opportunity to support them and its good to participate in a national event,” said Borgnis -Tobin. “I’m excited and looking forward to small business Saturday and Christmas in Clinton,” said Orsini.