Small businesses in Homewood and Flossmoor will celebrate the annual national event of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26.
Small Business Saturday follows the Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday, the official opening of the holiday shopping season noted for discounted and special pricing. Small Business Saturday’s participating businesses may have discounts, snacks, drinks and other celebrations.
“All the big box stores have these crazy Black Friday sales,” said Maureen Mader, owner of Dunning’s Gourmet Market & Deli and president of the Flossmoor Business Association (FBA). “The small businessman was kind of left out of that mix. And from that, Small Business Saturday was born.”
Mader said many Flossmoor shops, especially those in the FBA, will have their windows decorated for the holiday season. Participating Flossmoor shops will sell FBA-exclusive holiday cards, Mader said. The cards will feature local artwork from Nico Martinez depicting Flossmoor Commons, Downtown Flossmoor, the ice-skating rink and the village, she said.
The stores and restaurants in the Flossmoor Village Association include Bistro on Sterling, Delorne Bridal, Flossmoor Station Brewery, Wiley’s Grill, Cork Gaming & Wine Bar, Gypsy Fix, Karyn’s Kitchen, Kluger Furs, Plant Happiness by J.O. Blooms, Ruby Ella Sweets and Wired, The Design Boutique.
Dunning’s Market will have wine and cheese samples and food demos, Mader said. All the food at Dunning’s Market is made without preservatives, she said.
Conservatory Vintage & Vinyl, a used record and furniture store in downtown Flossmoor, has already started its sale that will continue through Record Store Day, Small Business Saturday and the holidays, co-owner Anthony Fields said. Select records are only a dollar or two, including a variety of holiday records, he said.
“We have something for everybody,” Fields said. “Flossmoor and Homewood are a really diverse area, and we want the music we sell to reflect that.”
Product Freak, a Black-owned beauty supply store in Flossmoor Commons, will celebrate its second Small Business Saturday this year. Owner Kristi Dinkins said she’ll give scratch-off coupons to everyone who walks in the door. Like a scratch-off lottery ticket, a customer can scratch it off to discover the surprise deal. There will be 10% off, 15% off and 50% off coupons, Dinkins said.
The Homewood Business Association lists all HBA members on the promotional flier for Small Business Saturday. This includes but isn’t limited to ANJEL’s Boutique, Art 4 Soul, Blue Pearl Candles, BSW Cosmetics, Gaia’s Market & Refillery, Roots + Fire Water Co., UpsaDaisy Boutique, Van Sipma Jewelers, Vickie’s Fashion Jewelry and the Village Door Gift Shop.
Goodspeed Bicycles, a bicycle shop, is listed on HBA’s Small Business Saturday flier but will not be open that day, events director Steve Buchtel said. He said that by November, it’s been a long season of repairing bicycles and workers have not just Thanksgiving off but a “mini vacation” that extends into the next week.
“It’s going to be nice having Small Business Saturday off so I can walk around and spend money at Homewood stores,” Buchtel said. “My wife and I try to do all of our Christmas shopping at local stores in Homewood.”
Art Corner frames, a Homewood art supply store and frame shop on Dixie Highway, will have a sale on felt, multi-colored pencil cases, store owner Stephanie Becker said. Anything you can fit into the pencil case and zip up will be 20% off, Becker said.
Wake N Bakery, a coffee shop and baked goods store on Dixie Highway, will celebrate its first Small Business Saturday. Everything in the store except for the hoodies and T-shirts will be 50% off, shift lead Elante Vance said. This includes CBD and Delta 8-THC infused lattes, lemonades, brownies, cookies, gummies and other products. Vance said Wake-N-Bakery will not only have good deals for Small Business Saturday but can help make an enjoyable Saturday night.
Epiq Nutrition, a smoothie, weight loss and nutrition shop on Dixie Highway, will have discounts on weight loss kits and other nutrition products, shop owner Erbey Solis said. He said the discounts will be 10% or 15% off.
Zone Comics & Games will have the same Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sales as previous years, store owner Alex Stritar said. On Black Friday, all comic book back issues will be 80% off. On Small Business Saturday, all toys, statues and graphic novels will be 20% off, Stritar said. In year’s past, the Black Friday sale on back issues has allowed Zone to reorganize by moving older comic books on the wall into the cleared space in the back issue boxes.
Lisa Komorowski, the president of the Homewood Business Association and co-owner of LouLou Belle, said Small Business Saturday is one of the best days for LouLouBelle.
“You feel the love on Small Business Saturday,” Komorowski said.
Komorowski said that after LouLou Belle closes, it’s a tradition for her and the store’s co-owner Dodi Wians to go out to Balagio Ristorante on Dixie Highway, participating in Small Business Saturday as customers.
“It’s such a fun day – Small Business Saturday. I love it. I look forward to it every year,” lifelong Homewood resident Kate Pauss said. “There are so many wonderful small businesses in Homewood. And it’s a pleasure to be able to come and see everybody.”