BURLINGTON, N.C. — With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday shopping season is well underway.
Over the last few days, millions have shopped online or in the big box stores, hoping to snag a good deal.
Today, was a bit different, it was a day to look outside the box, and shop small.
"I didn't expect it to be so busy and we have been," said Kari Dubie, owner of the Daisy Boutique.
Of the dozens of storefront businesses in Alamance Crossing, Dubie's boutique is the only locally-owned business.
"I have always wanted to open my own boutique, and I like to see others succeed like I want to succeed," said Dubie.
That's been her mission since opening the doors in May.
Right now, her store sells products from 26 other locally owned, small businesses.
"I think they're surprised when they get in here. A lot of people are not sure what it is and then we tend to meet them at the door, welcome them in, let them know that we do have 26 small businesses in here," said Dubie.
"We are not nothing without our customers," said Marci Blalock.
This is Blalock's third year owning her small business.
This holiday season, she is selling her merchandise inside the Daisy Boutique.
According to the National Retail Federation, 51 Million people participated in Small Business Saturday in 2021.
A number Blalock hopes will be even higher, this year.
"With the location that we have here, I feel like we have good traffic and stuff so we have high hopes that we will do well this year," said Blalock.
Both women say it's more important than ever to support locally-owned small businesses.
"I love it, I thank my customers up and down, and they tend to come back. They tell their friends about us they tell their families about us," said Dubie.
"When you shop small, you are supporting your local mom and dad's. You're not supporting your big huge CEOs that have vacation houses, you're supporting me that is local. I don't make tons of money, and I have to provide for my children and this is how I provide for them," said Blalock.
Small Business Saturday began in 2010 by American Express.
The focus was to draw more people to the country's 33.2 million small businesses.