APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – As the holiday shopping season is about to ramp up, local small businesses are excited about Small Business Saturday.
95 small businesses in Appleton have been preparing for one of their busier days on the calendar.
“It’s enormous, we’re very busy,” says Mary Kelley, co-owner of Crazy Sweet a downtown Appleton candy store. “That day is a huge day for us.”
Kelley says Crazy Sweet has been open since 2014, but often times on days like Saturday they hear from first-time customers who didn’t even know they existed.
“They say I heard it from a friend, I Googled you, we get a lot of that, or I don’t come downtown that often,” Kelley says. “And Small Business Saturday is awesome because it does bring people downtown.”
Beyond the importance of what the annual homage to the local business owner means to her bottom line, Kelley says they connect with the customers, many of whom have become friends.
“They’ll say my name is Karen, or whomever, and you say hello to them every time and my son is taking swimming lessons,” explains Kelley. “One of our customers will tell us about their baby, and you ask them how is so-and-so? It’s so much fun, I love it.”
RETRO COOL
The candy shop, located at 201 W. College Avenue, offers different varieties of bulk candy (both wrapped and unwrapped), Jelly Belly jelly beans, chocolates, fudge and now Cedar Crest ice cream. Kelley says the items that grab customers’ attention the most are the old school candy items.
“It’s the nostalgia candy from when they were kids,” Kelley says. “Candy cigarettes, which is a big one. We also carry cherries on a wire. A lady just happened to be in here, and said ‘Oh my gosh, this is bringing tears to my eyes’ because she hadn’t seen it since she was a little kid. And it reminded her of aunts, uncle and grandparents. I think nostalgia brings a lot of people in here.”
The ice cream is a newer venture for Kelley, and they’ve created their own line of unique sundaes to keep customers’ taste buds tantalized. For example, on their Facebook page they have a photo of their “Breakfast in America” sundae.
“Oh people love that, we actually get a lot of requests for that one,” exclaimed Kelley. “We actually made one of them, Cake My Day, into a milkshake for somebody.”
Kelley says they enjoy doing that kind of customization with their ice cream shop area, where they offer milkshakes, malts, cones and bowls.
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
Aside from the obvious boost to their bottom lines, the small businesses like Crazy Sweet understand the importance of camaraderie among fellow shops.
“No matter where you shop you’re helping somebody, you’re giving them your support,” Kelley says. “Even ourselves, we shop small business whenever we can. I love the connection with the people.”
Get a complete list of fellow small businesses in downtown Appleton to plan your stops during Small Business Saturday here.
