East Cobb News

In one part of the Challise and Company salon on Canton Road, it’s business as usual: Haircuts and spa services.

When a visitor looks to the left upon entering, however, there are cookies and refreshments neatly laid out on a table, and vendors displaying their wares in an adjoining room.

They’re all women, and they’re all local, selling just about anything a shopper might have on a holiday gift list: Monogrammed glasses and shirts, clothing, handcrafted items and food and cooking services.

It was another Small Business Saturday at Challise and Company, which was among the East Cobb businesses taking part in a burgeoning movement to promote local shopping.

And not just for one day, or even for the holiday season, but year-round.

Ever since 2010, Small Business Saturday has been designated (ironically enough, by a big corporation, American Express) to get consumers to think, and shop local.

Coming the day after “Black Friday,” SBS, as it’s called by many, has helped raise awareness of locally-owned, independently operated business.

For owner Challise Copeland, “shop local” is more than just a one-day promotion. It’s a commitment to helping other local business owners—especially women-owned businesses—gain visibility.

“For us, it’s traffic flow,” she said. “But we really do it to help start-up business get their names out there.”

Among them is Laura Stevenson, a Northeast Cobb resident and owner of Whimsy Girl Creations, who designs handcrafted items, including a range of monogrammed goods.

Like many artisanal entrepreneurs, promoting her business, which is a couple years old, is “word of mouth. You bring something to somebody and their friends see it.”

Stevenson said that getting into larger craft fairs can be hard—she was offered a spot in last weekend’s Sprayberry PTSA Arts & Crafts Fair at the very last minute—and she often finds herself on a waiting list.

She appreciated the generosity of another business providing space and exposure, even if on a smaller scale.

Copeland, who took over what had been the Studio 5 salon in 2003, said having these kinds of events predated the advent of Small Business Saturday. She and her co-owner Carrie Cox, both of whom are active in the Northeast Cobb Business Association and the Cobb Business Women’s Association, see what they’re doing as promoting not only small business owners, but a sense of community.

“The more you can give back to the community, the better,” Copeland said.

Some newcomers also took part on Saturday: Shelbie Fredericks of Where the Willows Grow, who makes handcrafted watercolor art, and Terri Yagadics, a local fashion consultant for the LuLaRoe line of clothing.

Online-focused businesses also appreciate the chance to have a physical presence on an occasional business. One of them is run by Heather Stafford, who does social media and promotions for Challise and Company and has her own handcrafted business, GeminiRed Creations, which began as an Etsy site.

For local consultants Cherie Beasley of Pampered Chef and Meredith Smiles of Tastefully Simple, having an appearance like this helps with their word-of-mouth promotions. They occasionally partner on events: Beasley with her in-home cooking demonstrations, and Smiles with her inventory of meal kits.

They do occasional vendor events, but smaller ones like this are also ideal for expanding their network of potential clients.

“You have to be patient to get started,” Beasley said. “But it’s not that different from having a brick and mortar store.” She said she’s reached a point where “none of my calls are cold. They’re all warm.”

The greater satisfaction, Beasley said, is helping busy clients solve meal issues.

“I’m more interested in helping you have a successful kitchen experience, with what you’ve already got.”

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