JIM THORPE, Pa. -- The holiday sign that will decorate the walls of Susan Hale's home this holiday season didn't come from a big box store. Instead, she got it at a small shop on along Broadway Street in Jim Thorpe, and that's exactly what she likes about it.
"Yeah no, I love the small shop owners they have like the antiquey, great stuff and obviously I bought this right here and you can't really find stuff like this around south jersey where I’m from,” Susan Hale of New Jersey said.
All week, and now on the eve of Small Business Saturday, many shop owners spent time getting ready, even handcrafting special holiday products for Christmas shoppers.
The owner of conjured soap shop says the cold months can be a real financial challenge for local business owners. Many have to get crafty to keep their doors open. She even buys her soap labels from another small business down the block to help her through the season, but Small Business Saturday is different.
Some store owners say a lot of shoppers have been out this Black Friday spending their dollars at a small store, and they hope that's a good sign for tomorrow
"Black Friday in Jim Thorpe is usually pretty slow but this year it was really busy so that’s great.”
One shopper we found along Broadway drove from long island to get his favorite stocking stuffers.
"My kids go nuts to get them beef jerky snapping turtle jery, kangaroo jerky, and bacon jerky is actually really good," Jene Kline of Long Island said.
And when we told the shop owner that story it made him-extra excited about the big shopping weekend ahead.
"Especially coming from New York or hilly and places like so far away, I’m surprised people even know what Jim Thorpe is a lot of times, and come to this little small town and let alone come to our shop to buy something special, it does make you feel nice," House of Jerky Patrick Spillman said.
And in Jim Thorpe, shop owners are confident, this will be a good holiday season for small business owners.