Small Business Saturday is fast approaching on the heels of Thanksgiving, and merchants downtown are gearing up to encourage Augustans to start off their holiday shopping buying locally.
Downtown Soul City, the merchant association of downtown Augusta business owners, will be hosting its fourth annual Small Business Saturday Crawl the last day of November. Launched in 2021 as the Small Biz Crawl, the event welcomes crowds of potential post-Thanksgiving customers with pop-ups, activities, promotions and deals.
Starting at 10 a.m., visitors can start their shopping day at Augusta & Co. on 1010 Broad St., where the first 150 shoppers can get free tote bags and crawl maps, and everyone can enter a drawing to win gift baskets full of items donated by participating businesses.
“The effort made to visit stores in person and spend your money in Augusta contributes greatly to the success of our local economy,” said Sarah Childers, director of destination experiences at Destination Augusta. “We hope that any first-time event patrons will become recurring, engaged customers at our unique locally owned businesses.”
After getting their maps, buyers can wander about the corridor for deals at any of 15 participating businesses—including Broad Street staples like Augusta Candle Company, FIELD Botanicals and The Book Tavern, or eateries such as Boll Weevil, New Moon Café and Tacocat. Music-lovers can scour albums at Grantski Records on one end of Broad Street, or find toys for their four-legged friends at Urban K-9 on the other end near Fifth Street. Three Crows Fiber, the new yarn shop just off Broad that opened in September, will be joining in on the festivities for its first time this year.
“Small Business Saturday is a vital boost for the local economy in downtown Augusta, fostering community spirit and keeping dollars circulating within our neighborhoods,” said Tara Wood, communications coordinator for the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta. “By supporting local shops and services, residents contribute to job creation, unique offerings, and the vibrant character that makes our city thrive.”
Downtown Soul City’s fourth annual Small Business Saturday Crawl will be on Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
