Clovis shops enjoy boost from Small Business Saturday

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Americans spent more than $3 billion on Black Friday and on Saturday they're buying from local shops.

It didn't take long for the streets of Old Town Clovis to get crowded with shoppers hunting bargains and big buys at small stores. The day after Black Friday has taken the focus away from big box stores and online giants and shifted it to the little guy.

"This is about celebrating the small businesses in our community," Revival 23 owner Teresa Pries said. "So, for each person that shops local, it makes a huge impact on our economy and especially here in Old Town. These are all independent store owners."

Revival 23 only has a few hundred square feet of shopping space so it fills up fast, but it's packed with fashions people wear from head to toe.

Alison Tylee is a regular visitor but, like a lot of these customers, she made a special visit for Small Business Saturday. The store offered discounts, special buys, and gift bags for customers and promoted the special day on social media.

For the last six years, American Express has promoted it across the country and Clovis isn't Rylee's only Small Business Saturday stop.

"I stopped in here on my way to pick up a girlfriend who lives in Orosi," she said. "We're going to head to Exeter because they also have a lot of small businesses."

Their vintage items may stand out but small business owners say their biggest advantage over box stores is in customer service, where a simple hug makes a big difference. And the small business experience can make a difference for employees too.

"We were closed on Thanksgiving and Black Friday so all our employees got to be with their families," said Debbie Kearns, who works at 3 Oaks Studio.

The Clovis crowds are a small share of what was a $16 billion shopping day last year. So the bottom line is, Small Business Saturday is a big boost for the bottom line.