How to make the most of Small Business Saturday throughout Centre County
Bellefonte has a handful of defining characteristics, but each will take a back seat to the borough’s local retailers on Small Business Saturday.
More than two dozen businesses that believe there’s strength in numbers banded together for the second Shop Small Crawl, a weekslong event that encourages shoppers to visit locally owned retailers.
The spotlight on small businesses during Thanksgiving weekend takes on added meaning in Bellefonte, where small businesses are the “backbone of our entire downtown experience,” Downtown Bellefonte Inc. President Ellen Matis wrote in an email.
“Bellefonte is extra unique because, while the pandemic caused huge challenges for small businesses and the town as a whole, during that time more aspiring business owners were empowered to change their lives and start their own businesses than ever,” Matis wrote. “Bellefonte has a large number of new businesses that now call Bellefonte home, and Small Business Saturday gives the community the opportunity to celebrate them as well as the businesses that have been anchors long-term downtown.”
The event is scheduled to start Saturday and continue through Dec. 19. Would-be shoppers can purchase a $12 tote bag — that’s up from $5 last year — at one of two locations and collect pins from each of the participating merchants.
Those who collect at least 15 and email a photo of their tote to jennilyn@downtownbellefonteinc.com will be entered into a drawing with a grand prize of a $500 gift card to participating businesses.
You can post a photo on social media with the #LoveBFT hashtag for an additional entry. Winners are expected to be announced Dec. 20.
“We are a collection of small businesses. We don’t have the bigger box-stores, so anywhere you shop in downtown Bellefonte you’re going to be supporting a small, local business,” Belle Mercantile co-owner Andrea Skirpan said. “... I can’t imagine why people wouldn’t want to come out and see what’s going on.”
Bellefonte isn’t the only municipality that’s going to bask in the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas glow.
Parking at State College’s three garages — Beaver, Fraser and Pugh — will be free for up to four hours until Jan. 2 by picking up validation from one of the dozens of participating downtown businesses. Street parking will be free for up to three hours during that same time.
Garage parking will be free and unlimited from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2.
“We are fortunate that throughout Centre County we have a variety of wonderful local shops and establishments to find one-of-a-kind products, merchandise and experiences that are uniquely Happy Valley,” Happy Valley Adventure Bureau President and CEO Fritz Smith said in a statement. “Our dynamic shopping scene is enticing to visitors, and an asset to those who live here.
“We encourage local residents to enthusiastically embrace Small Business Saturday at a time when ‘support local, shop local’ has taken on greater meaning, and to consider purchasing from some great new shops and traditional favorites any time of year.”
The Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation has not announced any specific plans, but the dozens of retailers throughout the Moshannon Valley Region are likely to participate.
Vibrant downtown communities flush with thriving small businesses are essential to a community’s success, Centre County Commissioner Mark Higgins said.
“It’s our small businesses that make our downtowns and our shopping districts unique. And thank goodness in Centre County, we have a lot of locally owned, small businesses,” Higgins said. “... Our local, small businesses still really need our support.”