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This past Saturday, November 27, our Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and the local business community celebrated Small Business Saturday in The City Beautiful. For the past 11 years, we have been at the forefront of this national movement laser-focused on shopping small and supporting our locally owned businesses.
Whether it be the local coffee shop, neighborhood drycleaner, mom and pop retailer or favorite hidden gem for lunch, the goal of Small Business Saturday is simple – shop local, buy local and support local.
Thanks to the owners of Bliss Imprints & Gifts (located at 293 Miracle Mile), Eddy and Marilyn Martinez, we hosted an extraordinary kick-off event that morning, headlined by Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava’s Small Business Lead Danilo Vargas, SBA Deputy Director for the South Florida District Althea Harris, and numerous members of the business community. On hand were several news stations who covered the event (Channels 6, 7 and 10), as well as Miami Community Newspapers own Grant Miller, our partner in helping to spotlight local retailers, restaurants and small businesses.
Following the kick-off event at Bliss, our Chamber hosted an Architectural Walking Tour, curated by Jose Estevez, AIA and George Neary of ToursRUs. Twenty-five locals and visitors joined us for a stroll around the downtown on a glorious day for a tour, a program offered monthly by our Chamber’s Welcome Center, in partnership with AIA Miami and the Miami Center for Architecture and Design. For this special session, we peppered the tour with visits to local retailers in honor of Small Business Saturday – including Books & Books, Rose Tree Cottage and J. Bolado. What a great opportunity to see our retailers thriving after what has been a long road, winding road to recovery.
After the tour, we enjoyed lunch at Craft on Giralda Plaza, known for its Neapolitan Pizzas and amazing salads. Owned by two gents who were best friends growing up in Argentina, Craft is a quintessential small business right in the heart of the Gables.
After lunch, the group fanned out for a few more store visits, including a new member of ours, Veranda Plants and Gifts, a new store that just opened at 224 Miracle Mile. There, I purchased a beautiful plant and basket, two peppermint candles and an uber-cool pink flamingo ornament. After a quick hello at Snow’s Jewelers, I popped into Violetas and had a great conversation with the owner, Patricia Anton-Himmel. I picked-up a Kokeshi figurine of Jackie Kennedy that will be a great Christmas gift for a very special gal.
Then, it was off to Artigiano for a new suit where the store was abuzz with customers and vendors. Every year on SBS, I make a purchase for me – and there is nothing finer than a new custom suit. Alex, George, Waldo and team are not only great clothiers, they are amazing partners to our Chamber. I made my first purchase there in 2007 – a custom-made Guyabera that was stunning. Now, nearly 15 years later, they have made me suits, shirts, sports coats and have ensured that my sock game remains strong! After perusing a number of gorgeous fabrics, I settled on a navy pinstripe that will not only get me noticed, but will be eight inches smaller in the waist. Now, how’s that for shopping small!
As the day turned to early evening, I took my leave, thanked the gents for the warm hospitality and headed home. It was a long, yet incredibly rewarding day. I know that our small businesses are not only the backbone of our country’s economy (nearly 31 million strong); but, they are the job creators who have helped our South Florida economy take flight once again.
While we are still struggling with issues related to inflation, supply chain woes and workforce needs, Small Business Saturday reminded us of one very important fact. Small businesses have had a challenging two years dealing with the pandemic and its effects on the American consumer. Yet, through it all, they have been the mainstays, the stalwarts, the foundation upon which we will rebuild our local economy.
For this, we are eternally grateful and equally mindful of how critical small businesses are every single day. They take good care of us every single day – so now, let’s be sure to take even greater care of them this holiday season. Let’s make every day a celebration of shopping small, buying local and supporting our independently-owned businesses that are simply extraordinary.
