BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The holidays usually consist of these three things — family, food, and shopping. But this year, instead of heading to amazon prime for your gift giving, you should consider shopping local.
"Small business, the mom and pop shops, the retailers, the artisans that participate in the economy in the community are just as important as the large enterprises that are national and global," small business owner Kerry Planck said.
For the third year in a row, Step out Buffalo is supporting small local business with the Makers and Shakers Boozy Artisan Market. It's an all day shopping event that highlights vendors from Western New York. This year, the event is at the Buffalo Grand Hotel.
"Getting people who come from all over to come to step out's events and then they come and tell me in my store that they've seen me at the event and that's why they're there is super encouraging," local business owner Rachel Sweeney said.
This year there are 160 local artisan vendors participating in the event. The largest number of vendors yet. The dates have also changed this year. For the first time the Boozy Artisan market is being held on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday
"To have double the time to get in front of people, and to relate to them and show them what you have, there's nothing bad about it," Sweeney said.
With a change in the location and dates this year, come some new attractions. This years, shoppers can stop in the shoppers lounge, get their gifts wrapped at the gift wrapping station and take some photos at the photo booth.
Vendor products range from candles to jewelry and there is also a mimosa and a bloody mary bar for. Tickets for this weekends event cost $5 a person, and each ticket comes with a sheet of raffle tickets that shoppers can use at the vendor give aways.
