Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | December 11, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 13 rooops to support them," Duda said. Holidays may not bring relief e holidays can be a make-or-break period for small businesses, but unless consumer habits suddenly change, there's reason to believe this year's shopping season may not provide the relief. Speaking with WBJ via email a week aer the summit, Chase of Crompton Collective said her Small Business Saturday sales were down 17% from last year, where sales were already down 13% from 2021. "People are not coming out on Small Business Saturday like they used to," she wrote. e rest of 2023 may not bring the relief small grocery stores, boutiques, and breweries are looking for, as a November press release from the Retailer's Association of Massachusetts predicted relatively flat holiday sales. e association foresees a 1% increase in local holiday shopping compared to 2022, lower than the 3-4% U.S. increase for all business types and sizes predicted by the National Retail Federation. "We are asking Massachusetts' holiday shoppers to remember that how they invest their dollars makes a big difference for the local economy,'' RAM President Jon Hurst said in the release. "It's more important than ever that we all work harder to protect, promote, and preserve our main streets and our important local shopping districts. We have enjoyed them for hundreds of years in New England, and we need to make sure they exist for generations to come." RAM's holiday survey of its members echoed the challenges Worcester businesses owners at the No Jerks event said they are struggling to overcome: Continued inflation, declining profitability, lower consumer confidence, and higher interest rates. Trends simply haven't returned to pre-COVID norms, Chase said. "e customer foot traffic seems to be down in all our locations this year, and small businesses all over America that I follow are reporting the same," she wrote. "COVID put everyone in the habit of online shopping and ordering in, and those habits have stuck." House of cards Lynn Cheney, owner of the curated grocery store Maker to Main on Harding Street was too tied down with the pre-anksgiving turkey rush to attend the No Jerks event, but she had many of the same thoughts as those who were present, saying consumers' own financial hardships are creating an environment where supporting local businesses However, the constant planning of events can be a drain on staff leading to diminishing returns. Searching for solutions While the mood in the room was somber, the conversation eventually shied to focusing on finding solutions. Small business struggles are not just limited to Worcester, but attendees were hopeful the community can rise to meet these challenges. One proposed solution included exploring the creation of a Worcester small business alliance, as some in attendance felt the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce focuses more on representing larger companies. Other ideas included supporting efforts to make public transportation more widely available in the region, fostering the creation of more food trucks to help draw attendees to events, and encouraging more collaboration and cross-promotion between small businesses. e City of Worcester government needs to take more concrete actions to help struggling small businesses, said Travis Duda, co-organizer of the No Jerks event and owner of Hunchback Graphics in Worcester. "If we're going to talk about small businesses and be bummed when they can't continue, we need to do more now to spend money and shout from the Lynn Cheney, Maker to Main just isn't on their radars. "Rent increases, food prices, utilities, these are all things that create more financial stress on all of us. e last thing that most consumers are considering right now is how they are going to support small businesses," she said. Cheney originally opened Maker to Main on Main Street in Worcester in February 2020, but she closed that location in March 2023, as she wasn't seeing the foot traffic necessary to effectively operate. e Harding Street location opened in September. While everyone wants to put on a cheery face for the holidays, nobody can Mass. industries with the most small businesses Note: The U.S. Census Bureau and the Small Business Administration generally define a small business as a firm with fewer than 500 employees, with exceptions for some specific industries. Source: Statistics of U.S. Businesses, 2020 Census. escape the current reality. "Except for small business owners talking to each other, nobody is really talking about these problems," Cheney said, expressing concerns businesses are going to start to falter. "It's a house of cards right now." Cheney isn't the only one concerned about closures. "A lot of Worcester is known for its small businesses. ey make this city unique." wrote Chase. "I hope people learn that if they want to keep them here, they have to make the extra effort to go to those businesses, before they are gone." W Shopping local for the holidays As part of the Thanksgiving shopping weekend, local retailers rely on Small Business Saturday to kickstart their revenues for the holiday season, as an alternative to customers looking for Black Friday deals at larger chain stores. When polled online, the majority of WBJ readers said they plan to make local retailers part of their holiday shopping, and 45% said they purchased something on Small Business Saturday. Did you buy anything from a local retailer for this past Small Business Saturday? F L A S H P O L L No, I only shop at large retail stores or online. No, but I plan to visit a local store as part of my holiday shopping. 27% Yes, I went shopping in person. 41% 4% Yes, I purchased something from a local retailer's website. Reader comment "Maker to Main" No, I don't participate in holiday shopping. 20% Owners of high-profile Worcester small businesses including (from left) Redemption Rock Brewing, Worcester Wares (pictured is owner Jessica Walsh), and Crompton Collective are saying consumer support is not what it once was. Travis Duda, Hunchback Graphics Number of Industry employers % small businesses Construction 19,890 99.4% Professional, scientific, and technical services 19,664 97.0% Retail trade 14,680 97.0% Accommodation and food services 13,430 98.4% Health care and social assistance 12,547 97.6% 8% Brought to you by:

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