Wanda Forrester of Dresden, Tenn. and Teresa VanCleave of Martin, Tenn. shop at Vicki’s Designer Touch in Martin, Tenn. on Nov. 8, 2025. (Pacer Photo / Chloe Kent)
As lights begin to hang around downtown, people shop for their Thanksgiving meals and college students scramble to study for finals, there is one day that stands out for small businesses in downtown Martin, Tennessee.
Small Business Saturday encourages community members to shop small and support their favorite local shops in a big way. Vicki’s Designer Touch in downtown Martin is no exception.
As soon as you enter the swanky store on South Lindell Street, you are greeted with everything Christmas, holiday cheer and many smiling faces. This small business isn’t only a gift shop; they also offer floral services for any occasion, making it a one-stop shop for all gift-giving needs. Just like every other small business in Martin, Vicki White, owner of Vicki’s Designer Touch, is preparing for one of the biggest holidays of the year dedicated to businesses just like hers.
“They [customers] have become more and more aware that to keep these small businesses alive in a small town, that they have to support people, and we appreciate that,” White said.
Small Business Saturday is the one day that small businesses in the community see major profit. According to the U.S. Small Business Saturday Administration, the reported projected spending in the U.S. from people shopping on Small Business Saturday was around $22 billion.
“It’s funny that it used to be Black Friday was the busy one, they would shop online, and then they would come in and shop small business. Then Small Business Saturday just took over. It was just amazing how much our small community comes out to support us,” said White.
Small businesses rely on customers shopping locally, so the business can excel above big chain stores. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says 79% of small businesses will rely on holiday shoppers as their main profit this year, which is nine percent more than last year.
Shopping small doesn’t just benefit the business, though; it also can benefit the customer. By shopping local, you help boost the local economy. When a small business has more revenue and more business, chances are small business owners will hire employees locally, use local financial institutions and find local distributors for their products. By hiring locals to work at a small business, it keeps the same money circulating in the same town. It also helps small businesses demonstrate their commitment to the community and its growth.
Shopping at a small business can also help you get to know your fellow community members by learning their personalities, culture and even their values. It makes the shopping experience a lot more personal than shopping at a chain store.
“Shopping at a small business is more comfortable and most of the time more friendly. Big chain stores don’t really care as much about individual customers,” said University of Tennessee at Martin sophomore Addy Cook.
Martin has many local businesses both uptown and downtown that are relying on the community for their support, especially on Small Business Saturday. So, after you heat up those leftovers one more time, take a shopping trip downtown on Nov. 29 and support the small businesses that help make Martin the community we all enjoy.
