Small Business Saturday outings steeped in tradition

“Holiday spirit,” the 39-year-old Rising Sun resident answered matter-of-factly, a few moments before he playfully struck his best Rudolf pose on the town’s Main Street sidewalk and its courtyard, known as The Green.

As it turns out, Wagner’s reindeer getup accented a long-standing tradition in which he and his relatives select, cut and buy their Christmas tree at Hilltop Farm in Colora before heading to North East to patronize the various gift shops on Small Business Saturday and visit St. Nicholas at the town’s Santa House.

Wagner was Christmas shopping with his three children and his 40-year-old sister, Eva Malcom, and her three youngsters. The six children range from 10 to 16 in age and, for the record, none of them was embarrassed by unbridled holiday spirit outwardly displayed by their dad/uncle. In fact, they seemed to get a big kick out of it.

“I live in Pittsburgh now, but we still come here every year on this Saturday and shop. It’s a family tradition, and we look forward to it,” said Malcom, a Rising Sun native.

Malcom and Wagner appreciate the importance of supporting small businesses, which is the very idea behind Small Business Saturday. The ma-and-pa gift shops offer a wide range of unique items, which is a plus when looking for interesting gifts, according to Malcom and Wagner.

“I got a Maryland (flag) volleyball,” Wagner said, prompting his sister to chime in, “The small shops have stuff that you’re not going to find on Amazon.”

The tradition of shopping as a family on Small Business Saturday isn’t limited to Malcom and Wagner, however.

“We always make a point of coming out to shop on Small Business Saturday. We are definitely aware of it, and we like to support local business,” said Port Deposit resident Melissa Cohen, who had been strolling down the sidewalk along Main Street in North East with her daughter, Emmagayle Lloyd, 22, and her 5-year-old nephew, River Parsons.

Also part of that Small Business Saturday shopping crew were River’s mother, North East resident Amanda Parsons; Melissa’s other two children — Jacob Cohen, 24, and Hannah Cohen, 17 — and Jacob’s fiancee, Katie Eisenhuth.

A Reading, Pa. resident who asked to be identified only as “Melanie” told the Whig that coming to North East for Small Business Saturday is part of her family’s tradition, too.

“We come down here every Thanksgiving weekend and camp at Elk Neck State Park. We shop in town and then we eat at Woody’s (Crab House) restaurant,” Melanie outlined. “We are shopping today for whatever we can find. We even bought some doggie gifts.”

It was sunny and unseasonably warm, perhaps reaching the low 50s, on Saturday as the Russells, the Cohens, the Parsons and other families carried out their traditions as they walked up and down the Main Street sidewalks in North East, popping in and out of the gift shops and restaurants. There were scores of shoppers in general, as well.

“This weather is a Godsend. It helps so much because we are weather dependent,” said Kathy Roff, who has owned and operated Kathy’s Corner Shop on the main drag for 27 years.

Roff can attest that Christmas shopping in downtown North East is, indeed, a longtime tradition for some families. At times on Saturday, according to Roff, it felt like a reunion inside her store.

“I’ve seen some people that have been coming here for 27 years,” she said. “It is a tradition.”

Meanwhile, in other parts of Cecil County, shoppers visited other shops on Small Business Saturday.

“We’re just enjoying walking around this beautiful town and going into the shops,” said Sam Miller, who was strolling around South Chesapeake City with his wife, Chris. “These shops have stuff that you don’t see anywhere else. Big stores have all the same stuff.”

The Millers, who live in Pittman, N.J., had come to the canal town on Small Business Saturday for a day trip. Former recreational boaters, they already were familiar with South Chesapeake City because it is popular destination for people who own watercraft.

“We’re going to have dinner at the Chesapeake Inn,” Chris said, referring to one of the restaurants in that town.

It was clear that shoppers who ventured to South Chesapeake City came there with the intent to support local business.

“Oh, absolutely, they know it’s Small Business Saturday. I’ve had a few people come in today and say they were here to support us,” said Bailey Russell, who handles sales marketing at The Mercantile at Back Creek at 100 Bohemia Ave.

Russell was behind the counter at that expansive gift shop while her mother, Susan Russell, was working at their other family-owned business, My Jewelry Place, at 109 Bohemia Ave., just a few doors down from The Mercantile at Back Creek.