Miami Beach Holiday Tree Lights Up The Way For 'Small Business Saturday' Customers
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami Beach was lit up on Friday night. A 30-foot mountain pine adorned with over 21,000 lights is ready to bring joy as it does every year.
But beyond the tree is a busy boulevard of small businesses, all hoping you'll come back to shop on Saturday.
Steven Cohen, the owner of Dog Bar, is a big supporter of 'Shop Small Saturday,' a campaign launched by American Express in November of 2010 to support small businesses nationwide.
"I applaud them for making it actually as much of a holiday it seems like as for Black Friday for shoppers," Cohen said.
A few doors down, deals too good to pass up, designers too good to put down.
"This one...(takes shirt off rack) the future is female," says Margarita Perez, manager of "Just Brands."
Margarita gets excited when people walk into her store. "We have 35 different brands, local artists."
Her customers feel the same way.
"No one really looks out to the small businesses everyone is for the big brands and I feel like that just brings appreciation to the small little businesses were just so unique and you could just get so much from it."
The campaign's motto is 'think big, shop small.'
It encourages owners to make the most of the shopping experience, offer advice, deals and build a relationship that's everlasting.
"A testament to our longevity is the fact that we are so connected to locals and their dogs and their families."
The tree will be lit through the holiday season and will help light the way to your next store.
On some of the windows, you will see the American Express sticker for shop small Saturday.
If you don't, you can always go in and ask if they participate and what benefits they might offer.
