Small Business Saturday: A Love Note

Running a small shop has always been a dream of mine, but it definitely hasn’t come without sacrifices. When I opened this shop it was because I felt something was missing in womens retail. I was tired of chain stores and wanted something unique and different. I quit my job, gave up health insurance hoped I wouldn’t get sick, and drained my savings account to try something new. Now here we are 18 years later. That’s how a lot of small businesses are born, we see a need and fill it, often risking our own financial security to do it.

In November of 2010, just a couple years after the recession, the #SmallBusinessSaturday initiative launched. The timing couldn’t have better. That was supposed to be my last year in business. I had struggled so much between 2008-2010 that I was ready to throw in the towel.
That year something changed, it just clicked. I think a lot of us began to look around our own neighborhoods and really had to ask ourselves what type of community we wanted to live in.

Well fast forward ten years and I think the people have spoken. Many will look back on this time and say how horrible it was, yet in someways it’s been the most touching and inspiring. I hope that will overshadow all the bad. Our community has been shopping #smallbusiness not just today but everyday and I am a testament of that. People have shown up and supported their local shops, restaurants and charities. I’ve seen acts of kindness all around me. This year for #smallbusiness Saturday all I have to say is THANK YOU, thank you for showing up all year long. I am only here because of you. ❤️ #shopsmall

Xoxo, Kyong