Small Business Saturday event boosts shops in downtown Fort Myers

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Credit: MGN.

With just 31 shopping days left until Christmas, more than 60 million people are taking advantage of Small Business Saturday. People are urged to shop at independently owned stores to support those small business owners.

Local small business owners took initiative on Facebook to get people to shop in downtown Fort Myers at an event for local vendors Saturday.

“Especially this time of year because box stores, you know, they have the big sales and all that,” Shannon Steffanacci, owner of Vintage Market of Fort Myers. “So, for us to have the support from the community for just our little hobby it’s just incredible.”

Steffanacci said her Small Business Saturday event has been gaining traction over the past six years.

The event showcased 28 different local vendors, who said they are glad to help keep every dollar earned and spent in the Fort Myers community.

“Whenever you support each other, it’s a flow,” said Tom Bunting, owner of Dairy Quick-A-Licious. “The money is not going to work if it don’t keep moving.”

Thanks to the help from Facebook, vendors said they are expecting to see nearly 13,000 people throughout the day, who will surely help these business owners get into the green, this Black Friday weekend.

Many local shops will also use Facebook to share deals at their stores on Cyber Monday.

“I have to say, this has been the busiest year we’ve had so far,” said Maria Tyre, owner of Saw Dust Designs. “This is our third or fourth year at this particular market, and it’s really busy today.”

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