Small businesses in Naples depend on holiday shoppers to stay afloat

Small business owners in Southwest Florida are desperate for holiday shoppers this year, as their livelihoods depend on them. These businesses rely on in-person shoppers, offering them unique items you can’t find in big box stores.

Mom-and-pop shops in the region, such as those at Tin City Waterfront Shops in Naples, depend on tourism to survive. With that industry taking a huge hit in 2020 due to the pandemic, they’re counting on events including Small Business Saturday and overall customers to give businesses a boost.

Owner Leonie Steinwarz makes what she considers the best coffee in town at The Kookie Korner inside Tin City.

“We are all small business owners in this family,” Steinwarz said.

Carla Eppler offers small treasures to her customers at World of Nature at the waterfront shops.

“I’m just a part-time worker,” Eppler said.

The folks who run the shops inside Tin City have one big thing in common.

“This is everything to us,” Steinwarz said. “This is our livelihood.”

Lately, their stores are a bit emptier.

“Especially now that Thanksgiving is coming up, usually, we have a lot of people coming through,” Steinwarz said. “This week, it’s a little slower this year.”

“That shutdown was pretty hard, especially for me actually,” Eppler said. “Because I’m not going to say elderly, but I’m a little older, and I stayed in the house for three and a half months”

Windows are covered and signs have been taken down at some small businesses that couldn’t make it.

“It’s sad to see, so these are the people you really need to support right now,” Diane Bigham said.

Bigham chose to shop local this year.

“You don’t want to see those places go by the wayside,” Bigham said. “You want to see them strong and staying in the community because they really help the community.”

Some local stores are running sales this weekend, and American Express has a list of small business owners you can register with, so you can find them easier. For more information, visit the American Express page.

MORE: American Express – Merchant Maps