Small businesses in downtown Fort Myers gear up for Small Business Saturday

Small businesses in downtown Fort Myers are excited to show shoppers what options they have that the big box stores don’t.

Saturday, November 27, is Small Business Saturday. Small businesses in downtown Fort Myers want you to choose them.

Karen Allegretti is the owner of Man on First and Market Earth. “If you want those small, unique kind of one-of-a-kind gifts, your… your local stores are the place to find them,” said Allegretti.

There is a push to get people to shop locally and support their hometown stores and owners. Steve Timack is the owner of Timeless Items of Interest and Illumination. “Probably 60% or more of… are local creations. So you’re not going to walk out and go get that online. This isn’t that kind of store,” Timack said.

There are a plethora of small businesses occupying downtown Fort Myers. Owners say what sets them apart is the personal service. Marika Yswess is the owner of Peter’s Ice Cream & Coffee Shop. “We have our homemade ice cream,” Yswess said. “We have dog ice cream. It’s vet-approved. We have cakes that are not so sweet, and we bake everything by ourselves.”

And, all these owners say that if you set foot into their shops, they’re banking on you coming back. “We’re part of your community too, you know, where your friends, your neighbors, your family, you know, without the small businesses down here, there isn’t a heck of a lot to support,” Allegretti said.

“I have about 15 to 20 employees depending on the time of year, but all it all trickles. That’s how it works,” said Timack.

Small business owners in downtown Fort Myers say their love for small businesses doesn’t stop with themselves. They buy their supplies from small businesses as well. “We also try and support small business. So we try and buy the stuff we need in small businesses because we know how hard it is to build a new business,” said Yswess.

It is especially hard for businesses to compete with Starbucks, Target, and other large chains.

Small businesses in Fort Myers and across Southwest Florida will be offering deals as a way to thank customers for shopping local.