Celebrate Small Business Saturday!

Thanksgiving is here and with it the unofficial kick-off of the holiday season. Shoppers around the country will flock to retailers both brick-and-mortar and online for that peculiar American phenomenon known as “Black Friday.” But did you know that the Saturday after Thanksgiving is also a major shopping holiday? Small Business Saturday is a holiday that was created initially by credit card company American Express in 2010 but has since taken on a life of its own. Small Business Saturday encourages Americans to do some of their holiday spending in small, local businesses.

Embraced by the small business community, Small Business Saturday has evolved into more than just a day of shopping, it’s become an important reminder that despite the rise of eCommerce and globalism, American communities are full of quality local small businesses. Many businesses have turned the day into a celebration with special deals and parties to attract customers. If you own a business and you want to participate (it’s never too early to get started on planning next year’s Small Business Saturday) the Small Business Administration has a good list of tips. American Express has an entire website dedicated to the event with a lot of good information, including free promotional materials for the event.

Lastly, if you’re a customer in search of a local small business to patronize the American Express website has a handy small business finder.

Aunt Helen’s Coffee House

Aunt Helen’s Coffee House is a unique, quick service restaurant that serves specialized coffee, tea, and an array of breakfast and lunch options. Owners Aimee and Bob Hutson continue to grow their business by providing high quality products, creating unique and healthy dining options, delivering an unmatched level of customer service, and giving back to the community. Aimee was a Director in the childcare service industry for most of her career, and understands the importance

North Line GIS

North Line GIS was founded in October 2006 by Mike George and Trip McLaughlin after seeing a need for a GIS business to service the needs of the local community as well as the western slope of Colorado. Both Mike and Trip were employed full-time by others at the time of the start-up, so they were able to start the company with personal funds while building the business. Although both founders have extensive experience as

Snooze

On any given morning, Snooze’s retro, 50’s-style space is jam-packed with people clamoring to get their names on a lengthy wait list. The draw? A stack of sweet potato or cinnamon roll pancakes, or what some have dubbed “the best breakfast burrito in the world.” A touch of upscale flair makes Snooze owner Jon Schlegel’s fare stand out among fellow bringers of breakfast and lunch. Offerings include “Vanilla Almond Oatmeal Brulée” or “Pork’s Benediction,” a

Spidertrax

Spidertrax Off-Road Thom Kingston, owner and co-founder of Loveland-based Spidertrax Off-Road, poses in the manufacturing area of his 8,000-foot space facility, where he and his staff of 16 manufacture parts for the off-road industry. Story written by: Shelley Widhalm Photos: Courtesy of Spidertrax Thom Kingston helped start Loveland-based Spidertrax Off-Road not in a garage like some startups but in a fully equipped shop at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. In 1999, Kingston and his

RoShamBo

Mallory Logan has moved from employee to owner of RoShamBo, a marketing and design shop. This out of the box creative business is celebrating its seventh year in business in Gunnison at 144 North Main Street, Suite B. The creative firm was founded by Delaney Keating who mentored Mallory to eventually take over the business.”I started as an intern when I was a graphic design student at Western in 2008, I have loved every minute

Midwest-Masters/ Spoiler Dude

United States Army veteran Paul Hasty had already been successfully installing window tints, car bras, and spoilers in the Pikes Peak Region for almost fourteen years before reaching out to the Pikes Peak SBDC. Just call him the Spoiler Dude of Spoilerdude.com. With a strong love for cars, Paul decided to open up his business with the challenges of educating customers. Paul differentiates Spoilerdude.com by anticipating customers’ wishes and questions with answers prior to work.