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'This is like a community of people,' says small business owner Emma O'Brien

Emma O'Brien celebrates Small Business Saturday, an event that encourages people to shop at local small businesses for their holiday needs.

LANCASTER, Pa. — The city of Lancaster and the Lancaster City Alliance hope Pennsylvanians shop small and shop locally this holiday season, showing off the city’s small businesses as part of a nationwide event called Small Business Saturday.

The event also encourages businesses to extend their hours, with many providing discounted items to lure more shoppers through their doors.

Participating in Saturday’s event was Jennie Groff, co-owner of Lancaster Sweet Shoppe, and Stroopies Inc. She began her small business in 2008 but didn’t open a physical store until 2016. She says shopping small benefits the whole city.

“It’s just a really great way to just highlight some of the small businesses collectively and businesses just showcasing what we’re doing,” Groff said.

The Shoppe offers a variety of homemade goods including ice cream, chocolates, and their popular stroopies.

As a small business, she enjoys providing her customers with an interpersonal experience that’s sure to bring them back.

“You’re providing jobs for people who live right here and it’s just a great way to just support everything that’s going on in our local city,” Groff said.

Lydia Nolt has been a loyal customer since the Shoppe opened.

“I think it’s a great way to connect with the people around us, it really gives us a sense of community here,” Nolt said.

Small Business Saturday shoppers could also find their next page-turner at Nooks, formerly known as Nook Books, an independent children's bookstore.

Owner Emma O’Brien just moved to a new shop in late 2023 after outgrowing her previous space. She also enjoys the chance to make connections with her customers.

“I love to chat with people and make them feel at home so it’s more than like a transactional store, this is like a community of people,” O’Brien said.

Events like Small Business Saturday help businesses like Groff’s and O’Brien’s compete with larger retailers.

“It’s real easy to just assume a business will be around forever but small businesses are just families that require people to come out and support, so I think Small Business Saturday is the best day for us because people get to see who’s running the business and their curation,” O’Brien said.

And Groff wouldn’t want her business anywhere else.

“It’s been really a great delight to operate our business here,” Groff added.

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