Small Business Saturday aims to boost shops hit hard by pandemic

Small businesses will be looking for a boost after being hit especially hard during the pandemic during Small Business Saturday.
"Small Business Saturday is so important because of the economic impact that it has on our local communities," said Natalie Pineiro of the Somerville Downtown Alliance.
According to the group, with every dollar spent downtown, .67¢ goes back into the local community. There are plenty of unique small businesses scattered throughout Somerville with owners and employees living in the community.
"It means everything," said MacKenzie Stahl. Stahl and her husband opened their restaurant Surf, Turf, Earth three years ago weathering the pandemic. They're focusing on growing their business but have concerns as the new a COVID variant Omicron is spreading across the globe.
"It means you were supporting our family and our dream and it just helps us expand and keeps us going."
At Comic Fortress, another Somerville local shop , they've been able to endure the pandemic combining online and brick and mortar sales. They're one of over 40 businesses offering discounts to customers celebrating the shopping holiday, anticipating the news of the variant won't keep people away.
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