Keeping small businesses alive is a struggle across the country and seems to be even more so in Malibu. Sentiment has shown residents prefer small, locally owned businesses, as evidenced with the recent passage of Measure R, which would have restricted big, chain store operations. The courts may have knocked down Measure R; however, small businesses are still being celebrated, as they were Saturday, Nov. 25, on what’s known as Small Business Saturday. Yes, SBS was made up by American Express in 2010, but it seems to be catching on all over—with shoppers spending more relaxing time at locally run businesses after the chaos and competition following Black Friday at the malls and big box stores.
Many of Malibu’s known and lesser-known small businesses participated in SBS this year. Partners of American Express had signs in the windows encouraging shoppers, advertising sales to celebrate the local shopping initiative. This year, American Express gifted participating businesses specially designed tote bags to give to customers. They were designed in collaboration with hip clothier Opening Ceremony.
Other businesses like Zuma Jay’s are not official participants, but shop owner Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner said SBS is still an important day in ringing up sales.
“Most people, this weekend, go to the big stores or to the big malls. Saturday, they shop small and detailed,” Wagner said. At Zuma Jay’s, which does not have an online presence, “We match the online prices. That’s our regular pricing,” Wagner explained.
“Everybody comes in and says ‘How come your prices are so low?’ and we say we’re matching the online prices,” Wagner continued. “Our greatest quote here is ‘No freight. No wait.’ It’s that way year-round for us, but Small Business Saturday is a big day for us because that’s when we get most of our locals.”
“This is our first year actually participating,” Jennifer Briggs—who owns 9026-Eyes with her husband—told The Malibu Times. The couple opened the store 20 years ago. “In the past we’ve participated in our own social media, but this is the first time we reached out to American Express for their SBS merchandizing materials,” including what she called a “super cute tote.”
“We actually did well on Black Friday,” Briggs said. “We’re weather dependent around here, so a beautiful day on Black Friday brings lots of people to Malibu. More people are aware of SBS each year and we have some loyal clientele that’s going to come down and shop the sale.” The store was offering heavily discounted eyeglass frames up to 70 percent off.
“I would love it if American Express would offer the merchants who have registered to offer customers double points on this day or some sort of incentive to get people out here,” she said. “It’s not just enough for people to be aware of SBS. They need incentive to not sit at their computers and shop online.”
As a small business, Briggs said, “We have to set ourselves apart. We no longer carry anything that is owned by conglomerates. So far it’s been working. People have been responding well.”
Longtime Malibu business Pinnacle offered a buy one, get one 50 percent off promotion Saturday in the store’s effort for the #shopsmall movement.
New business owner Florence Bertoni opened up clothing boutique Victoire in the Country Mart in April.
“Having a small business in Malibu is a dream,” Bertoni said. “The local clientele is warm and encouraging. We are lucky during the summer season to have customers from all over the world.” But Bertoni also mentioned that after summer “the season is slow.”
Other businesses are making use of social media to draw in customers.
“We are using the hashtags ‘SBS’ and ‘shop small, shop local, shop Malibu.’” Gifted by Objects with Purpose, Malibu Village owner Ianthe Mauro said, “We have special discounts on our candles. We let everyone who comes in know we are a small business. We’re proud of it. We’re a handmade family business.
“The beauty is I work with a lot of businesses, entrepreneurs who want to use my candles for gifts,” Mauro continued. “They’re using something handmade, thoughtful and conscious and they’re giving that to their wonderful clients. We also add company or custom logos to our products. I always ask people, ‘Are you local-ish?’ Fifty percent of the time they say we’re here from Sweden, France or Japan—really, all over the world. And we have quite a lot of locals.”
Making a go of a small business, Mauro commented, “It’s very challenging. Nothing good comes from easy. How we learn in life is by going through something hard. It carves pathways in ourselves that make it so we can do wonderful things and share light and love.”
