SUTTON, Mass. - It’s a big weekend for holiday shopping. Many people were out supporting small businesses on Saturday.
Vaillancourt Folk Art in Sutton is getting creative this holiday season. Small Business Saturday is a big day for them, and so is the Christmas season.
“It’s critical in a normal year and it’s even more critical in a COVID year. But, you know the reality is, that no matter what is happening in the world, Christmas will happen," said Luke Vaillancourt, President of Vaillancourt Folk Art.
The store is known for its hand painted Santas and Christmas decorations. Mark Cahill says he often comes to Vaillancourt on Small Business Saturday.
“The businesses in Sutton have had a hard time this year. Small businesses in general have had a hard time, and we need to support them. We need them to be around for us. We have to have our small businesses. Those are our neighbors," said Cahill.
Vaillancourt says the biggest challenge the store is facing during the COVID-19 pandemic is making Santas.
“The fact that we were shut down in March, April, and part of May. Because of that our production was very limited. Our artists have been working tirelessly around the clock trying to get our production numbers up, to make sure that we have product to sell," said Vaillancourt.
Because of COVID-19, the store has to cancel its German Christmas market. They are having an outdoor "mini" German wine market for the next couple weeks instead.
“What we have been doing for Small Business Saturday is trying to create something new. We have lost a lot of the large events that w usually would rely on for foot traffic coming in," Vaillancourt said.
The small businesses able sell their products at the market say every bit of business helps them too.
“With COVID, small business got hit really hard, so it’s nice to see other stores putting up things like this," said Lilly Foss, of Fraulein's Bakery in Taunton.
Vaillancourt says to help compete with big box stores on Cyber Monday, the store will be doing a giveaway on their website.