Small Business Saturday 2020: Help Them Stay Afloat In St. Pete

Skyla Luckey
Updated ·6 min read

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Small businesses have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, making Small Business Saturday in 2020 more vital than ever. This year, the all-local shopping event falls on Nov. 28 including in St. Petersburg.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in St. Petersburg are facing unprecedented challenges due to coronavirus-related restrictions and shutdowns.

The list of Small Business Saturday participants continues to grow, despite the pandemic. Here’s some of the businesses that have signed up so far:

  • Cassis American Brasserie, 170 Beach Dr NE

  • Parkshore Grill, 300 Beach Dr NE, Ste 104

  • 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House, 400 Beach Dr NE, Unit 120

  • Bellabrava, 204 Beach Dr NE

  • Oak & Stone Of St Pete, 199 Central Ave

  • Stillwaters Tavern, 224 Beach Dr NE

  • The Mill Restaurant, 1 Progress Plz, Ste 100

  • The Hanger, 540 1st St SE

  • The Oyster Bar ● Seafood ● Grill ● Tavern, 249 Central Ave

  • Fords Garage St Pete, 200 1st Ave South

  • Paciugo Gelato & Caffe, 300 Beach Drive NE

  • Kilwins, 222 Beach Dr NE

  • Macdinton's Irish Pub & Restaurant, 242 1st Ave N

  • Cafe Gala, 1 Dali Blvd

  • Yard Of Ale St Pete, 260 1st Ave N

  • Il Ritorno, 449 Central Ave

  • American Spirits, 280 3rd St S

  • The Lemon Grass, 310 Central Ave

  • Brick & Mortar, 539 Central Ave

  • Sushi, 270 1st Ave N

  • Ruby Elixir, 15 3rd St N

  • Joey Brooklyn's Famous P, 210 1st Ave N

  • Ringside Cafe, 16 2nd St N

  • Annex 400 Beach, 400 Beach Dr NE

  • Flute & Dram, 234 Beach Drive NE

  • Pacific Counter, 660 Central Ave

  • Mahaffey Theater, 400 1st St SE

  • The 1 Night Stand, 149 1st Ave N

  • Tropez, 437 Central Ave

  • Enigma St Pete, 1110 Central Ave

  • Cycle Brewing, 534 Central Ave

  • Top Slice, 21 3rd St N

  • Thirsty First, 119 1st Ave N

  • Bacchus St Petersburg, 124 2nd Ave NE

  • 9 Bangkok Restaurant, 571 Central Ave

  • The Big Catch At Sal, 1500 2nd St S

  • Natural Comfort Footwear, 208 Beach Dr NE

  • The Brass Bowl, 656 Central Ave

  • The Estate, 169 1st Ave N

  • Fit2run, 256 2nd St N

  • Shapiro's, 300 Beach Dr NE

  • Vertical Ventures St Pete, 116 18th St S

  • Burrito Boarder, 17 3rd St N

  • The Bier Boutique, 465 7th Avenue N

  • Poppos Taqueria P6, 1033 Central Avenue

  • Plant Ice Cream, 953 Central Ave

  • China Kitchen, 268 3rd St S

  • Pin Wok & Bowl, 445 Central Ave

  • Try Wine, 1 Beach Drive Se, #101

  • Tony`S Pizza Pizzeria,533 Central Ave

  • Rawk Star Cafe St Pete, 740 Central Ave

  • Beantown Pub South, 29 3rd St N

  • Pizza Box, 923 Central Ave

  • Park & Rec Dtsp, 344 1st S Ave

  • The Shave Cave, 215 First Street N

  • Tebella Tea Co - Station House, 260 First Ave South

  • Mastry's Bar, 233 Central Ave

  • Old Southeast Market, 1700 3rd St S

  • Dracula S Legacy Wine, 111 2nd Ave Ne, Ste 102

  • Saltlight Art Boutique, 649 Central Ave

  • Lonni's Sandwiches, 429 Central Ave

  • Bar@548, 548 Central Ave

  • Horse Tourneys, 218 7th Ave N

  • Quantum Vacuum, 100 2nd Ave North, Ste 350

  • Hawkers Asian Street Fare, 1235 Central Ave

  • Woof Gang Bakery, 944 4th St N

  • Sab Cafe, 111 2nd Ave NE

  • Landing Company, 282 Beach Dr NE

  • The Tavern At Bayboro, 120 6th Ave S

  • Hops & Props, 335 2nd Ave NE

  • Brooklyn South, 1437 Central Ave

  • German Knodle Bar, 951 Central Ave

  • Sushi Sho Rexley, 214 2nd St N

  • Naples Soap Company, 30 Beach Dr NE

  • The Cordova Inn, 253 2nd Ave N

  • Ponce De Leon Hotel, 95 Central Avenue

  • Diamonds Direct, 117 2nd Ave N

  • Rollbotto Sushi, 221 1st St N

  • Copa, 1047 Central Ave

  • Zaytoon Grill, 1618 Central Ave

  • Citys Bistro, 695 Central Ave

  • Natures Table, 100 2nd Ave S

  • Iceburg Thai Ice Cream, 449 Central Ave

  • Pia Esthetics, 215 1st St NE

  • Emerald Bar, 550 Central Ave

  • Sartorial, 400 Beach Dr NE

  • Quality Plus Cleaners, 304 3rd St. S

  • Greenstock Dtsp, 449 Central Ave

  • All Childrens Hospital, 801 6th Street S

  • Rock Shop Fine Gems & Jewelry, 529 Central Ave

  • Nova 535, 535 Dr M L King Jr St N

  • Sir Speedy Printing & Marketing, 956 1st Ave N

  • Poshe Day Spa, 914 4th St N

  • Luca Italian Leather, 100 2nd Ave NE

  • Nautigirl Beachwear, 216 2nd St N

  • Pippa Pelure, 50 Beach Dr NE

  • Shm Management, 1500 2nd St South

  • 1st Ave Liquors, 1211 1st Avenue North

  • Fass Mini Mart, 41 4th St N

  • Lash Addict St Petersburg, 551 Dr Martin Luther King Jr St

  • Pronto Car Wash, 220 34th St N

ALSO ON PATCH: The Local Business Guide

Did we miss anyone in St. Petersburg? Tell us in the comments or send an email to skyla.luckey@patch.com and we’ll add it to the list.

Temporary closures, capacity restrictions, decreased demand for products and services and delays due to supply-chain issues have led to unprecedented challenges for small-business owners.

But the “Shop Small” movement continues amid these hardships.

“This holiday season looks a little different, but we can still share joy,” American Express, which established Small Business Saturday in 2010, said in a statement. “Shop small and support your favorite small businesses — both in store and online — all holiday season long.”

Sixty-two percent of small businesses in the United States need to see sales income return to the same rate it was pre-pandemic before the end of the year to stay in business, according to American Express.

These businesses, many family-owned, were already fighting for survival against malls, big box stores and online retailers before the pandemic.

“Small businesses have an immeasurable effect on the quality of life in neighborhoods by providing necessary resources and supporting a local ecosystem that includes charitable organizations, schools and churches,” said Caroline Connors, executive director of the Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association, an organization that supports small businesses on the South Side of Chicago.

Since 2010, local business supporters have spent more than $100 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.

A Shop Small Consumer Impact survey from American Express before the pandemic found that 73 percent of people think empty storefronts are a national issue, and 84 percent agree the increase in empty storefronts and the closing of small, independently owned businesses negatively affect their local communities.

The survey showed that when consumers are aware of the impact of spending their dollars locally, 75 percent said they would be more likely to purchase a product or service from small, independently owned businesses.

For every dollar spent at a U.S. small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community, according to American Express. This helps independent shops and restaurants keep their doors open and meet pay for their workers — your neighbors.

That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to American Express.

“With so many small businesses hit hard in 2020, it’s more important than ever to shop locally this holiday season to ensure they are able to continue operating in 2021,” Connors said.





This article originally appeared on the St. Pete Patch