The Thanksgiving week shopping marathon extended to the weekend with a “Small Business Saturday” event which drew people out to independent businesses in towns and cities across the country, including Scranton.
The effort, started in 2010 by credit card giant American Express, promotes patronage of small retailers.
The event has caught on among shoppers and, for many, has become a tradition. At least 50 businesses in Scranton participated this year.
It is part of the city’s “Deck the Downtown” efforts, encompassing a series of Christmas-themed events leading up to the holiday.
Kelliann Carey, owner of the Daisy Collective, a women’s clothing boutique on Penn Avenue, poses next to a holiday themed Christmas display on Nov. 29, 2025. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Tara Grove, Janice Penn, Laura Kerrigan and Amy Lamm stop for a photo at Tusk on Penn Avenue on Nov. 29, 2025. The four friends enjoyed shopping on Small Business Saturday as a means of making memories and catching up. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Customers shown shopping at Tusk on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. The effort highlighted small businesses and was aimed at building a sense of community. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Tusk on Penn Avenue invited customers into the store for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29, 2025. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Show Caption
1 of 4
Kelliann Carey, owner of the Daisy Collective, a women’s clothing boutique on Penn Avenue, poses next to a holiday themed Christmas display on Nov. 29, 2025. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Expand
A day for fellowship
Tara Grove, Janice Penn, Laura Kerrigan, and Amy Lamm spent the day downtown shopping before stopping for something to eat.
For the four friends, Small Business Saturday is a great day to kick off the holiday season and maybe even purchase an item for themselves. But, it’s also a bit of a reunion for the four friends who graduated from high school together in 1997 and have remained close since then.
The friends, who were browsing at Tusk, were even looking forward to a sleepover on Saturday night.
Lamm, of Moscow, who works for Just Aesthetic Nursing on Linden Street, said she thoroughly enjoys all aspects of being downtown, from the selection of eateries to nearby shops that offer everything from trendy clothing to cosmetics to jewelry.
Stacy Giovannucci, an owner of Tusk on Penn Avenue, said Small Business Saturday was a great way to begin the holiday season.
The shop, which offers everything from perfume to piercings to tattoos, was filled with shoppers on Saturday afternoon.
Among the favorite purchases of the day were perfumes and gift cards for tattoos, Giovannucci said.
Building community
Kelliann Carey, owner of the Daisy Collective, a women’s clothing boutique also on Penn Avenue, said she definitely saw an influx of people throughout the day.
Carey believes people understand that shopping at small businesses means building a sense of community.
Unlike shopping online, owners of a small business get to know their customers and can offer information about their products.
When asked if people were purchasing items as gifts or for themselves, Carey said many were doing both.
“It seems to be one as a gift and one for themselves,” she said.
At the nearby Downtown Deli, every seat was full and many customers were carrying packages as they entered the eatery.
This year, there were multiple restaurants among the 50 participating businesses.
Scranton Tomorrow hosts the event as part of the season’s “Deck the Downtown” campaign, which includes a holiday window showcase, daily social media posts highlighting local business,es and special Sunday hours.
Its theme this year is “Eat, shop, celebrate Scranton.”
For more information about “Deck the Downtown,” access Scranton Tomorrow’s website at www.scrantontomorrow.org.