Local small businesses will get a big boost next Saturday.
Robyn Murrell, owner of Robyn's Vintage Nest, and her sister/business partner Heidi Clarkson decided to participate in Canada's Small Business Saturday on Oct. 20 to market her home-based enterprise.
"I think maybe at first it was for me a great way of self-promotion," Murrell says.
But the sisters started encouraging other New West businesses to take part in Canada's Small Business Saturday and now more than a dozen local entrepreneurs have signed on for the event as a way to promote their business and encourage residents to shop local.
"We're hoping to get more businesses on board," Clarkson says.
But it's not just the businesses - they want shoppers to participate as well.
There's an incentive for shoppers to open their wallets on Small Businesses Saturday because the businesses will offer special deals on that day.
Small Business Canada has even taken notice of the sisters' efforts.
"Small Business Canada started thanking me for bringing this to New Westminster," Murrell says.
When local entrepreneurs support each one another it strengthens the community, Murrell says.
For her part, Murrell is offering a 10 per cent discount for any purchases made at her open house.
Murrell is the artistic force behind Robyn's Vintage Nest, a blend of industrial lighting and hand-painted vintage furniture. Murrell reclaims and restyles vintage furniture and creates one-of-a-kind lighting pieces.
Her sister finds a lot of the vintage pieces.
"My sister does all my sourcing for me," Murrell says. "She finds some very interesting pieces. She's been known to dig through people's basements ... She keeps me very busy."
Murrell was recently a featured window designer for the month of September at Brick & Mortar Living on Begbie Street.
Murrell's open house on Saturday, Oct. 20 goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in her garden, rain or shine. Her address is 402 First St. She can be reached at [email protected], 778-323-1465 or on Facebook.
Along with Robyn's Vintage Nest, the other local businesses that have signed up include Medical Esthetics by Katie; Brick & Mortar Living; Saniki Creations Handmade; Chainmaille and Adornments; The Wine Factory; Redbrick; Lofty Living; Moody Beads; Dublin Castle; Zhoosh Fitness by Design; Urban Bliss Spa; Eden Accents and Mid-Century Modern Home. For more information, visit www.shopsmallbiz.ca.
