Unfortunately, a winter storm system played havoc with Small Business Saturday/Indies First plans in parts of the Midwest this weekend. Many bookstores had to make quick decisions about how to handle the bad weather while pivoting to alternative strategies.
"I have made the difficult decision to close... on what should be our busiest day of the year--Small Business Saturday," Lit. on Fire Books, Peoria, Ill., posted on social media. "I have always valued safety over capital, compassion and humanity over empire. Please stay home and stay safe. Let's have a redo next weekend, eh?!!"
Other booksellers making the tough call included Miles Books, Highland, Ind. ("Well the Grinch did steal Small Business Saturday."), Brain Lair Books, South Bend, Ind.; Anthology for Books, Geneseo, Ill.; A Room of One's Own Bookstore, Madison, Wis.; Morgenstern Books, Bloomington, Ind. ("due to weather conditions and for the safety of our employees and customers"); Niche Books, Lakeville, Minn.; and Wandering Raccoon Books, Grimes, Iowa ("This isn't the fun holiday weekend we planned.").
Swamp Fox Bookstore, Marion, Iowa noted that it was "calling a snow day. Our lot is drifting in and the winds seem to be picking up," while Emerald & Amethyst bookstore, Lexington, Ill., wrote: "SUCH a bummer for the weather to ruin our first Small Business Saturday! Sniff sniff. Hope is not lost, we have lots of other shopping time available."
"Winter has some bad jokes. Snow? On Small Business Saturday? What a bummer!" Love's Sweet Arrow, Tinley Park, Ill., posted. "Good news is we'll be here tomorrow... with the same deals! See you all tomorrow when the roads are safer."
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| Second Flight Books | |
Also opting to continue their SBS/Indies First deals were Second Flight Books, Lafayette, Ind. ("Because of the snowy weather a lot of shops didn't see the crowds we expect for Small Business Saturday."); the Bookworm, Omaha, Neb.; and Blue House Books, Kenosha, Wis.
On Sunday, the Little Book, Des Moines, Iowa noted: "Let's try this again!!! Small Business Sunday is today, because Iowa weather is a big meanie and messed up our plans yesterday."
And Betty's Books, Webster Groves, Mo., accepted their meteorological fate and looked to the future: "Welp, we've certainly had better Small Biz Saturdays, but we're SO grateful for everyone who braved the yucky weather to show out for us! To be straight up, SBS is easily in our top 2 sales days of the year, so this snow was a tough blow for not only us, but all small businesses across the region. We're staying positive, but would LOVE to see some of you today who'd planned on coming out on Saturday... or tomorrow! Or the next day... or the next."