The Saturday after Thanksgiving is “Small Business Saturday,” and it’s one of my favorite times to shop. I love everything about our local Pell City businesses. Many of the people who own or work for those businesses make me feel like family when I go in to shop or just to look around. They are personal, friendly, and very likely to have lived here for a long time. In many cases, however, those businesses are struggling to survive.  

The new Pell City Council is forward thinking and is very focused on growth. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not opposed to growth in Pell City. When my grandkids are here in the summer, I love taking them to the Splash Pad as much as anyone does. And who isn’t excited about Pell City having its own movie theater, bowling alley and all the other proposed businesses? I’m even excited about having a new car dealership in town.  

Pell City residents understand and are mostly delighted that our town has grown and continues to grow. However, “Big Business” is a natural byproduct of that growth. I think that growth is wonderful, but I think we also need to start or continue to support our local small businesses in Pell City as well. If we don’t, those small businesses won’t survive. 

It started out as Charlie’s Country Catfish, then it was Aunt Aggie’s Back Porch, then it was Fincher’s. And there might have been one or two in between that I can’t remember. Today, it’s a Marathon station, one of three or four in Pell City. I’ve seen the Treasure Chest open and close several times. It’s closed again, and the Tavern of St. Clair is also closed. Those places were certainly not the first small businesses that couldn’t “make it” in Pell City, and they won’t be the last. 

However, the one I miss most is Antebellum Anne’s. The minute you walked through the door, you were transported to a different and simpler place and time. The hand-crafted items, the smell of wood and candles, and the warm and sincere welcome from owner, Beth Waggoner, were all wonderful. It was just a great place to be. Now, it’s gone. Antebellum Anne’s closed its doors in December of 2016. 

I’m not suggesting you pass up those Black Friday sales or that you not go to Galleria, Quintard Mall or the many other places you (and I) love to shop. I’m just reminding you and myself that it’s a good idea to spend some of those holiday dollars in the small businesses of Pell City. Some of my favorite stores are Monkey Bizness, Toast, Old Gray Barn, Artscape, Lilly Designs, and Hazelwood Nursery.  

Every year, one of my kids will give us a gift certificate for a local business. It might be for a Pell City store or a local restaurant. You get the idea. Every year, it’s the gift we most look forward to and are delighted to receive.   

Deciding how much to spend this year and where to spend it are important decisions to make. I hope you’ll choose to spend some of your hard-earned dollars right here in our home town, Pell City. Hmm…maybe I should drop a hint that I’d like another gift certificate for Hazelwood this year?