WITH BLACK FRIDAY SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY IS FULL OF THOSE BIG DEALS, TOO. AND THIS YEAR THE DAY IS AN EVEN BIGGER DEAL TO BUSINESS OWNERS IN DOWNTOWN SAINT CLOUD. AS WESH 2 NEWS MEAGHAN MELLADO REPORTS, MANY SHOPS IN THE AREA ARE STILL WORKING ON RECOVERING FROM THIS PANDEMIC, FOLLOWED BY A MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FROM SELF CARE TO HOME DECOR. YOU CAN FIND JUST ABOUT ANY GIFT AT LAVENDER PATCH ORNAMENTS THAT HAVE LIGHT UP REINDEER NOSES. THE OWNER, LAURA SAVAGE, SAYS THE HOLIDAY SEASON MAKES UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THE SHOP’S BUSINESS. WE RELY SO HEAVILY ON THAT PERIOD BETWEEN THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS. I MEAN, HONESTLY, THOSE SALES REALLY ARE WHAT DRIVES WHAT WE’RE ABLE TO BRING IN FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. CLEARLY, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY IS AN IMPORTANT HOLIDAY FOR HER, BUT SHE SAYS IT’S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THIS YEAR. REALISTICALLY, WE’RE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC FROM A FEW YEARS AGO. WE HAD CONSTRUCTION IN DOWNTOWN SAINT CLOUD. LAST YEAR, SO THIS IS REALLY LIKE OUR MAKE OR BREAK YEAR KIND OF THING. THIS IS VIDEO OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE CITY’S REVITALIZATION PROJECT. IT FACED MANY DELAYS, MAKING IT INCONVENIENT TO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. BUT PANDEMIC AND CONSTRUCTION ASIDE, SOMETHING ELSE HAS BEEN AT TOP OF MIND FOR KUNTSEVICH LOSING HER MOM, THE CO-OWNER OF THE STORE LAVENDER PATCH IS A DREAM COME TRUE. MY MOM AND I MOVED HERE INTO SAINT CLOUD IN 2020 AND REALLY OUR DREAM WAS TO OPEN UP A SHOP TOGETHER. WE REALLY WANTED A GIFTING SHOP WHERE WE COULD WELCOME PEOPLE IN TO MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME AND MAKE THEMSELVES AND THEIR HOMES LOOK, FEEL AND SMELL GOOD. THE IRONIC THING IS THAT WE ACTUALLY STILL FEEL HER PRESENCE IN THE SHOP. I MEAN, THE LOVE THAT SHE GAVE FOR ME AS WELL AS TO OTHER PEOPLE WAS JUST KIND OF AN ENCHANTING, KIND OF FEELING AND YOU JUST FELT LIKE YOU WERE AT HOME. AND IT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED FOR THE STORE. SHE SAYS SHE HOPES THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND SMELLS INSIDE CONTINUE TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY. WE ARE HERE FOR EVERYBODY AND WE JUST CAN’T WAIT TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH YOU ALL IN SAINT CLOUD. MEAGHAN MELLADO WESH 2 NEWS. AND LAURA SAYS THE SHOPS IN DOWNTOWN SAINT CLOUD ARE OPENING EARLY AND STAYING OPEN LATE SATURDAY. MANY OF THEM A
Advertisement
Business owners in St. Cloud gearing up for Small Business Saturday
Updated: 5:23 PM EST Nov 24, 2023
From self-care to home décor, you can find just about any gift at Lavender Patch. The owner, Laura Kuntzevich, said the holiday season makes up about a third of the shops business. “We rely so heavily on that period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I mean, honestly, those sales really are what drives what we’re able to bring in for the following year,” she said.Clearly, Small Business Saturday is an important holiday for her, but she said it’s even more important this year.“Realistically, we’re coming out of the pandemic from a few years ago. We had construction in downtown St. Cloud last year, so this is really our make-or-break year kind of thing,” Kuntzevich said.Video of the construction for the city’s revitalization project shows work occupying the roadways. The project faced many delays, making it inconvenient to support downtown businesses.Pandemic and construction aside, something else has been at the top of mind for Kuntzevich: losing her mom, the co-owner of the store.“Lavender Patch is a dream come true. My mom and I moved here into St. Cloud in 2020 and really our dream was to open up a shop together. We really wanted a gifting shop where we could welcome people in to make them feel at home and make themselves and their homes look, feel, and smell good. The ironic thing is that we actually still feel her presence in the shop. I mean the love that she gave for me as well as to other people was just an enchanting kind of feeling and you just felt like you were at home and its exactly what we wanted for the store,” Kuntzevich said.She said she hopes the sights, sounds, and smells inside continue to make people feel that way.“We are here for everybody and we just can’t wait to celebrate the season with you all,” Kuntzevich said.Shops in downtown St. Cloud are opening early and staying open late Saturday.Many of them are offering significant deals and samples of new items.Top headlines: VIDEO: Woman has meltdown, pulls down pants in the middle of flight leaving Orlando Uptick in shoplifting has DeLand store taking proactive measures Police: Car crashes into 2 homes in Marion County
From self-care to home décor, you can find just about any gift at Lavender Patch.
The owner, Laura Kuntzevich, said the holiday season makes up about a third of the shops business.
Advertisement
“We rely so heavily on that period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I mean, honestly, those sales really are what drives what we’re able to bring in for the following year,” she said.
Clearly, Small Business Saturday is an important holiday for her, but she said it’s even more important this year.
“Realistically, we’re coming out of the pandemic from a few years ago. We had construction in downtown St. Cloud last year, so this is really our make-or-break year kind of thing,” Kuntzevich said.
Video of the construction for the city’s revitalization project shows work occupying the roadways. The project faced many delays, making it inconvenient to support downtown businesses.
Pandemic and construction aside, something else has been at the top of mind for Kuntzevich: losing her mom, the co-owner of the store.
“Lavender Patch is a dream come true. My mom and I moved here into St. Cloud in 2020 and really our dream was to open up a shop together. We really wanted a gifting shop where we could welcome people in to make them feel at home and make themselves and their homes look, feel, and smell good. The ironic thing is that we actually still feel her presence in the shop. I mean the love that she gave for me as well as to other people was just an enchanting kind of feeling and you just felt like you were at home and its exactly what we wanted for the store,” Kuntzevich said.
She said she hopes the sights, sounds, and smells inside continue to make people feel that way.
“We are here for everybody and we just can’t wait to celebrate the season with you all,” Kuntzevich said.
Shops in downtown St. Cloud are opening early and staying open late Saturday.
Many of them are offering significant deals and samples of new items.
Top headlines: