Community Corner

Arlington Small Business Day 2013 to Showcase Home-Based, Online Businesses

Organizers are working with the Ballston Business Improvement District to create a pop-up retail space at Ballston Common Mall.

Even the most ardent Arlington shopper may not be aware of everything the local business community has to offer.

This year's Arlington Small Business Day — Saturday, Nov. 30, the day after Black Friday — aims to showcase some of those hidden gems.

Did you know, for instance, that one local small business offers cooking classes for kids, from 9 months old to high school students? Another sells repurposed and remade vintage jewelry, handmade with semi-precious beads and estate findings. For the sailors, check out Bee Hive Design's custom made bags and stockings, crafted from recycled sails. And help your handyman clean out his garage with Yuck Old Paint.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Arlington Small Business Day organizers and the Ballston Business Improvement District will showcase a variety of local home-based and online businesses in a pop-up retail space during this year's event.

"A local business community … is as strong as the local consumers make it. And that's really part of what this is all about," said Pam Donahoe, an Arlington Small Business Day volunteer. "Some people might not be aware of all the privately owned businesses in a community. And rather than driving to a neighboring community to make a purchase, they can spend those dollars locally. That really contributes to the overall business vitality in Arlington."

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A few local small businesses were integrated into last year's Arlington Small Business Day, but showcasing several of them in a formal space is new this year, Donahoe said. The idea aims to expose more people to what goods and services are available here, she said, and to give the businesses a chance to reach more customers. 

The pop-up retailers will be at the Ballston BID's LaunchPad space at Ballston Common Mall.

The event will feature local author Lindsey Jensen Berke, who will read from her children's book "Am I Pretty?" at 11 a.m.

The list of local home-based and online businesses that are participating started small but has grown, Donahoe said.

"A weak business community is not really an accident — it's a result of the collective behavior of the consumers who live in that community," she said. "And this is an opportunity for local residents to discover or rediscover or reconnect with local businesses."


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