Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this year's holiday shopping will include "Small Business Saturday."
Independent store owners hope the promotion will help them remain in business and part of the community.
A year ago, Picayune Toys owner Beck Goblish wondered if she could keep her Dunwoody store open. She hopes this year's promotion will help kick off a shopping season that is crucial for her store to survive.
"If we can just pay our bills through the end of the year and hopefully the first of January or February, then we'll be OK, I think," said Goblish.
Small Business Saturday began as a promotion by American Express. Shop owners say it has proved to be an attention-getter and they say it is attention they could use.
Goblish counts on loyal customers like Amy Loge.
"It's wonderful to deal with merchants that are close by and they have a great selection and they're very personable," said Loge.
But small stores have lagged behind big store chains in sales growth this year.
Small Business Saturday hopes to remind shoppers that independent stores offer different selections and personal service.
"It's very important, I think, to support your local community. It doesn't just benefit me, it benefits everybody," said Goblish.
She hopes to be open for Small Business Saturday next year.
"Because I don't want to do anything else. I don't want to retire. I know my husband would like for me to retire, but I'm not going to stay home and make lunch," Goblish said.
Goblish says 40 percent of her sales come during the last three months of the year.
The Eagle Eye Bookshop in Decatur is another store hoping to see more customers on Saturday.
Doug Robinson's store has been open for almost 10 years. He says he's committed to remaining open.
"We get a lot of local character here in our store, a lot more of that, than you do at a chain store," said Robinson.
American Express says more than 100 million people shopped at independent stores on last year's Small Business Saturday.
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Picayune Toys in Dunwoody hopes to benefit from Small Business Saturday.
