ESCONDIDO, Calif. — More than 30 local shops in downtown Escondido are participating in Small Shop Saturday, a day full of shopping, activities and fun.
“It’s actually the most important day of the year for us, we actually house over 40 local vendors that are all individual small businesses themselves so even if you buy one thing from our shop you’re supporting all of those small businesses,” Daydream Here Owner Mei Bautista said.
Daydream Here is a local shop along Grand Avenue, it features clothes, gifts and accessories. Mei tells CBS 8 her store will give away swag bags to the first 25 customers and there will be a 10% discount storewide.
“We have Santa's favorite pickleball player, wine glass right here and candles …clothing so many things for everyone and lots of stocking stuffers,” Bautista said.
The store also features ‘Oaklee Doaklee’s Coastal Crunchies,’ if you don't want your furry friends at home feeling left out of the shopping fun. Janae Lessnau is the founder and baker of the business which creates all natural dog treats and partial proceeds go towards the Coastal K9 German Shepard Rescue in Valley Center.
“I started them because I didn't want him eating junk…started making the natural treats and turnout they were popular and made a business out of it,” Lessnau said.
Some streets in downtown are blocked off due to construction in the area part of the Grand Avenue Vision Project. During this time, shops are open and several will have deals during Small Business Saturday.
Along Grand Avenue and Juniper Street is a temporary outdoor roller rink in town through December 28th.
“Roller Skating has such a nostalgic vibe here in Escondido. We had ups and downs here from the 1950’s to 2011, so we’re bringing back ‘ups and downtown roller rink,” Escondido Downtown Business Association Member Carol Rogers said.
Besides the shopping, there’s also plenty of activities underway Saturday like miniature golf, a phot booth and holiday bingo which begins at Heritage Garden.
“At the end of the day we all ... we all want the same thing and that's just to enjoy life and for a lot of smaller businesses it starts with those people that are just going to come out and continue to come out,” Lessnau said.
For more details on small business Saturday in downtown Escondido visit downtownescondido.com/small