LittleShoponMainStreet@WordPress.com honors the history of Small Business Saturday November 30th, 2019

On November 30th, 2019, small businesses all over Main Streets and Downtown’s all over the country celebrated the Ninth Anniversary of “Small Business Saturday”, a shopping day dedicated to individual and small business owners.

Harbs on the Upper East Side of Manhattan

My blog. LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com honors those business owners first in New York City and now all over the Eastern Seaboard whose business owners offering interesting one of kind merchandise, unique merchandising design and placement of their goods and interesting window displays that showcase their stores.

Amado on Third on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at Halloween

Each store featured in this blog showcases the store’s individuality of the owner and the excellent customer service you will receive when you walk in. The in-personality of the big department stores demoans their failure but I think it is just corporate America answering what they think customers want. I think interesting displays and personal service still play a big roll in retailing and when you provide these things with fair prices, you will be amazed how successful they are to the customer.

Recently added Bark in Jacksonville, Florida

I still prefer to give my business to individual shop owners any way that I can and in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ where I live, I visit each merchant for what I am looking for before I hit the big stores first. It may be a bit more money but this is how we support our communities.

Young Fashions in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey

The History of Small Business Saturday:

Small Business Saturday started in November 2010 as a campaign from American Express to help local businesses that were hit by the recession of 2008 that continued on for another two years. The goal was to allow small business owners to find a niche between Black Friday and Cyber Monday where deep discounts were available to customers.

When the promotion was launched, American Express offered cardholders a $25.00 statement credit for shopping at small retailers on that day. Now that the program has been adopted and promoted by the government, by 2015 the company stopped offering this incentive but the company proved their point in people promoting their small community businesses.

Colorate in Beacon, New York

History of Small Business Saturday via American Express:

In 2010, American Express sponsored and trademarked the term Small Business Saturday and then created a Facebook page and promoted the event with national advertising. As part of the 2010 promotion, the first 10,000 small business owners who signed up to participate received $100 worth of free Facebook advertising and the first 200,000 American Express cardholders who pledged to use their credit cards on Small Business Saturday to support small businesses received a $25.00 credit.

Books of Wonder on the Upper West Side of Manhattan

By 2013, American Express added the promotion and term “Shop Small” in its promotions and by 2014 included an interactive map for participating businesses. By 2018, an estimated 104 million American consumers supported local retailers and restaurants, spending $17.8 billion on Small Business Saturday 2018 according to American Express and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

(American Express Small Business Saturday History 2018)

Ravioli House in Wildwood, New Jersey

Samuel’s Sweet Shop 42 East Market Street Rhinebeck, NY 12572

Samuel’s Sweet Shop

42 East Market Street

Rhinebeck, NY  12572

(845) 876-5312

Home

Open: Sunday-Thursday 7:30am-8:00pm/Saturday-Sunday 7:30am-10:00pm

My Review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g48486-d3641613-Reviews-Samuel_s-Rhinebeck_New_York.html?m=19905

I have visited Samuel’s Sweet Shop many times over the years from both living in Hyde Park, NY and visiting for Sinterklaas events.

Samuel’s Sweet Shop at Christmas 2021

Samuel’s Sweet Shop in the Summer of 2023

Samuel’s Sweet Shop is a unique and quirky little store of nostalgic candies, local vendor sweets, bulk candies, delicious baked products and coffees and hot chocolate. There are all sorts of gift items, bagged candies and sweet delights to choose from. The shelves are colorfully displayed with all sorts of candies, chocolate figurines, bags of gourmet mini cookies and boxed items at the holidays.

All the colorful bagged candies at Samuel’s

I have to admit some of prices are a little high with some nostalgic candies like Razzles or certain larger chocolate bars running around $2.35 but for a one time treat it makes a nice snack. There bulk and bagged candies are fairly priced with a selection of gums, jellies and wrapped items.

I think their selection of local products is interesting with honey candies from Upstate New York that run about $5.00 and mini cookies bagged from Vermont which run around $12.00. Again, these are a little on the pricey side but they make nice gifts if you are visiting in the area and you are supporting local small businesses.

The selection at Samuel’s Sweet Shop is extensive

What is really wonderful one night that I was there was a Cookie Dough Cookie (2.50) and a hot chocolate ($3.25) which really hit the spot on a cold night. Their hot chocolate is excellent. Thick and rich and with a dollop of whipped cream it really warmed me up. The cookie was a cross between a cookie and a muffin in that it had a chewy rich consistency. I was not sure who their vendor is on the baked products but they are nicely displayed and seem to sell out fast.

The selection of sauces, jellies and candies at Samuel’s Sweet Shop

On another recent trip to Samuel’s, I stopped in for a late breakfast treat and under a glass dome was the most amazing looking Glazed Doughnut ($2.00) which looked large and fluffy. It certainly was and sweet and delicious as well. This puffy delight must have just been made and brought into the store.

Samuel’s Baked goods

What I love best about Samuel’s is the merchandising of the store with the bright colors, small baskets of candy bars and chocolates and bags of bulk candies with the logo on it lined on the shelves in a colorful rainbow. The whole store screams “Buy Me”!

Delicious desserts at Samuel’s

The nice part of the store is the service. The staff here really seems to care about their customers and helping pick the right items to buy. The gentleman who convinced me to buy the cookie was dead-on with what I needed for dessert after a big dinner elsewhere.

The store was really busy during Sinterklaas

In a time when Amazon is dominating retail, Samuel’s Sweet Shop is one of those stores that shows us how beautiful merchandising, great product and excellent service bring us back to the stores in droves bringing back our wonderful childhood memories.

Gourmet mini cookies at Samuel’s

During the recent Sinterklaas Parade festival in Rhinebeck in 2021, the store was stocked with all sorts of bagged candies, pastries and Chocolate Santas for people to enjoy. The prices during the parade day were very fair and I have never seen a store with such empty shelves by the end of the day.

The History of Samuel’s Sweet Shop:

Samuel’s Sweet Shop was created by former owner, Ira Gunther, in 1994 after a visit to the town a year earlier and falling in love with Rhinebeck, NY. Having been exposed to ‘penny candy’ years earlier by his Uncle Samuel, he named his shop after him and all those wonderful childhood memories.

The business was a success and continued in its direction until Mr. Gunther’s sudden passing in 2014 and the store almost closed. With the investment of two longtime loyal customers, actors Paul Rudd and Jeffery Dean Morgan and their families decided to buy the store with another couple and current manager, John Traver.

Samuel’s Sweet Shop during Sinterklaas

Mr. Traver, who has been working at the store since he was 15 still continues to ‘curate’ the selection of candies, which focuses on nostalgic, locally produced and unusual candies and sweets.

Preparing for the holidays

The store continues to welcome customers to the Hudson Valley region with wonderful merchandise and excellent service.

Samuel’s Sweet Shop during Sinterklaas in 2022

Disclaimer: This information was taken from publicly that the store has provided online and I give them full credit for it. Please visit the store during its business hours to see its ongoing collection of candies.

Samuel’s Sweet Shop decorated for Sinterklaas and Christmas

Samuel’s Sweet Shop in the Summer months.

Little Pickles 7505 North Broadway Red Hook, NY 12571

Little Pickles-The Children’s General Store

7505 North Broadway

Red Hook, NY  12571

(845) 835-8086

http://www.littlepickles.shop/

Open: Monday-Saturday 10:30am-5:30pm/Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm

My Review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g48473-d7954016-Reviews-Little_Pickles-Red_Hook_New_York.html?m=19905

Little Pickles at 7505 North Broadway (Route 9)

I have visited this whimsical store several times over the years and it just keeps getting better. Little Pickles is one of those stores that every town should have catering to the younger set. It is the type of store I would have loved to visit when I was a kid.

Little Pickles sign outside.

When you enter the store, it just gives you the feel that as a child you are the customer and you can make your own decisions on what to buy. There is something for every child here from clothes and shoes, games and puzzles, candy and small ‘stocking stuffer’ types of toys that kids can buy with their own allowance. It is the type of store that has that 70’s and 80’s mentality so it was refreshing when I was in the store during the holiday season that kids reacted so positively to it without a cellphone in sight.

The front of the store you are greeted by salespeople that actually smile at you and welcome you to the store. This is the perfect store for a child to come in with their family and select a gift or a present for themselves. There is all sorts of candies and balloons in jars, pocket toys like jacks and marbles all lining the shelves, color coordinated and beautifully displayed. There are baskets of classic sweets like Razzles and Tootsie Rolls. There are popular trendy toys that only the younger set can seem to keep up with in many styles.

In the back room, there is all sorts of games, puzzles, craft kits, wooden toys and construction and art playthings lining the walls. There is a small dress up section for the perfect princess or ballerina for any young girl to enjoy. You will also find popular toys like Lego and Playmobile that can be added to any collection. These are the toys of generations past that it is nice to see children today enjoying as well. The store carries a wide variety of classic toys and games such as Candyland and Operation. There is also a selection chemistry sets, scientific experiments and a variety of wooden playthings from Plan Toys and Melissa & Doug.

Little Pickles candy and small novelty items

Towards the other side of the store is the clothing and shoes of all colors and sizes. Not quite the Department store selection but tailored to a child who likes to go out and play. The best part of the clothing department is the fort that small kids and climb and play with selected toys while their older siblings shop. It is a whimsical space that is engaging to the younger set and keeps them occupied.

Little Pickles clothing and shoes

What I love best about Little Pickles as a store is the use of imagination that their merchandise gives to their customers, both old and young. The store is set up like a General Store for children and is painted in bright, colorful hues with pastels and there are details in the woodwork. The clothing area on the right side of the store is set up as a play area with its interesting paintings on the wall and little castle.

There is so much to see and do and for the adults reminiscing about their own childhoods, it is the perfect store to bring their kids into for their own sense of nostalgia. Every time I visit the store I am reminded of how much fun that I had as a kid.

I had the pleasure on a recent trip to meet the owner, Rebecca Rothstein and it was an interesting conversation on her perspective on being a shopkeeper and understanding the younger set as her customer base. This is a store where everyone is welcome to look and shop and converse with the owner. It is refreshing that her and her team still believe the power of good customer service and quality merchandise. It makes it fun to shop here.

Little Pickles at Christmas 2023.

The History of Little Pickles:

About us: (From the Little Pickles website)

Little Pickles is a kids’ haven in the heart of New York’s Hudson River Valley. We are:

*A Toy Store with pizzazz

*A Sweet Shop for every sweet tooth

*A Boutique with style that features shoes and accessories

*Special Events for time to time

*Gift Baskets & Gift Certificates

*Balloons for every occasion

*and  and ever-growing website with a thoughtfully curated collection of toys, shoes and gear

Our Mission:

At Little Pickles we believe that children deserve to shop in a place where they feel welcome and safe. We believe they deserve to be greeted upon arrival and treated with respect and dignity throughout their shopping experience. We believe that the environment in which they shop should be fun and engaging. We believe that kids deserve a truly magical experience when they are shopping, so that they will remember how wonderful it is and will want to come back again and again.

We believe that play is fundamental to the healthy cognitive, emotional and social development of the healthy cognitive, emotional and social development of every child and have gathered together a unique selection of merchandise from practical to whimsical, that will support children as they live and play. We believe that every child deserves a good book to read, an engaging toy to play with, a comfortable and durable pair of shoes and a little candy to suck on. With these every child has an opportunity to thrive.

Our Founder:

Rebecca Rothstein: Rebecca has a Master’s degree in Museum & Childhood Education from Bank Street Graduate College of Education and she has a NY State teaching certificates in Childhood and Early Childhood Education. She worked as a Pre-K head teacher at the Roosevelt Island Day Nursery in New York City before moving to Red Hook in 2010, when she opened Little Pickles Family Day Care in her home. She believes wholeheartedly in a progressive child development and education pedagogy that finds its roots in the research and writings of educational pioneers such as John  Dewey. Lev Vygotsky, Jean Piaget & Howard Gardner. Rebecca launched and run Little Pickles with the close support of her husband, Craig Rothstein, Little Pickles Partner and Co-Owner. They are parents to Georgina (a beautiful, musical girl born in 2005) and Harry (a mischievous little pickle born in 2012)

Disclosure: The information on the business and the owners and their family members was taken from their website, “Little Pickles.com” and I give them full credit on this information.