BUTTE - Economic leaders in Butte know people want a major retail store. But they want to encourage people to shop local at the Mining City’s more the 60 small businesses this holiday season.
“In order to attract more retail, we have to be able to show that we can support what’s already here,” said Julie Jaksha with Headwaters RC&D.
Businesses throughout Uptown will be participating in the second annual shop small campaign Saturday to promote local holiday shopping.
This ties in with the city’s efforts to try and recruit new retailers. The city paid a consulting firm to match it with businesses that would fit in a market like Butte and recently received 20 potential matches – some are promising.
“We want another Herberger’s; we want another department store, as well as new shopping options from grocery stores,” said Joe Willauer of the Butte Local Development Corporation.
And while the city is eager to start recruiting these retail businesses to Butte, they warn that shoppers need to be patient. It doesn’t happen overnight.
“When it comes to recruitment, everything we do takes a lot of time. And a special retailer is so competitive, we’re not allowed to be sharing any of that information until absolutely it’s a done deal and they are joining our community,” said Willauer.
Shop Small begins at 8:30 a.m. and continues into the evening at several Uptown businesses.
