Retail

To encourage people to support small, independently owned retailers, Twin Falls City Council issued a proclamation designating Saturday, Nov. 26, as Small Business Saturday.

The proclamation cited statistics from the United States Small Business Administration, which said the 32.5 million small businesses in the U.S., were responsible for 62% of net new jobs created since 1995, and small businesses currently employ 46.8% of the employees in the private sector.

In the post-pandemic years, some small businesses say they are still seeing lower stock replenishment after inventory shortages. While that is not universally the case, continuing to have strong sales is essential to keeping the doors open for most small businesses.

Local retailer Hudson’s Shoes, has been at the Lynwood Shopping Center since 1952. Store Manager Karly Trease said the store’s three-day holiday sale after Thanksgiving has always provided a big boost to their bottom line.

“It’s a pretty big impact,” Trease said. “It starts our holiday savings, it increases our sales and revenue, and for a small business like ours we’ve got to have sales.”

Trease said inventory restock had improved from last year, where it could take up to 12 months for some popular brands and sizes to be available. That’s come down to five or six months in some cases.

Hudson’s had select items marked for various discounts in the days after Thanksgiving.

Another local retailer is developing a new market, branching out with new products. Toy Town held the grand opening of its new hobby shop on the second floor of their location.

Upstairs Hobbies at Toy Town features remote controlled cars, planes, rockets, trains, plastic model-building kits and supplies, darts and disc-golf, boomerangs, hackey sacks and more.

Hobby purchaser Mike Stradley said the inventory situation has…