Every year, thousands of people snap out of their Thanksgiving food comas to grab deals during Black Friday. But for smaller vendors, the real holiday shopping event to wait for is Small Business Saturday.
That's certainly the case for .POP!, a self-described "gypsy market" that's currently located at Bonfire on Johnson Drive. Every three or four months, .POP! moves to another space in Kansas City to show off local makers and their wares.
Owner Sarah Preu has more than 30 local makers collaborating under .POP!'s banner. She says she wants to bring a neighborly feel to the business.
"People used to purchase things from their neighbors because they had skills you didn't have," Preu said. "It's still like that, but you just have to find the little shops that still support it."
Jessica Antunes of Sweet Kiss Brigadeiro agrees with Preu. She says it's the people that really make Small Business Saturday special.
"The thing I like the most is the interaction," Antunes said. "We follow a lot of people on Instagram and Facebook, but this gives us a chance to meet costumers and other business owners in person."
Amanda O'Shaughnessy runs Ocean & Sea, a nautically-themed clothing pop-up, with her husband, Brendan. They've been at Bonfire for about a year now, and Amanda says having a space to make her products around other like-minded creators is invaluable.
"We can come in at any point in the night and there's usually somebody here," O'Shaughnessy said. "It's fun to bounce ideas off each other or just come by and hang out."
If you didn't make it out for Small Business Saturday, .POP! will be at Bonfire through February.
Cody Newill is a reporter for KCUR. You can reach him on Twitter @CodyNewill or send him an email at cody@kcur.org.
