With Thanksgiving dinner gobbled, pie eaten for breakfast, and a day of leftovers behind them, people were ready to get out of the house Saturday and shop. After all, only 27 days remained until Christmas.

Parking spots were hard to find, and groups of people were strolling Polson sidewalks and taking a look at all the shops during the annual Shop Small Saturday, a national event aimed at supporting small businesses.

K-Ann DeLong, helping out at Second Nature Gifts and Goods, said there had been a steady stream of customers all day. Not only that, but store owner Bobbie Goldberg said Friday was the best Black Friday in seven years of business.

Randee Bailey and her daughter, Ellie, were among the friends and customers in the store.

“I love the small town downtown … I love it when there are events downtown,” Randee said. She added that this was not an unusual Saturday for them, which must be good for Polson merchants to hear.

Across the street at the Sandpiper Gallery and Gifts, painter Joanne Simpson was taking her turn working at the gallery. “Starting at noon,” she said, wrapping tissue around something fragile, “It got really busy.”

Sitting out on the sidewalk in the chilly air, softball players Alyssa and Abbi were selling gourmet hot chocolate, accompanied by assistant coach Brock Bryant. The girls play for 15U Polson Purple Rain, and the proceeds go for traveling costs, tournament entry fees, and other costs.

Christmas trees, all lit up, and seasonal decorations were on display in windows or inside shops on Main Street.

Giant Christmas tree ornaments, huge peppermints, and evergreen boughs framed the front window of Little Shop Montana. Mackenzie Sly and her sister-in-law, Sierra, each toting one of Mackenzie’s twins, Shania and TomTom, were perusing the eclectic mix of jewelry, stickers, clothing, vintage items, and books in the store.

Next door, Cora Lapotka was clerking for her mom, Carol Lynn, at handMADE Montana, and was all smiles and enthusiasm.

“We’ve been busy all day,” she said. “It’s one of the busiest days of the whole year.”

Cole Wallace, whose committee coordinated the event for the Polson Chamber of Commerce, agreed.

“Our goal at the Chamber of Commerce is to celebrate/promote our business community's incredible innovation, and Shop Small Saturday is a great example of what makes Polson such a special place,” he said.

The combination of crisp weather, Christmas lights, visitors with rosy cheeks, Cora Lapotka’s enthusiasm and Joanne Simpson’s holiday sweater, hot chocolate, and tissue-filled shopping bags nailed the ideal Small Business Saturday.

    Short shopper Dylan, 4, admires a buffalo as her mom, Katelyn, looks at other goods in HandMADE Montana. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

    Katie Linnenkohl paints the S in Small at Second Nature in Polson prior to Shop Small Saturday. The national event on the Saturday after Thanksgiving encourages shoppers to explore the offerings at small, local businesses. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)