Small Business Saturday helps retailers who aren’t caught in the supply chain

The weekend after Thanksgiving comes with a call to support local retailers on Small Business Saturday.

And for some of those businesses — because of what they sell — the supply chain chaos could actually work in their favor.

Take, for example, Color Wheel Toys in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The store specializes in unique gifts for kids, like magic trick kits and locally sourced coloring books.

What it doesn’t carry is electronics or popular name-brand toys. Owner Keri Piehl said that’s partially insulated the shop from the supply chain crisis.

“If Target is trying to figure out like, ‘Oh, God, [we] can’t get Barbies. What are we gonna do?’ You know, and so it’s like they’re a cruise ship and we’re a speed boat,” she said.

Piehl said her holiday sales have been strong, with many local shoppers turning to Color Wheel Toys before those national chains.

Todd McCracken, who heads up the National Small Business Association, predicts that a lot more consumers will make the same calculation.

“Rather than buying that fancy electronic thing that can’t seem to get to the big-box store in time, maybe they should consider a locally generated gift item,” he said.

Small businesses that provide a service — like salons and spas — could do especially well, McCracken added.