NEDERLAND — Holiday shopping is in high gear and the “mom-and-pop” shops are hoping they make the consumers’ list.

To better drive home the idea is Small Business Saturday, which is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Over at Gaudie & Co., 1143 Boston Ave., Nederland, Sche Chapa and family were doing some shopping themselves.

“We came in from Beaumont and have family in town so we brought them here to shop,” Chapa said. “I prefer to shop small over the big corporations.”

Amy VanPelt, owner of Gaudie & Co., expressed the importance of shopping at small businesses.

“It’s important to shop local and obviously shopping small is extremely important. Small business are the heart of the community,” VanPelt said.

VanPelt has some big things planned for Friday and for Small Business Saturday to celebrate the business’ 15^th anniversary.

“It’s pretty exciting and pretty emotional,” she said.

Gaudie & Co. has survived hurricanes, being closed for weeks on end and political changes.

“This is in a world that makes people scared (financially) to buy luxuries,” she said. “And to be a retail boutique owner is hard and we have the support of community.”

Gaudie & Co. also has a second location at 6025 Phelan in Beaumont.

Diana LaBorde, president of the Nederland Chamber of Commerce, said shopping at small businesses is important.

“This is their livelihood. It’s not something they do as a hobby, it’s for a living,” LaBorde said.

Paige Snyder, membership director for the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, agrees.

“In today’s society everything is quicker and easier and people tend to search the internet while at work, shop on Amazon and Google and tend to forget the mom-and-pop stores are the heart and soul of the community,” Snyder said. “They’re the entrepreneurs. They’re the individuals who dream big in hopes of making a success.”

Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday encourages Americans to support their local small businesses.

“The day infuses money back into our local economies, promotes vibrant and diverse communities and celebrates the important role of small businesses in the national economy,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says.

In 2010, in an effort to support local small business, many of whom were hurting during the economic recession, American Express launched Small Business Saturday to help drive more holiday shopping to small businesses. One year after the launch, local officials across the nation began to notice and promote the day, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In 2010, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of Small Business Saturday and by 2012 officials in all 50 states began to participate — and they have every year since.