Dog boutique among businesses ready for Small Business Saturday
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By Laura Carroll
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Nov. 17, 2012 | 2:29 a.m.
Inside Mugsy and Moxie's Bully Couture, Dee and Kevin Mounts are getting ready for their first holiday shopping season. The duo ordered extra custom-made dog collars, Bed in a Bag sets and travel dog feeders, and are expecting to hire additional part-time sales staff. Now they just have to wait for shoppers to come to their location at Market LV inside Tivoli Village, 420 S. Rampart Blvd. "Everything giftwise, we've already started," Dee said. "And we're offering gift wrapping of course."  The Mounts' dog boutique caters to bull breeds such as pit bulls and pugs, but provides locally made artisan goods for any pup and owner that walk in the door. Being an independent shop, much of their retail business has grown through word-of-mouth and website visits. That independent retail spirit will be celebrated nationwide with the third annual Small Business Saturday, an initiative started by American Express and the American Independent Business Alliance. On Nov. 24 small eateries and retailers are encouraged to participate by posting fliers in shop windows and signing up on the American Express website as a participating business. Last year, more than 100 million people nationwide supported small businesses on Small Business Saturday. Also, the U.S. Senate adopted a unanimous resolution designating the day after Black Friday as Small Business Saturday. "It's a day for consumers to go out and support local independent businesses that help our economy on a local level," Small Business Saturday spokeswoman Patricia Norins said. "The initiative is spreading like wildfire." Interested businesses should visit shopsmall.com for resources including free downloads of signs and planning tools. "I think the anticipation for this year is going to be bigger and better than last year," Norins said. Small businesses looking to capitalize on the "shop local" day should think about coming up with special deals and discounts to be given on Nov. 24, Norins suggested. Also, she noted, shops and restaurants that participate usually promote the shopping day through social media and email marketing. On the day of, Norins said window signs, balloons and banners will quickly signal that a small business is participating to any shoppers looking to support an independent. Although she didn't have specific data, Norins said, "This initiative not only has a huge impact on traffic but also on sales, too." To encourage customers to shop locally on Nov. 24, American Express also is offering a $25 statement credit to its customers who enroll starting Sunday at shopsmall.com. Back inside Tivoli Village, the Mounts family depends on its independence and uniqueness to stay in business. Dee said selling items such as $20 custom necklaces featuring pictures of your favorite canine help their shop stand out in a city filled with dog boutiques.  The couple has had requests from people in Europe, Portugal and Argentina who want items shipped, but the couple doesn't offer that service. Instead, Dee tells them they should book a trip to Las Vegas. Some of them do. Last week, bulldogs from Oregon came to shop in the store last week (with their owners) after hearing of Mugsy and Moxie's. "We're really proud of that. We need to take care of our community," Dee said. Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Las Vegas Review Journal Featured Article |
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