Small businesses in Massachusetts welcome nationwide ‘economic blackout’
Updated: 5:25 PM EST Feb 28, 2025
YEAH, THEY ARE JENNIFER. AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE DEFINITELY BUSIER AT THE SHARMAN AVE SHOPS. AND IT’S NOT JUST THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESS THAT’S MAKING A DIFFERENCE, IT’S HOW PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE PAYING. IT’S DEFINITELY BETTER TO SHOP AT PLACES LIKE THIS. GRACE LASKOWSKI SAYS BROWSING FOR SOME CLOTHES AT FLOCK BOUTIQUE IN THE SOUTH END. SHOPPING LOCAL RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM HER HOUSE DURING AN ECONOMIC BLACKOUT. THE MORE YOU SHOP HERE, THE MORE THAT THEY’RE GOING TO SAY AND, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE GOOD PRODUCTS. SO IT’S DEFINITELY WORTH IT. A CONSUMER ACTIVIST GROUP CALLED THE PEOPLE’S UNION IS CALLING FOR NO SPENDING FOR 24 HOURS IN, IS INTENDED TO SHOW BIG BOX RETAILERS WHO REALLY HOLDS THE POWER. SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE FLOCK, SEIZING THE MOMENT AND URGING PEOPLE TO SHOP THERE INSTEAD GOING INTO A SMALL LOCAL STORE SUPPORTING A BILLIONAIRE CORPORATION, SUPPORTING A SMALL LOCAL COMPANY THAT PUTS MONEY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. THE WORD SPREAD, AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY DOING IT. THE OTHER PUSH IS USING CASH OVER CARDS, AND AT PARKSIDE BOOKSHOP IT’S BEEN NOTICEABLE. WE HAVEN’T HAD TO ACTUALLY COUNT OUR CASH STORE FOR THE PAST LIKE WEEK, BECAUSE IT’S BEEN ALL CARD TRANSACTIONS. AND JUST TODAY, OUT OF LIKE I BELIEVE IT WAS TEN TRANSACTIONS THAT WE HAD, NINE HAVE BEEN CASH. SO FRUSTRATIONS OVER HIGH PRICES IS ALSO ANOTHER REASON FOR THIS BLACKOUT HERE. BUT ECONOMISTS SAY IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT IMPACT, IF ANY, THIS WILL HAVE. WE’RE LIV
Small businesses in Massachusetts welcome nationwide ‘economic blackout’
Updated: 5:25 PM EST Feb 28, 2025
The “economic blackout,” a boycott encouraging consumers to avoid spending money at major chains for a full day, took place across Massachusetts and the U.S. on Friday.NewsCenter 5 spoke with some shoppers and local shop owners and asked them about how they are benefitting from the movement.Grace Leskauskas was browsing for some clothes at Flock Boutique in the South End.She is shopping local, right around the corner from her house, during an economic blackout.”It’s definitely better to shop at places like this,” Leskauskas said. “The more you shop here the more they’re going to stay and provide good products, it’s definitely worth it.”The consumer activist group known as “The People’s Union called for no spending for 24 hours on Friday, intending to show big box retailors who really holds the power. Small businesses like Flock are seizing the moment and urging people to shop there instead.Haley George, who has worked at Flock for 15 years, said shopping at small businesses is beneficial to the community.”Just going into a small local store is supporting a small local company that puts money back into the community,” George said.The other push is using cash over credit and debit cards.Alyssa Meers, who works at Parkside Bookshop, said this has been noticeable.”We haven’t had to count our cash drawer for the past week, because it’s all been card transactions,” Meers said. “Then today, out of 10 transactions we had, nine of them were cash.”
BOSTON —The “economic blackout,” a boycott encouraging consumers to avoid spending money at major chains for a full day, took place across Massachusetts and the U.S. on Friday.
NewsCenter 5 spoke with some shoppers and local shop owners and asked them about how they are benefitting from the movement.
Grace Leskauskas was browsing for some clothes at Flock Boutique in the South End.
She is shopping local, right around the corner from her house, during an economic blackout.
“It’s definitely better to shop at places like this,” Leskauskas said. “The more you shop here the more they’re going to stay and provide good products, it’s definitely worth it.”
The consumer activist group known as “The People’s Union called for no spending for 24 hours on Friday, intending to show big box retailors who really holds the power.
Small businesses like Flock are seizing the moment and urging people to shop there instead.
Haley George, who has worked at Flock for 15 years, said shopping at small businesses is beneficial to the community.
“Just going into a small local store is supporting a small local company that puts money back into the community,” George said.
The other push is using cash over credit and debit cards.
Alyssa Meers, who works at Parkside Bookshop, said this has been noticeable.
“We haven’t had to count our cash drawer for the past week, because it’s all been card transactions,” Meers said. “Then today, out of 10 transactions we had, nine of them were cash.”
