Big push for small businesses in downtown Jacksonville

While some shoppers checked out on Black Friday, downtown Jacksonville is reminding people about Small Business Saturday.

For some local entrepreneurs, this weekend could be the make or break moment of the year.

16 different businesses are participating in a virtual scavenger hunt. You’ll find a QR code at the entrance to scan on your phone.

The first 100 people to check in at five different stores will receive a gift card. Information can be found here Click here for more information

Sweet Pete’s is one of the businesses participating.

The owner, Peter Behringer, said that a majority of their business comes between Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

He told Action News Jax’s Robert Grant that Small Business Saturday normally brings a boost in foot traffic.

“We’ve always been able to see a spike in the traffic.” Behringer said it’s even more important to see it again this year after the pandemic took a major toll. “We lost a significant portion of our business. We’re not like everyone else, we are retail. And we are also a destination where people come to gather.”

Down the street, Chamblin’s Uptown Bookstore is also participating in the downtown QR code scavenger hunt.

Cari Hamoui is the manager at the store and said the business has taken a financial hit especially because they’ve canceled all events and book signings under the pandemic.

“The energy of downtown has definitely been different since the pandemic,” she said. Hamoui hopes Small Business Saturday will help bring some of the energy back for the holidays.

The scavenger hunt starts at 6 a.m. and continues until midnight.

Cox Media Group