Altadena Small Business Market aims to give shops much-needed holiday boost

ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Shoppers celebrated Small Business Saturday nationwide this weekend, and here at home, businesses need the support more than ever.

With more than 9,000 structures lost in the Eaton Fire, the businesses in Altadena that survived not only lost their customers, but they lost their community.

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association, along with the community, gave small businesses impacted by the Eaton Fire a big holiday shopping boost on Saturday.

In Altadena, mom and pop shops like Sidecca are struggling to make money.

"We need it. We need it more than ever now," said Adriana Molina, the owner of Sidecca.

Her store was forced to shut down in January when the Eaton Fire burned much of Altadena to the ground.

She reopened her boutique just in time for Small Business Saturday.

"Today is probably one of the most important days to support your local businesses," Molina said.

Altadena's Mariposa Junction, a thriving commercial hub, was once home to 13 local businesses, but the fires reduced that number to just six.

This weekend, the chamber of commerce and its partners hosted the Altadena Small Business Market, asking consumers to come back to Altadena and show some love to businesses such as The Robynn Joy Company.

The owner, Joy Potter, makes candles named after the community's well-known streets.

"Capture wonderful scents of living here, and growing up here and loving here," Potter said.

And there's the El Patron Mexican Restaurant, which is trying to avoid laying off staff.

"We haven't been super busy at all," said employee Silvia Acosta.

The National Retail Federation estimates 187 million people planned to shop this holiday weekend, with 36% of them shopping local on Saturday.

In Altadena, the community showed up.

"It means everything," said Alex Crow of Tomorrow Bagel. "We're nothing without people, and that's what's been so wonderful, connecting with the people, and we need them. They are the lifeblood of small business."

Each of the business owners is determined to stick it out.

"I've lived here for 30 years. I lost my house in the fire, along with so many others. We're a tough community. Everyone is really committed to rebuilding," said Caroline Britton, the owner of Carciofi Design.

"I'm going to stay strong and try to stay in business, you know, for our town," Molina said.