High Cotton Arts creates game day plan to score win for small business owners

ATHENS-Small Business Saturday is celebrating its 10^th anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 30, and High Cotton Arts is creating a game plan to score a win for small business owners.

Artist Sonya Gordon wants to score a win for her small business on Iron Bowl Saturday, which is also Small Business Saturday. She invites shoppers to visit High Cotton Arts before the game and wear their favorite team colors. She is sporting UNA gear because she wants "Auburn and Alabama fans to feel welcome to shop with us."

Artist Sonya Gordon, decked out in UNA football gear, "coaches" student Kathy Shafer during a painting class at High Cotton Arts. Those who take art classes and shop at High Cotton Arts are supporting several small business owners who have studios and exhibit space at the Downtown Athens facility.

Art students Barbara Daniel and Kathy Shafer support small business owners like Sonya Gordon by taking art classes at High Cotton Arts. High Cotton Arts has been named a Small Business Saturday Neighborhood Champion and is encouraging football fans to shop Nov. 30 before the game and wear their favorite team colors.

In Alabama, Nov. 30 is also Iron Bowl Saturday, and local merchants have to compete for football fans’ attention.

“Each year, American Express asks for ideas on how to improve Small Business Saturday, and each year we submit the suggestion to hold it on any Saturday but Iron Bowl Saturday, but I guess that isn’t as big of a concern in other parts of the country,” joked Athens Arts League board member Holly Hollman.

Holly Hollman

To entice football fans who are not at the game to support small businesses like the artists at High Cotton Arts, Athens Arts League is hosting “High Fives at High Cotton” for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Football fans who wear their favorite team colors, Auburn, Alabama or any team, will be able to register for a $50 gift card to spend with an artist at High Cotton Arts for classes or merchandise. Fans will also be able to register for a pair of tickets to see The Pine Hill Haints perform in Athens on Jan. 3 at The Loft.

There will be game day snacks like popcorn and free crafts for kids.

High Cotton Arts is serving as an American Express Small Business Saturday Neighborhood Champion, and will have Small Business shopping totes, stickers and pens available to give away while supplies last. High Cotton also shared some of their Shop Small shopping totes with their retail neighbors, Hendricks-Patton-Rancl and Snapdragon Kids.

“When you support our artists and other small business owners, you are supporting the people who donate to your local fundraisers, who live in your neighborhood and who have watched your children grow up in this community,” said High Cotton Arts part-time manager and artist Sonya Gordon.

This year’s celebration is the 10th annual Small Business Saturday, marking a decade of support from American Express for local business owners. Since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending an estimated $103 billion across all Small Business Saturdays combined. That’s $103 billion toward helping communities thrive.

According to American Express, an average two-thirds of every dollar ($0.67) spent at a small business in the U.S. stays in that local community. That means shopping small helps bring things like better schools, city services and new jobs to neighborhoods across the country.

“When you invest in local small businesses, you invest in your community,” Gordon said. “Your small business owners are supporting the local economy and are working to enhance Athens and Limestone County.”