WHEELING — Throngs of shoppers spent Saturday making sure at least part of their holiday spending stayed local, as Small Business Saturday brought them out in droves to locally owned stores.

Customers lined the sidewalks of Wheeling’s Centre Market, an epicenter of local shops selling everything from clothing to novelties to antiques to artwork. That scene was like so many around the Ohio Valley, as shoppers perused and purchased from smaller local establishments rather than big national chains or online.

V.C. Wares owner Amy Cordy walked through her Centre Market store Saturday morning, welcoming customers and chatting up regulars. Small Business Saturday isn’t just a big day for her. It’s her biggest sales day each year.

“November is huge,” she said. “It’s our biggest month.”

Through

See Full Page