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Shoppers Break Away From Big Box Stores On Small Business Saturday

By Kelly Werthmann

DENVER (CBS4) - When it comes to shopping in Denver, bigger isn't always better. Just ask Mayor Michael Hancock.

"This is some good stuff," he said while showing off the items he purchased Saturday morning.

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(credit: CBS)

Hancock stopped by The Preservery in the RiNo neighborhood as part of Small Business Saturday. The Preservery is a locally-owned market and restaurant that features Colorado-grown food and locally made products.

"We're supporting our local farmers in Colorado by shopping here," Hancock said. "These people are typically your neighbors. They are certainly our local taxpayers. They're our biggest employers, quite frankly, so we need to make sure they thrive and are successful as well during the holidays."

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Rep. Diana DeGette and Mayor Michael Hancock ((credit: CBS)

That's the mission of Small Business Saturday all across the country – encourage shoppers to break away from big box stores and shop small. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette tagged along with the mayor for some small Saturday morning shopping.

"We have so many new businesses in place like (The Preservery) and places like RiNo where people are taking local ingredients, local people are making the food, they're making the clothing, they're making the crafts and this is what makes our city and our economy so vibrant," she said.

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(credit: CBS)

Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. She echoed DeGette's message adding that small businesses are a big deal for the state's economy.

"They employ over one million Coloradans, so small business is everything to our economy and our success," Brough said.

And that success comes full circle for businesses like The Preservery.

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(credit: CBS)

"Focusing on putting your money back into the local economy by supporting small businesses that are your neighbors and your friends, to me, that's making your hard-earned money more meaningful when you spend it," Whitney Ariss, co-owner of The Preservery, said. "It's a very supportive environment here in Denver and we feel so lucky to be part of it."

Kelly Werthmann joined the CBS4 team in 2012 as the morning reporter, covering national stories like the Aurora Theater Shooting and devastating Colorado wildfires. She now anchors CBS4 Weekend Morning News and reports during the week. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @KellyCBS4.

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