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As the holiday season swings into high gear, it’s an important time to remember the value of shopping locally this coming Small Business Saturday.

Austin’s Main Street has plenty of long-time fixtures that offer products from local owners who have been long-time community members and customers will find unique and quality items as they look through the aisles.

New to Main Street is one familiar face as Katelyn Gromleski brought Gypsy K Cosignments to Main Street in July after being Albert Lea for nearly a decade. Gypsy K had originally opened in Oak Park Mall before it closed down.

“Main Street is booming and we got the opportunity to come back to Austin. It’s been perfect timing for us,” said Gromleski, who runs the store with her husband Alex and her mother. “It’s awesome to be right across from the SPAM Museum. We get to see people from all over the place. We’ve had people from as far as North Carolina come in here.”

Gypsy K offers women’s and men’s clothing, candles, and purses. Some items are sold new and others are used.

The store will offer various sales throughout the holiday season that will be announced on Gypsy K’s Facebook page.

While it’s not on Main Street, the Hardy Geranium has been at 100 4th St SE Austin, MN for 24 years. Owner Vickie Trimble has recently added her daughter Kenzie Trimble into the mix and the two have made things work as a family.

“I started working here on and off when I was eight, but I’ve officially been here for three years,” Kenzie said. “We make it work and we still hang out after hours.”

The Hardy Geranium overcame some flooding in the basement when sewer backup reached the ceiling during the summer flooding this June, but it hasn’t missed a beat as it is ready to go during the holiday season. The store is stocked with evergreens, outdoor wreaths, poinsettias, tree toppers, Christmas decor, and sweater weather sweaters.

After over two decades at the Hardy Geranium, Vickie still enjoys working in Austin with the local community.

“I like it. I’m past retirement age and I’m still here doing this,” Vickie said. “We’re the only locally owned flower shop in town and there were five when we started.”

Back on Main Street, the Austin Art Works Center recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary and it continues to offer a chance for local artists to get their work out to the public. The gallery started with approximately 30 artists on display and now that number is over 100.

Customers can get anything from ceramics, to mugs and vases, to prints, to greeting cards.

“We have gifts for everybody,” said Operations Director Kelsey Ritchie. “We have a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Anyone can come in and ask for suggestions. We have great gifts for couples, kids, moms or dads. We love being an anchor of downtown. We have visitors from all over and we love being able to support local artists.”