It was game day for small businesses on Miracle Mile, trying to recover some of their losses from the pandemic on Small Business Saturday.
Marilyn Martinez owns Bliss Imprints and Gifts which sells stationary items for weddings and events.
The store opened last December which Martinez says was a struggle.
“There were no events,” Martinez said. “Everything was pretty much shut down.”
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Coral Gables city leaders say the day was a big deal for the 8,000 small businesses in the city.
Many of them were forced to close after being gutted by the pandemic.
“A year ago we were pre-vaccination so a lot of small businesses had either very modified hours or still closed,” said Mark Trowbridge, president of the Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re all ready to celebrate and put this pandemic behind us,” Martinez said.
President Joe Biden tweeted photos of himself doing some shopping and urged people to "shop small."
Governor Ron DeSantis tweeted that small businesses are vital to the state's economy.
In South Florida, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also urged residents to shop small.
