Nov 2, 2014

Small Businesses Think Big This Holiday SeasonBy Julie SchimmelpfennigPekinTimes.com

Pekin, IL – A group of 10 small businesses in Pekin are teaming up to bring the community their Holiday Extravaganza on Nov. 7, 8 and 9. They hope to encourage people to shop locally and kick off the holiday season. Nora Lovell is the co-owner of Peek In Pottery located at 421 Court St. in Pekin and said the group of 10’s slogan is “small business thinking big.”

This marks the 10th year of the Pekin’s Small Business Holiday Extravaganza, formerly the Christmas Extravaganza. However, the small business owners moved up the date by two weeks after other local events like the East Peoria Festival of Lights changed the date for their parade.

Now shops like The Kountry Nook located at 212 N. Capitol St. in Pekin will feature

Thanksgiving and Christmas items and finish up Halloween items. “This is the first year we have had it this early,” explained owner Mary Haynes. “It had always been the weekend before Thanksgiving.”

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