BUFFALO, N.Y. — Christmas is just a few days away and shoppers are making their last attempt to find the right gifts.
"Yeah, me and my dad normally shop around this time," said Fiona Cusack, who was shopping at Apricot Lane Boutique.
"I'm looking around for my brothers and for my mom."
It's a tradition for many that might not carry on this year if you plan to shop Friday night or Christmas Eve, the same time a winter storm is going to hit Western New York.
It's especially not great timing for small businesses who rely heavily on the foot traffic.
"Even one day of closing, and especially when it's Friday, Saturday or Sunday, because those are our biggest days, it hurts. It does add to the stress, like you mentioned, but such is owning your own business," said Kristina Atti, owner of Apricot Lane Boutique.
She open her shop on Elmwood in the spring.
The location and social media are what she attributes her success to so far. But she and Emily Doren, co-owner of Lace and Day on Franklin, both say the winter storms that keep hitting the region aren't helping.
"We have had significantly diminished sales for 11 days since mid-November," said Doren.
Doren says small businesses expect snow in Buffalo, but usually it's short, while this year it's lasting a lot longer.
"The thing that's really tricky about the Christmas selling season in particular, this gifting season, is it has a hard stop. You can't make up the sales, so any day we miss is just gone," Doren said.
She doesn't recommend shopping if it's unsafe to do so but does recommend the next time you are able to shop, think about supporting local instead.
"Think about what you want your local community to look like. You have a say in that," Doren said. "You have the opportunity to keep places like this alive."