As SouthCoast shoppers check off their holiday lists, two local businesses owners hope that most shoppers choose to support small businesses. Maureen Rainha of Westport and Nicole Viveiros of Tiverton will be hosting over 30 local businesses under one roof on Saturday for their first Holiday Fair event at Whites of Westport.

Rainha has been the proud owner of Maureen’s Custom Boutique for the past three years. She has attended several fairs and events over the years to promote her boutique, but she began noticing a trend that didn’t sit well with her.

“They’re really expensive to be a part of,” Rainha said. “You have to pay for a spot, and it’s usually around $75, but then you have to buy your table and anything else for your set up to make it look nice, and you usually have to pay a vendor’s fee.”

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Rainha has spent upwards of $400 just to be a part of vendor events, and often doesn’t see the return on investment.

On the business side, Rainha and some of her fellow business owners have seen a decline in sales this year.

“Last year, everyone came together to support struggling small businesses, and it’s like this year, they forgot,” Rainha said. It’s as if shopping small was “trendy” in 2020 and now people are back to using the convenience of online shopping and big box stores again.

Rainha met Viveiros through an online couponing group that Rainha created, and when they discovered they had similar struggles, they decided to do something about it this holiday season with Merry Making Happenings and remind the community that small businesses still need their help.

The purpose of this event is to support shopping small this holiday season and to provide people with a place to do their holiday shopping in a joyful environment.

“This event will allow us to showcase some of the newer small businesses in our area, bring together local small businesses with the people of our community, and build relationships between those businesses,” Rainha said.

“We lowered the price for vendors, and we will be providing tables for everyone,” she said. “Our motto is collaboration over competition, so we made sure each vendor was unique to avoid competing with other businesses there.”

The event is free to attend as you finish off your shopping lists with local flair, and there will be fun activities for children, a hot chocolate bar, coffee, holiday music, and more.

Merry Making Happenings kicks off at 12 pm at Whites of Westport this Saturday.

Here are the vendors to look forward to

Angelina Singer (Author)

Bajah’s Cat Café

Britt’s Electroform

Colby’s Cookiery

CBD Farm Stand

Derek Viveiros Photography

Earthy Keepsakes

Elaine’s Pearl Paradise

Etereo Scents

Firefly Mandalas

Intentions by Christina

Jacqueline Drake Art

LeafCake Life

Lynnette’s Creations

Maria’s Creations & Westport Crafter

Maureen’s Custom Boutique

Mike Squatrito (Author)

Moxie by Marii LLC

Nats All Natural Dog Treats

Paper Moon Design

Puddle Jumper Quilting and Crafts

Reset by Megan

Sakonnet Lobster

Sarah Barbosa Paintings

Soxy Loki Dog Gear

Spoon and Board Tree to Table Goods

The Cozy Tangerine

The Donut Shack

The Messy Baker

Tigris Handmade

Westport Crafters

White Mountain Crystals

Y Soaps

Your Guide to Holiday Events on the SouthCoast 2021

The SouthCoast has many holiday events happening throughout the month of December. We have a list of them and what you need to know for each one.

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