In the past eight years, Small Business Saturday has created over one billion dollars in sales across the country.

In Topeka, shops across town spent the morning tidying up for a swarm of customers ready to shop local.

"There's several reasons why shopping local is a good thing,” Terry Xidis, co-owner of Hazel Hill Chocolate, said. “We employ probably ten people at Christmastime. In a couple cases, it's just one person supporting that family so it really does benefit the community, and your tax dollars stay here and go back into the community."

With Black Friday in the rear-view mirror, small businesses are ready for a day in the spotlight.

"I think it's wonderful,” Xidis said. “I know Black Friday tends to pull to the big box stores. That's not a big one for us, so it's nice kind of nice to have a special day for small businesses and a little recognition."

To celebrate the day, Hazel Hill Chocolate offered 20 percent off on their packaged Christmas goodies, while it was 50 percent off lattes at B'Well Market.

"This is a family-owned business, been here for a long time, especially on the downtown, the downtown is growing,” Lazone Grays, cashier at B’Well Market said. “So it's really good to watch family generations expand their business, and the more people who are shopping local, the more people can have jobs, the more businesses can grow and thrive and flourish."