LEWISBURG, WV (WVNS) – Holiday shopping is in full swing, but how big of an impact do the holidays have on local small businesses?

“It’s really like our super bowl,” said Cat & Kate co-owner Katie Kuliesh.

Small business owners say the holiday season is an absolute make-or-break for their businesses.

A good Christmas shopping season can make up for being down the other 11 months of the year. But a down holiday season can put small businesses in big financial trouble.

59News spoke to many small business owners on Main Street in downtown Lewisburg, and some estimated holiday shopping accounted for 30 percent of their yearly business. Others said it was even higher than that.

“Retail-wise it’s probably 50 percent,” said Suzanne Perilli, owner of Suzanne Perilli Designs. “We do a lot more at Christmas time than we do the rest of the year.”

But it is a constant fight for small businesses during the holidays, especially when larger chain stores can offer the opportunity to get all your shopping done in one place.

Kuliesh told 59News her store depends on the local community more than ever around the holidays.

“Thanksgiving to really about New Year is like our time to shine. And we’re so lucky to live in a community that really supports local businesses,” said Kuleish.

When it comes to this year’s holiday shopping season, every local small business owner we spoke to said they have had a great year this year. A lot of people are getting out and supporting small businesses.

So much so in fact, that the owner of A New Chapter Book Store here in Lewisburg, David Craddock, said that Saturday, December 10, was their biggest day of business in store history.

“We had an event called Girls Day Out and we had 20 percent more in sales than we’ve ever had in one day’s time,” Craddock told 59News.

That one good day during the holiday shopping season can make a big difference for a small business.