As I reflect upon the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, I am so thankful that my business was not washed out to sea.

Still, everyone was affected. Many of my clientele were without power for up to three weeks. Most had trees down, some on their homes and some on their property which they would have to pay for out of pocket to the tune of thousands of dollars. Some even lost their summer homes.

While generator companies, tree services and hardware stores did well at the end of the year, the loss of sales hurt a lot of other small businesses last year. Even Bernardsville had a lot of empty storefronts this year.

Big Box Stores and Internet companies had sales from other parts of the country to offset the losses in the northeast, but Mom and Pop stores suffered.

This year before you head to the Mall, Big Box Store, or computer check out what your local town or surrounding towns have to offer. Remember Mom and Pop stores are part of your community, they contribute to the the look of your downtown, your tax base, and donate to your local charities.

Obviously you should buy some jewelry from us, but for other gifts there are some great resources here in Bernardsville. Try our friends at The Bookworm. I know from experience that if they don’t have a book in stock, you can order it and usually can get it next day. For computer needs try Village Computer. There are three liquor and wine stores; Raritan Liquors, 56 Degrees, and Gary's. We have two toy stores in town, The Toy Store and the new Tons of Toys. There are several spas to choose from, two dress shops and Mastro Shoes. Want video games for the kids? Try Game Stop. We have two bedding stores, Organic Nest and Hibernate Bedding. There's also Mercury Trading, a men’s gift store. There are four art galleries; Studio 7, WallFlowers, JM Stringer, and Design Domaine. The Rebecca Collection and House of Jawi for eclectic gifts and much more.