HALLOWELL — A doorstop for a home built more than 200 years ago.

A fern that doesn’t require much light, for a friend whose apartment doesn’t get much sun.

A sweet-smelling made-in-Maine wreath to ship to relatives across the country.

A one-of-a-kind oil painting of a beautiful woman.

Or just something unique to give as a gift to your also-unique loved one, that didn’t come from a big box store or Amazon.com.

Shoppers picked up those items and many others on Small Business Saturday, hitting up small local shops for unique gifts to give to others or perhaps to themselves. The annual big day for small businesses comes on the heels of Black Friday when national retail giants offer discounted, mass-market items.

Jamie Boynton of West Gardiner found some heavy gold-colored candlesticks, a doorstopper for her 1811 home, and a small porcelain bowl with its own tiny matching spoon among the thousands of antiques and gifts for sale at Rusticators Emporium on Water Street in downtown Hallowell. From there, Boynton planned to go a few doors down to Hallowell Antiques, then to Emery’s Meat & Produce in Gardiner on the way home to pick up something to eat later.

Rusticators Emporium co-owner Sam Joyall takes an item out of the case for a customer on Small Business Saturday in Hallowell. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“I’ve definitely come around to, big boxes have their place, but you can find much more charming things in shops like this,” Boynton said. “Plus, Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon.com) has enough money already.”

Sam Joyall of Richmond, who owns Rusticators Emporium with his wife, Lexi, said the store they opened about three years ago carries a mix of antiques and quirky items, but, around this time of year, stocks more gift items for shoppers looking for an out-of-the-ordinary Christmas gift. He said Small Business Saturday is one of the shop’s busiest days, next to Old Hallowell Day. The two-room shop is jam-packed with potential gift items, from handmade clothing to vintage lamps and hundreds of greeting cards.

Other business owners said Rusticators coming to the city is a boost to other businesses too, since the retail shop with such varied items helps bring more people downtown.

“We’ve been really, really busy today, and we were busy yesterday, and the day before Thanksgiving, too,” said Aurilla Holt, co-owner of Berry & Berry Floral. She and a worker were busy taking and putting together orders for holiday wreaths, which they buy from a Maine producer and decorate at their Hallowell shop. The shop was decorated in wreaths and garland and smelled of balsam fir and scented candles Saturday.

Customer Jean Pope came in looking for a plant that would do well without much sunlight as her friend’s apartment doesn’t get much light. She also had another reason, to help support small businesses on Small Business Saturday.

“I wanted to come out and support some small businesses,” Pope said, walking out with the fern she got for $5 to give to her friend to make his place more homey.

Holt said businesses on Water Street try not to duplicate items available in their neighboring stores, and generally don’t view each other as rival competitors for customers.

Michel Paul Cyr is surrounded by artwork at Michel Paul Artist Studio on Small Business Saturday in Hallowell. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Across Water Street in Hallowell, artist Michel Paul Cyr, owner of Michel Paul Artist Studio, and a few helpers prepared a coffee table as a workspace where kids could decorate their own free holiday ornaments. They had paint available for older kids, and stickers for younger ones.

The gallery and studio has the work of 20 different artists on display, including some from Kelly Burke, who stopped by with supplies for kids to make ornaments. She had some hand-painted ornaments on display herself, which she painted using a drill, with a cork on the end, to hold the ornaments and turn them as she painted.

“We’re doing well today, we only opened at 10 and I think we’ve sold four pieces,” Cyr said around 11 a.m. Saturday. “It was slower yesterday, for Black Friday.”

Next door at Blanchard Gallery, the paintings of Chris Blanchard and works by several other artists, including metal sculptures by his uncle, were on display. His friend Kat Lemont sold coffee from her pop-up coffee stand, setup for the day in the corner of the gallery.

In Gardiner, Rachael and Josh Wilson, owners of Stone Broke Bread & Books, hadn’t noticed much difference in foot traffic due to Small Business Saturday, as they’ve got a following of loyal regulars anyway. They did say the holidays seem to bring more people out shopping. The shop on the corner of Water and Bridge streets offers fresh-baked, naturally-leavened bread made with local ingredients, and small press books unlikely to be distributed by mass-market publishers.

A sandwich board sign seen outside Berry & Berry Floral highlights some of the offerings during Small Business Saturday in Hallowell. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“We try to feed the mind and body,” Rachael Wilson said.

She added that she thinks every day should be a “shop local day.”

At Top Side Gaming, on Water Street in downtown Gardiner, gamers played at a long folding table while a mother with two kids looked at the gaming merchandise on the shelves.

Holly Burgess, watching the shop for her two sons, Theo Burgess and Nate McFadden, said the shop continued its Black Friday discounts through Small Business Saturday. The store planned to host numerous gaming sessions Saturday, including Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons and Dragons, and Warhammer.

“We’ve been busy, with the holiday season, for a while,” she said.

Starting Saturday and continuing every Saturday until Dec. 21, Gardiner Main Street plans Secret Santa Giveaways, in which volunteers will be on Water Street during the day and will give a cash prize to chosen individuals for shopping locally.

Small Business Saturday was founded in 2010 by American Express and, since 2011, has been cosponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration to encourage people to shop at small businesses in their communities.