POSTED: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 --- 5:30 p.m.

Local stores are looking for attention.

On a busy shopping weekend the small businesses are often overshadowed.

Today they try to make sure that doesn't happen.

For big box stores lines form, the ads come one after another and eventually the mad rush begins.

Big box stores have no problem generating attention.

On the other end of the spectrum is Dane Buy Local, holding a press conference to ask shoppers to remember them.

County Executive Joe Parisi says, "We urge you to think local and buy local."

Far from the world of the busy big boxes is the local small business.

Many of these retailers are also very dependent on the holiday shopping season.

Beth Robinson is co-owner of Chiripa. She estimates they do 20-percent of their business between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

She says, "Not surprisingly, it's very important."

Her store certainly approaches Thanksgiving weekend differently.

Robinson says, "We will not have any door busters on Friday morning. We're not into that."

Chiripa is a small store on Park Street. Everything inside has it's own unique story. The owners get all the items from craftsman in small villages in Mexico."

Shopper Sarah Harari says, "I love that they're handmade and beautiful colors."

The store offers a drastic difference from busy shopping malls.

Harari says, "I prefer to buy local."

It's the type of store Dane Buy Local wants people to think about.

Robinson says, "It's not a door buster kind of mentality we have. It's a one of a kind thing. It's what we hope is a nice environment for people to shop and enjoy music. We just enjoy the people as people, not really as customers."

She knows her store won't have any lines, won't have any anxious masses, just a very different option.

Dane Buy Local is quite proud of the fact they're actually the largest buy local group in the country.