Small businesses in Shakopee have the right idea. Pull together around a common event: the Canterbury Park Autumn Festival Arts & Crafts Fair, held through Sunday. Four businesses will be holding warehouse/liquidation sales with big savings on gourmet soups, coffee, gift wrapping supplies and candles. (see map below)


The soup ladies sale, with dried soup, beverage and dessert mixes continues through Sunday at 1157 Valley Park Dr. S. (952-496-2887). The event is popular for its free tastings of many items. All of the items are produced locally. Cash is accepted, but not credit cards.

Gage & Gage's sale through Sunday includes wrapping paper, boxes and bows, gift basket making supplies, wine packaging, Italian bakery boxes for pies, as well as paper plates, cups and napkins, (660 Industrial Circle, 952-233-2081).

With the high price of coffee today, we have to wait for a sale. Here's a good one: Cameron's Coffee (5700 12th Av. E., 952-374-5000) includes some regular ground and whole bean and organic and Rainforest Alliance-certified coffees and flavored syrups through Saturday. Today's sale hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dianne's Candles sale at America's Best Value Inn (1244 Canterbury Rd., 952-746-5530) includes locally made, highly-fragranced candles in a variety of sizes, reed diffusers, as well as gourmet cheesecakes. Mention "Star Tribune" for 50 percent off one item. Today's hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sale also runs Nov. 16-20.

TC Originals offers 30 percent off $25, $50 or $100 gift cards at 20 local restaurants. A few of the restaurants are on Restaurant.com too, but most are indies that rarely offer other discounts. Some of the restaurants include Biella in Excelsior, David Fong's in Bloomington, Eden Ave. Grill in Edina, Lake Elmo Inn, Luci Ancora in St. Paul, Murray's in downtown Minneapolis, Scusi in St. Paul and Spill the WIne in Minneapolis. Log on to the site at 10 a.m. sharp when the batch of certs is released. Luci Ancora and Rudolph's always sell out quickly. Some of the restaurants only sell 10 certificates per dollar amount.