Two sisters from Kentucky were the winners of this year’s Ironton aLive Small Business Saturday’s Ironton Bucks contest.

It was a last-minute decision that brought Lynette Speaks, of Raceland, Kentucky, and Lori Miller, of Boyd County, Kentucky to Ironton on Oct. 26.

Speaks said they started the day off by hitting a few shops in Ashland, Kentucky, and were going to head over to Russell, Kentucky, but changed 

their mind at the last minute.

“We thought, no, we would come over to Ironton because they were having Small Business Saturday and Christmas on Vernon with all the vendors. We got over her and it was really hopping” she said. “We got downtown and started playing the game. We didn’t do the elf scavenger hunt, but we did follow along on Ironton aLive’s Facebook. We got our paper in and winner, winner, chicken dinner.”

Speaks won $150 in Ironton Bucks and Miller won $300 in Ironton Bucks.

“I’m her lucky charm,” Speaks said. “She was the big winner and I was the little winner.”

Miller said this was her first time attending an event in Ironton.

“I saw all the vendors and I was like ‘Y’all got it going on,’” she said. “This was a great event.” 

The sisters said they are big fans of shopping local.

“As much as we can, we shop local,” Miller said.

Speaks said she is not a fan of shopping big box stores.

“I like to patronize my small town businesses,” she said. 

Christy Phillips, co-chair of Ironton aLive, said Small Business Saturday was well attended this year.

“The Small Business Saturday event was amazing,” she said. “There was a lot more people than I expected, we had a great weather day which I think really helped. I was a great turnout.”

She added that she thinks it was good to have it happen in conjunction with Christmas on Vernon.