Preparations for Small Business Saturday are underway in Long Beach

On Nov. 27, shoppers are encouraged to skip the trip to chain stores and shop with their local small businesses instead. To help sweeten the deal, business improvement districts across the city have come up with activities that give shoppers an opportunity to learn more about the locally owned businesses in their area and even win gift cards for shopping there.

‘Antonio’s mission’: Long Beach hairstylist uplifts women, children at local shelter

For about two decades, Antonio Francisco Gonzales has been in the business of hair, specializing in high-end women’s cuts, color and styling. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, he studied his craft in the San Fernando Valley in the late ’90s, honed his skills in New York City, took his talents to Miami Beach and finally ended up in Long Beach this year.