Many small retailers in Charlotte are looking back at 2011 with satisfaction, as the worst of the recession seemed to fade and sales rebounded or held steady.

They're also cautiously optimistic about what's in store for 2012, but concerned about how the local economy will fare as Charlotte pillars such as Bank of America continue to sway.

The Observer interviewed a variety of small local retailers to see how they fared in a year when economic unease lingered like a bad hangover. Many said they're working harder and holding more sales than pre-2007, but hanging on - and doing well.

"I think people are just tired of the doom and gloom, and realizing it's not the end of the world," said Jim Wilkerson, owner of BlackHawk Hardware in the Park Road Shopping Center.

The only truly rough patch this year, he said, was the summer. The debt ceiling crisis made it seem "like nobody was in control," he said. Consumers' confidence shook, and sales at BlackHawk fell.

"We had a couple bad months in a row, (after) we'd been going steady all spring," Wilkerson said. "Starting in October, it's come back really strong."

He's seen strong sales of big-ticket items, such as the Green Egg grill, which sold at least 40 units in December alone.

"It starts anywhere from $800 to $1,200, so that's a pretty good sign," Wilkerson said. He expects to end the year with revenue up about 7 percent over 2010.

After a year riddled off and on with predictions of another recession, economic news largely picked up toward the end of the year. Holiday shopping, helped by discounts, was strong, and the number of weekly jobless claims continued to fall.

Larry Elder, owner of Elder Gallery in South End, said he's wrapping up one of his best years for sales. But he's done it through novel strategies that he didn't use before the recession, Elder says, such as a two-month temporary retail shop in Atherton Mills.

Despite the positive year, Elder knows that his fine-art business depends on a robust customer base, and continued talk of layoffs and cutbacks at large financial institutions such as Bank of America concerns him.

Sally Brewster, owner of Park Road Books, saw economic worries ease a bit this year. "We feel much better about 2011, and we're looking forward to 2012," she said. "Business has been good. People seem more optimistic. It seems much more positive than it did last year."

Brewster was one of several local retailers who said they saw a clear increase in the number of people who say they want to "shop local" in 2011.

"This year's been really big about people saying they wanted to shop local. Small Business Saturday was really big," she said, referring to the Thanksgiving weekend event aimed at boosting small shops, vendors and restaurants.

Nationally, experts and analysts agree that holiday sales will be up over 2010. The holiday season is the most important for many retailers, who make a large portion of their sales as people shop for gifts. The National Retail Federation, a trade group, is predicting that holiday sales will have risen 3.8 percent this year, to a record $469 billion.

A closely watched sales index from the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs showed retailers experienced a record-breaking Black Friday, then a lull, followed by another surge in buying in the two weeks before Christmas. The figures suggest shoppers were in the mood to spend, but also willing to wait for the best deals.

Debbie Hartnett opened Slate Interiors on Central Avenue in November 2010. In her first year, Hartnett said she's seen sales increases each month.

"It's not a big jump every month, but it's a nice, continual climb," she said. Hartnett's strategy has been shaped by the economy. She's focusing on people in their 20s and 30s who are buying homes for $350,000 to $500,000. The higher-end, multimillion-dollar home furnishing market is still troubled, Hartnett said.

Jennifer Hecht owns Sweet Magnolia Style, a boutique in Mooresville.

"It was pretty good," she said of 2011. "We were a little bit more from last year in sales."

Still, Hecht said she's had to work hard to draw in shoppers this year, using social media, discounts and promotions such as ladies' nights.

"Everyone is looking for deals," said Hecht. "I think the shaken economy has definitely affected the sales. People are holding their money a little bit tighter."