Your friends and relatives are unique, so your holiday gifts should be special too. While big box stores dominate Black Friday and online retailers highlight Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is all about celebrating the local shops that make your community unique. These are the mom-and-pop, brick-and-mortar stores that are locally owned and staffed. They include fashion boutiques, gift shops, stationers, jewelers, and other stores offering a genuine shopping experience and unique products you can’t find elsewhere. Unlike national chains, these small businesses don’t have large advertising budgets or email blasts, but they are just as deserving of your attention and your holiday spending.
Last year, about 112 million consumers shopped at small businesses on Small Business Saturday—a 13 percent increase from 2015, according to a survey by American Express and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Consumers spent around $15.4 billion at independent retailers and restaurants.
This year, Small Business Saturday is on November 25, and I encourage you to join in your community. Small businesses are crucial to our economy and communities. Over half of the workforce either owns or works for a small business, and these businesses create two out of every three new jobs in the private sector. Neighborhoods and families across the country rely on the success of small businesses. By shopping at these stores, your holiday spending will stay within your community, supporting local jobs and making the holidays brighter for more people than just those on your shopping list.
This Saturday, “Shop Small” and share your purchases on social media with #ShopSmall. I hope you’ll be motivated to support your local small businesses not just on November 25, but throughout the entire season. By doing so, you’re supporting your neighbors and the valuable contributions they make to your community all year long.
