Small Business Saturday

RockedBuzz
By RockedBuzz 9 Min Read

Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held during the Saturday after US Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. This Saturday is always the last one in November, so falls between November 24 and November 30.

What does small business Saturday mean?

Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and communities across the country. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. (1)

Who created Small Business Saturday?

Thomas M. Menino

Small Business Saturday is a registered trademark of American Express. The first event was created by American Express, in partnership with the non-profit National Trust for Historic Preservation, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, and Roslindale Village Main Street. (2)

Why should you shop for a small business?

Strengthen the Local Economy to Promote Future Growth

They may open other shops, provide additional desired products, and encourage other business partners to come to the same community. A small business can be a big boost in helping the economy as well as local schools, libraries, and public services. (3)

Why is Small Business Saturday important?

Traditionally held on the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is your chance to bring your holiday shopping dollars to independent local retailers, who need those dollars this year more than ever. (4)

Small Business Saturday

1. Shoppers Encouraged To Shop Local On Small Business Saturday

Downtown Collingswood is decked out for the season. Small Business Saturday comes at the end of a very challenging year for small businesses, and owners are hoping you will share in some of that Christmas giving.

Small Business Saturday comes a day after Black Friday when people were out finding deep discounts at larger stores. Eyewitness News was at Cherry Hill Mall where people were looking for the cheapest deals they could find. (4)

2. Local shops hope to see a boost from ‘Small Business Saturday’

This Small Business Saturday local-based businesses in the D.C. region say they need your help now more than ever.

Jennifer Newcomb opened a unique paint night-type event business called Reclaimed By You on Main Street in Ellicott City, Maryland, in 2019. But when the coronavirus pandemic hit the area in March, in-person events had to stop.

“Those are exactly the kinds of things that we cannot be doing safely right now,” said Newcomb.

Like many small businesses dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, she had to take her in-person business online. (5)

3. Jacksonville owners hope for big turnout on Small Business Saturday

The owner of Indigo Apparel and Accessories in Avondale had to close temporarily. The owner said at least 130 small businesses have closed in the Jacksonville area. According to American Express, 75% of shoppers want to shop local this holiday season after the hard year.

Other local owners say they know the hardships first hand.

“Small business accounts for 70-plus percent of the country’s economy. We employ local. We serve the local. We try to cater to the needs of the local,” said Insight owner Christine Khanna.

“We’re local. We’re right here with you. That’s how I see it,” said Samantha Dames, Make Beauty owner. “So to me, shopping small business is everything. I love the local stores and local grocers. The farmers market is where I frequently go. Like, anything local. Just support your own people.” (6)

4. Small Business Saturday Takes On Greater Importance With More Shops In Danger Of Closing This Holiday Season

While even a global pandemic couldn’t stop shoppers from gorging on Black Friday deals this year, local shop owners are hoping there’s spending money left for them on Small Business Saturday, CBS2’s Christina Fan reported.

A projected 35% to 40% of holiday shopping sales will be online this year, partly because of the pandemic. More than 100,000 small businesses around the U.S. have been forced to close.

“Jeff Bezos doesn’t need more of our money. Our friends and neighbors who are local, independent shop owners and retailers, they need our money this season more than ever,” said Bob Zuckerman, executive director of the Downtown Westfield Corporation in Westfield, NJ. (7)

5. Small Business Saturday events across the region encouraged as pandemic persists

In Jonesborough, the town’s events coordinator told News Channel 11’s Anslee Daniel that the town has facilitated the event this year in hopes that the small business owners could see a boost in business as the pandemic continues.

“We’re excited to have a Small Business Saturday tent here, we’ve got lots of things to give away, we’ve got Small Business Saturday bags, we’ve also got a shop local bingo that we’re going to be promoting, so you can go visit all the stores, make a purchase and get a stamp, and when you get five in a row, you turn those in and we register the prizes,” Events Coordinator Melinda Copp said. “We’re also going to be giving away gingerbread kits in preparation for our Jonesborough’s Gingerbread Villiage, that will start next weekend, so we’re really excited about that. We want you to take your gingerbread kit home, build it, get creative, and then bring it back and enter it in our contest.” (7)

Small Business Saturday 2020

1. Small Business Saturday more important than ever amid COVID pandemic

The New York City small business commissioner will be touring the five boroughs on Saturday, including in Marcy Square, encouraging people to get out and support local businesses whether in person or online.

In celebration of the holiday, on Saturday State Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Harvey Epstein introduced the “Manhattan Mom & Pop Tax Relief Act.” (8)

2. Holiday Market opens for Small Business Saturday

“Since March we haven’t had a chance to actually go out there and sell our goods in person and this event is basically a boost for us. We are so looking forward to coming together as a community again,” Hill said.

There will be free masks and sanitizing stations set up throughout the market. Vendors say they’re following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health and safety guidelines to limit contact, so you may need to browse differently this year. Many vendors say they’ll hold up items for people to look over instead of letting you browse on your own. (9)

3. Actor Issa Rae urges participation in Small Business Saturday

LOS ANGELES — With many small businesses struggling to hold on during the coronavirus pandemic, Issa Rae believes now is the time to support independent stores more than ever. (10)

Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is important every year, but especially this year as many small businesses have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Small Business Saturday®Small Business Saturday®

And there are a plethora of curated gift guides with notable picks from notables such as actress Tia Mowry, Jojo Fletcher and Tan France. (11)

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