Shop Local on Small Business Saturday: November 26, 2016!

“Small Business Saturday” will take place on Saturday November 26, 2016. It is a day to make the most out of the local mom and pop shops surrounding the area that we have all come to know and love. They bring character and charm to our communities, and a cultural flavor for tourists and families passing through.

What exactly is Small Business Saturday? Credit Card Company American Express actually launched the holiday back on November 27th, 2010. The launch would come in the middle of the mid-two thousand’s great recession. In an effort to boost the economy and our wallets, American Express began a simple ad campaign with one message: get out and shop local!

Small Business Saturday would be so well received by the United States Senate that they recognized the movement as a national day in 2012. All state officials from all fifty states championed the ideal of Small Business Saturday. In fact, support was so great that in 2014 alone an estimated $14.3 billion dollars were spent by consumers on Small Business Saturday.

In more recent years American Express has still held on to their campaigns for Small Business Saturday but it has been so well recognized that the company has admitted to scaling back a bit. Experts explain that American Express has achieved a unique opportunity and has changed the behavior and culture of the people.

Why participate in Small Business Saturday? To start with, small businesses drive much of the United States economy. Currently, there are 28 million small businesses in the United States, projecting about 54% of all sales in the U.S.

Small Business Saturday offers consumers one of a kind products and services. Customers get to interact with business owners in their own community and experience the character of their local clan first hand. Customers also get one-on-one service that can be difficult to get at most store chains and franchises. Participating also allows for circulation of money in the same locality that helps the community thrive.

This weekend, while you are caught up in the leftover turkeys and Black Friday madness, don’t forget to think about shops in your local community. Jefferson County has several local business that are thriving due to support from people just like you. Think about taking your family, even if you don’t live in Jefferson County or the surrounding area, and visit one of these shops for yourself.

Pouring money into our local communities is a great way to see growth and commerce thrive in ways we might not witness without such support. Being involved in your community’s economic success can make all the difference.