After the Thanksgiving leftovers have been packed away, the department store mania of Black Friday has died down, and just before Cyber Monday kicks the internet into a frenzy, the biggest shopping day in the country is happening in your backyard: Small Business Saturday.
Last year, 95 million people spent $16.2 billion shopping small on Small Business Saturday. American Express, who in year’s prior had offered monetary incentives to cardholders on Small Business Saturday, pulled back on those incentives only to see small business customers increase.
The ripple effect is forming into a wave. This year, projections for Small Business Saturday are reaching $17.8 billion, a 10% rise from 2015. As we’ve mentioned before, for every $100 spent at an independent store, $68 returns to the community. For those counting at home, this year’s projected return for local communities exceeds $12 billion.
You can help make this the most successful Small Business Saturday yet by supporting independent product Makers at independent Retailers.
Check out our featured Retailers with dedicated Grommet displays and the 170 locally-owned Ace Hardware stores that recently began selling Grommets.
Tell your friends and family at the Thanksgiving table, share posts on social media (and tag us @TheGrommet), and get out and shop small on Saturday.
The goals we all share—improving our communities and economies, creating jobs, and bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.—become increasingly achievable the more we invest in small businesses. Take pride in helping to make that happen.
If you want more proof of the positive effect of shopping local, check out the remarks from Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, an avid small businesses supporter. At last week’s Boston City Council meeting, she urged fellow city councilors to encourage their districts to shop small this Saturday—and every day.
“Small businesses invest in our communities. [They support] our little leagues, parades, and our schools. They often become central to our neighborhoods. And they generate 170,000 jobs [in the Boston area].
Small businesses also create a path to the American Dream for countless immigrants, women and people of color.
A member of my staff recently shared the story of her immigrant parents who, without the benefit of even a high school education, created a neighborhood candy store and ice cream shop that enabled their family to buy a home and send four children to college.
My grandfather came to the United States with my grandmother with no assets other than his skills and his determination. Similarly, he built his life in the United States as an immigrant entrepreneur. This story repeats itself thousands of times in our neighborhoods.”
Take pride in helping to make the American dream come true for millions. Shop local. Shop small. Help strengthen neighborhoods. Rinse. Repeat.
Happy Small Business Saturday!
Didn’t see any shops in your neighborhood above, see a complete list of our Retailers nationwide.