Do you love personal service? Do you enjoy browsing a shop and finding just what you want? Is the health of your neighborhood and local economy important to you?
If you answered yes to the above questions, then Small Business Saturday should be an important day on your calendar.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving was designated Small Business Saturday in 2010 as a push during the recession to support and promote the success of small businesses. Today, this important shopping day is recognized across the country with support from the U.S. government, small business associations, non-profit trade groups, municipalities and thousands of volunteers. But while this day has become a holiday shopping tradition much like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it is a practice that supporters encourage year-round.
Why? Because even as small businesses struggle to compete with big box and department stores, they continue to be the nucleus around which communities and neighborhoods thrive. Consider these facts:
- Half of all private sector jobs in the U.S. are provided by small businesses.
- Almost 68 cents of every dollar spent at a small business will stay in the community in the form of reinvestment in local products and services.
- More than 90% of small business owners support their communities by giving to local charities, encouraging employees to volunteer and by working as local leaders.
In the 9 years since Small Business Saturday was established, shoppers have spent an estimated $100 billion at their local businesses. If you haven’t explored your local small businesses to round out your holiday gift list, make this the year you do. During the holiday season you will enjoy small crowds, honest pricing and available inventory, but any time of year there are many benefits to shopping small.
- Personal relationships and one-on-one customer service
- Immediate delivery
- Personalized gift wrapping
- Environmentally friendly packaging
- Unique and locally sourced gifts
- On-line access for those who prefer to shop from home
If you are looking this year to shop small for the mechanic in your family, visit Shriber Auto Parts in Cuyahoga falls or Mason’s Auto Parts in Akron. These locally owned shops carry a wide variety of quality auto parts and have served their communities for decades. Click on their names to visit their websites for more information and remember to shop small this Small Business Saturday.