Small Business Saturday November 24- Will you come shop locally? #SmallBizSat

Last week, I told you all about Small Business Saturday and how I am trying to encourage everybody to go out and shop on November 24, 2012. Small Business Saturday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, just after the craziness of Black Friday, where you go and Shop Small. The goal of Small Business Saturday is to shop at small businesses in your local hometown to try to benefit all your local economies. We all know that everyone likes to shop at major retailers and I am not telling you not to, but rather hoping you  give thought to helping out those small businesses that work so very hard to supply us with their wonderful shops. These small business owners work day in and day out,  and I think they would all greatly appreciate it if we take this one day and shop strictly locally.

We directly can make a difference by shopping small. By spending money at the local shops we are putting money directly back into our individual state’s economy. Did you know that by shopping locally more money stays in the local economy compared to only a small percentage if a similar item is bought at a national chain? I know living in Rhode Island and being in the state with the top five highest unemployment rates it is very difficult for a small business to thrive. What usually happens is a local store opens in Rhode Island only to have it close a few months later because of a national chain taking most of the store’s business. It is actually quite sad to see, but thankfully in the last year or two, small businesses are reinventing themselves in Rhode Island. We have local toy stores, as well as local coffee shops, that are now thriving, which is a true delight to see. It is so nice to see money is being spent at our local stores and put directly back into our troubling economy right now.

I support the Rhode Island small businesses almost daily and will continue to do that. This year, we will be visiting my hometown in New Jersey for Thanksgiving, and I am equally glad to be able to help their economy right now as well. My parents’ hometown had major devastation from Hurricane Sandy. Many shops had to close their doors for good because their stores were damaged beyond repair. Now more than ever, I fully plan to support the local New Jersey small shops that will still be open on Small Business Saturday.

When I shop small, I tend to shop at the local toy store or local coffee shop. I know when I go to New Jersey, there is a small mom and pop coffee shop that has been there for the past 5 years. They have the best coffee and breakfast foods, and I can’t wait to visit them on Small Business Saturday. There is also a wonderful small business that sells children clothes that I plan to visit and support on November 24, as well. My mom and I will be constructing a plan to stop at some of my favorite small business shops including my favorite coffee shop, toy store, and clothes store!

I truly believe if there was no small businesses in my town, our community would greatly suffer. We rely on these small businesses to help build our economy up. Without them, I believe our town would be in the red even more. I also believe small businesses shows people’s true drive, perseverance, and initiative to make a business work. Take away the small business and people are left very little to showcase hard work in todays economy.

Will you come join me on November 24, 2012 for Small Business Saturday?

 

 

 

*I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for American Express. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.