Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 30

Saturday, Nov. 30 marks the 10^th annual “Small Business Saturday.” This is the day between Black Friday and Cyber Monday where shoppers are encouraged to patronize their locally owned and operated small-town businesses. 

Otherwise known as “Shop Small Saturday,” the Saturday after Thanksgiving capitalizes on one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. 

The annual holiday was actually started in 2010 by the credit card company American Express to show their support of local retailers and small ecommerce shops. American Express reports “for every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S., 67 cents stays in the local community.” Shopping local all year long brings a lot of money into any one community. 

And it’s proven that those who shop small on Small Business Saturday typically return to those businesses throughout the year. “Ninety-six percent of consumers who reported shopping on Small Business Saturday said they felt more inclined to shop small throughout the year.” 

Small businesses make up more than 99 percent of all businesses in the U.S., and employ 47 percent of the workforce. 

Monticello is home to many unique businesses that add to our community’s vitality. Take a look at the front of this week’s Shoppers’ Guide. It features a wide range of local businesses to patronize on Nov. 30: restaurants, gift shops, clothing stores, salons, home furnishings, electronics, jewelry, appliances, and more. 

Shop Small Saturday works to also bring communities together for the holidays. 

During the recent downtown assessment that took place in late October, it was pointed out that Monticello had many great businesses downtown, but the foot traffic was not there. Showing support of our local businesses also shows you care about your community. You want a vibrant, busy downtown. 

Many of Monticello’s business owners are also huge community supporters themselves, giving to local charities and events throughout the year. Many serve on community and school committees, groups, and boards. Shopping local is a way to support those efforts as well. 

While you can always run to a neighboring town to shop at the big box stores or online, Shop Small Saturday shows you support our local economy. Plus, you get more of a personalized shopping experience staying local. 

Make it a point of shopping small on Nov. 30, and support what Monticello has to offer. (K.N.B.)