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What started in 2010 as a way to help put a spotlight on the role local businesses can play in any community has grown into one of the most recognized days on the holiday shopping calendar, right after that longtime favorite Black Friday and just before the relative newcomer Cyber Monday.
It's Small Business Saturday, a day set aside to encourage consumers to shop at some of the 33.2 million small businesses that are open across the United States. It falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and the numbers that have been generated on that day in the last 11 years are impressive.
According to American Express, which came up with the idea to help drive shoppers to businesses during a recession, last year's Small Business Saturday saw a record $23.3 billion in spending.
Those numbers show the difference shopping locally make, not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year.
"The great thing about shopping local is finding those unique goods and items from local shops that might offer something more special than mass-quantity items," said Eric Fithyan, president of the Follansbee Chamber of Commerce. "You can find personalized service, and you will be working with people you know and deal with on a daily basis."
And the importance of that cannot be underestimated.
"I see so many changes in shopping -- people are looking at smaller shops to frequent," explained Brenda Mull, president of the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce. "You can find more unique items -- and to me, that's one of my favorite aspects. Even when I travel, I like to shop in smaller businesses."
To be fair, the average customer might not always be aware the impact small businesses have on a town. But, according to American Express, 67 cents of every dollar spent in a small business remains in the community.
"I don't think people think about how important that is," Mull said. "It's not their fault -- life gets in the way, but it's important that we shop local and support local businesses. It keeps people employed and it keeps tax dollars here."
Kate Sedgmer, president of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, agrees with her counterparts and adds that the type of service and commitment you find in locally owned businesses helps set the tone for the region as a whole.
"We're in a day and age where we talk about the culture of community," said Sedgmer. "It's all of the local businesses that create that culture, and if we don't support them, it goes away. Having the bigger businesses is important, but it's not the same as having an M&M Hardware or Exquisite Creations by Joel -- it's not just about their businesses, it's about the community at large."
That includes maintaining attractive exteriors, neat and clean interiors and staffing to meet anticipated traffic.
"If all of our storefronts look horrible, and if they have just a few people working, it sets a tone we don't want to project," she added.
Numbers show there will be a lot of shopping going on Nov. 26 -- last year, according to the National Retail Federation, 51 million people shopped in stores on Small Business Saturday, while another 56.4 million shopped online. In fact, the federation said that 180 million Americans shopped last year in the period that ran from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday.
The chamber leaders also stress that local businesses give back to the community in many ways.
"The most obvious reason to support our small businesses is because small businesses support us all year round," Sedgmer said. "There is not a team or an event in our county that is not supported by one of our small businesses in some way."
Numbers compiled by SCORE, the Service Core of Retired Executives, back that up. According to a survey the nonprofit conducted in 2019, local businesses donate 250 percent more than larger businesses to local nonprofits and community causes.
In fact, SCORE showed that 75 percent of small business owners donate an average of 6 percent of their profits to charitable organizations each year. A closer look at those numbers shows 66 percent give to local charities, 48 percent support youth organizations, 39 percent support religious organizations, 37 percent aid local service groups and 32 percent donate food or volunteer in soup kitchens.
"These are the businesses and people that we turn to when our kids need a sponsorship or donation," Fithyan said.
That's especially true in our area.
"I don't know if you could go anywhere else in the world and find businesses that understand the importance of giving back better than our businesses," Sedgmer added. "Whether they own a restaurant or a retail establishment, they give back in droves."
"You have to support your small businesses," Mull added. "If you're just looking at our area, we have so many small businesses that are offering so many different items. We have nice shopping opportunities here -- and it's not just boutiques -- if you are looking for food and libations, we have those opportunities as well."
Fithyan explained that local businesses offer a unique shopping experience -- from staff members who also are your neighbors to providing the small details that help expand the shopping experience.
"You can sometimes get a nicer presentation of wares and goods," he said. "We're talking about the little extras, whether it's a gift bag with tissue paper or a gift box. That can make the purchase extra special."
That's something to keep in mind as you are shopping this coming weekend -- and every other day of the year, for that matter.
"Small shop owners are anxiously waiting to serve you," Mull said. "They are there to greet us, and they want us to see what they have to offer."
(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times.)