Small Business Saturday lets holiday shoppers explore what their communities have to offer
Holiday shoppers are more than familiar with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but they may not know that the Saturday after Thanksgiving also offers a special opportunity — to celebrate the 33 million small businesses enriching communities across America.
Small Business Saturday is a day for recognizing the impacts that small businesses have locally: Creating jobs, propping up local economies, and adding vibrancy to neighborhoods.
Founded by American Express in 2010, and co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration in partnership with local chambers of commerce, the day features a slew of deals and events promoting small businesses in towns throughout the country.
The idea of Small Business Saturday has been catching on for years. It gained momentum in 2022, when shoppers at independent retailers and restaurants spent a record $17.9 billion on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, according to the Small Business Administration.
That traffic is critical for small businesses, which generate two out of every three new jobs, said Mark Ratcliffe, main street executive director for West Reading.
“Every dollar spent at a small business brings in 67 cents…that money stays with the local community,” Ratcliffe said. “Our local businesses also support local events, sports teams, charities, so there’s a ripple effect to shopping locally.”
Benefits of shopping small
The benefits of shopping small are unmissable in West Reading, where a revitalization effort brought dozens of small businesses onto Penn Avenue.
West Reading’s main street went from a 50% vacancy rate in 2000, to having a waitlist of people looking for storefront space, according to Ratcliffe.
“We have about a hundred small businesses just on Penn Avenue,” Ratcliffe said. “As West Reading has grown, it also creates a real sense of community, when we have our events, or when it’s a busy Friday night, you go downtown and you’re able to run into neighbors and friends that you don’t see otherwise.”
West Reading regularly holds events that are attended by tens of thousands, like Fall Fest in September, which saw hundreds of vendors set up kiosks along Penn Avenue.
Small business Saturday events
For Small Business Saturday this year, West Reading will have DJs on the avenue, as well as giveaways of handbags and coupons for local stores, Ratcliffe said.
Awareness of the essential role small businesses play has been growing since the COVID pandemic, which saw local shops struggle, according to Eileen Dautrich, president of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce.
“These are the companies that are out there supporting their local communities, giving gift cards to local nonprofits, supporting sports teams, they are members of your community,” Dautrich said. “I think that makes Small Business Saturday have a greater impact beyond Black Friday.”
Dautrich said the TriCounty Chamber of Commerce has partnered with American Express as part of its “Neighborhood Champion” campaign, which encourages area shoppers to frequent local businesses on Small Business Saturday.
The TriCounty Chamber is also working with Diamond Credit Union to hold a small business season contest, where community members can pick up passports at chamber member locations and get them stamped when spending $10 at participating stores.
Participants who rack up $100 worth of stamps can submit their completed passport to the chamber website for a chance to win gift cards from local businesses. The challenge will run until Dec. 31.
A list of participating stores is available on the TriCounty Chamber of Commerce website.
A similar contest will take place in Hamburg on Small Business Saturday, where shoppers that have a passport stamped at 10 participating stores will be entered in a drawing to win gift baskets filled with gift cards and local products.
That challenge is sponsored by Our Town Foundation, a nonprofit for revitalizing downtown Hamburg.
Small Business Saturday in West Chester will feature no shortage of holiday fun, including carolers strolling the streets in Victorian attire, a free concert by the St. Agnes Parish Combined Choirs, Santa on a Firetruck, and a window decorating contest.
Main Line areas will join in the day as well, including a shop and dine crawl Saturday Nov. 25 in Lansdowne, Delaware County, hosted by the Lansdowne Business and Professional Association, according to Bernard Dagenais, president of the Main Line Chamber of Commerce.
While the offerings on Small Business Saturday are vast, Dautrich noted that the appeal of small businesses can be as simple as a great cup of coffee.
“I go to a local coffee shop every morning, those baristas know who I am, they know what my order is, and there’s something to be said for being made to feel that special,” Dautrich said. “That’s hard to get if you’re not in that community environment.”
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