Started in 2010, Small Business Saturday still has not yet gained the level of awareness of Black Friday or Cyber Monday. At least, not yet. The day continues to grow in popularity and recognition. Created by American Express, the day started out as an event to remind holiday shoppers to support their locally owned and operated small businesses — not just the big boxes and online mega-ecommerce websites. This year, more small businesses — even those who don’t accept American Express — joined in the celebration. Across the nation, in cities and small towns from coast-to-coast, people were dropping by their favorite shops and markets.


A few of the hundreds of news articles covering Small Business Saturday, 2016

Small Business Saturday overtaking holiday spending

Norwalk, Conn., was offering downtown visitors free parking on Saturday, and Stamford planned to host an extravaganza filled with free popcorn, gift card giveaways and a selfie station.

Chicago-based businesses celebrate Small Business Saturday

WLS-TV – After Black Friday comes Small Business Saturday, when locally owned businesses make a push for your holiday shopping dollars.

Oklahomans show support for Small Business Saturday

kfor.com – The Oklahoma community was able to help increase local tax revenue by shopping local on Small Business Saturday. It’s a day co-owners of Deer Creek Boutique, Tami Owens and Brittany Thompson, look forward to every year.

Valley shoppers hit independent stores on Small Business Saturday

Las Vegas Review-Journal – Shoppers in the Las Vegas Valley this weekend joined the national Small Business Saturday celebration, an effort established in 2010 by American Express to encourage spending at independent retailers and restaurants during the holiday shopping rush.

Minneapolis shops see big turnout for Small Business Saturday

Minneapolis (WCCO) — While the big box stores offer huge sales for Black Friday, small businesses offer things you can’t find in a box. Small businesses in South Minneapolis saw a big turnout for Small Business Saturday. Shoppers.

Small Business Saturday boosts local New York City companies

CBS Local – ‎NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Small Business Saturday celebrated local companies and the personal services they provide. “Coming into a small business, you don’t get like in a big company where you’re just one of the many”

Spokane celebrates Small Business Saturday

KXLY Spokane – Another year, another Black Friday craze. Now the Black Friday chaos is over, and communities across the country are focusing instead on Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday brings shoppers to Marquette

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – With yesterday being the biggest retail day of the year nationwide, attention turned to the local businesses Saturday. “It’s something that businesses have been doing in recent years to follow Black Friday.”

Small Business Saturday shines spotlight on Orlando shops

Orlando Sentinel – In the post-Thanksgiving retail rush, local small businesses carved out their own day on Saturday, November 26, 2016.

Community Floods Clarksville For Small Business Saturday

NewsChannel5.com – Hundreds of people filed in and out of historic Downtown Clarksville in search of some deals to snag on Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday in Midtown

ABC10.com – ‎The association gave out gift cards to shoppers in the area Saturday to say thanks for helping out small businesses. Jim Relles, owner and operator of the 70 year old Relles Floral said, “We have a lot of specials today…”

Small Business Saturday, New Orleans style

WWLTV.com – ‎He finally achieved success this year, and was happy to help market small business Saturday. “Everyone, please shop local. You have to shop local, because we can keep the money in our economy instead of going out to the big box sores,” said Colton.

Small Business Saturday a hit for Downtown Alamogordo

Alamogordo Daily News – Businesses were grateful with the numerous residents who shopped on Small Business Saturday with merchants on New York Avenue in Alamogordo’s Historic Downtown Saturday.

Nashville shops hold business crawls for Small Business Saturday

The Tennessean – ‎Local shops expect another boost in sales from this year’s Small Business Saturday. The national retail event — wedged between Black Friday and Cyber Monday — aims to encourage spending at small, independent businesses.

La Crosse celebrates Small Business Saturday

WKBT – ‎Small Business Saturday is a national day to celebrate small businesses in the community. It’s the counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which typically feature big box retail stores. The national event encourages holiday shoppers to support small businesses.

North Park, Little Italy Communities Celebrate Small Business Saturday

NBC 7 San Diego – ‎Communities in San Diego, including North Park and Little Italy, urged locals to shop small on Saturday and support tiny, independently-owned businesses. As Small Business Saturday began, many of the shops along 30th Street in North Park planned to participate…

Small Business Saturday a big day for Easton stores

EASTON, Pa. – The holiday shopping rush continued Saturday and small businesses across the country are in the spotlight. In recent years, the Saturday following Thanksgiving and Black Friday has been reserved to put the focus on supporting local …

Greensboro shoppers go local for Small Business Saturday

Greensboro News & Record – ‎The clothing boutique and nail salon was one of many businesses downtown preparing for an influx of customers on Small Business Saturday, a national event designed to drive holiday shopping to local, independently owned stores and restaurants.

Local Little Rock Business Appreciates Small Business Saturday

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – From Black Friday to Small Business Saturday, hundreds of people across the country flooded stores, celebrating small local companies. But spending money locally isn’t limited to gift buying.

Local St. Louis communities celebrate Small Business Saturday

KMOV.com – ‎Communities around the St. Louis Metropolitan area celebrated Small Business Saturday; a tradition that’s been going on for several years.

Small Business Saturday a big deal for Portland shops damaged in blast

PORTLAND, Ore. – Compared to Black Friday’s big, bustling crowds, Small Business Saturday may seem subtle. Portland’s shop owners say, don’t be fooled.

Boise shoppers think local on Small Business Saturday

BOISE – The Saturday after Thanksgiving is becoming known as Small Business Saturday – an alternative to Black Friday, when big-box stores tend to take center stage. Rediscovered Books in downtown Boise was packed full of customers on Saturday.

Small Business Saturday attracts shoppers to downtown Lawrence

Lawrence Journal World – ‎The owners of those unique local shops were looking to greet a lot of hometown and destination shoppers for Small Business Saturday, said Sally Zogry, of Downtown Lawrence Inc. “Small Business Saturday is a big deal,” she said. “We promote it like crazy.”

Little Rock businesses celebrate Small Business Saturday with deals, scavenger hunt

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – Whether it’s Black Friday or Giving Tuesday, the holiday season brings along labels for plenty of days.

Farmington retailers mark Small Business Saturday

Farmington Daily Times – Local residents Karla Montoya and Rebecca Brandt were sorting through custom lapel pins today at the Three Rivers Art Center, one of the downtown retailers participating in Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday is a national …

Small Business Saturday welcomes shoppers in Northeast Ohio

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – We’ve been through Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Now, it’s time for Small Business Saturday. The annual shopping event, started by American Express in 2010, is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving. T

Shoppers Support Local in Little Falls on Small Business Saturday

LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. – It might have been a little rainy, but that didn’t stop some shoppers from going out on Small Business Saturday. “Oh it’s been great,” said David Guile, the owner of Showcase Antiques.


Baker County Tourism (basecampbaker.com) via Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

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