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Perhaps one of the reasons that people have come to dread Christmas is the incessant push to shop ’til you drop. But if you’re looking here for a message to eschew any kind of commercialization, then you’ll have to look elsewhere. Instead, because today is Small Business Saturday, we’re going to advocate you at least shop locally as much as possible.

A bit of background: American Express launched Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27, 2010, as a way to promote the importance of shopping small and local. The very next year, the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution of support for the day, which is recognized each year on the Saturday following Thanksgiving and the day after Black Friday. In 2014, and estimated $14.3 billion was spent at small, independent businesses on SBS, and in 2015 roughly 95 million people shopped at small businesses on the designated day.

Why is supporting small business so important? Because small, independent businesses are owned, operated and employ our friends and neighbors. The incomes and profits they generate tend to stay in the local community, supporting other local businesses and non-profit organizations. Small businesses are the backbone of our local tax base, generating important revenue that finds our schools and emergency services.

We don’t expect you to spend your personal budget for next year, but we do ask that you consider first shopping locally this weekend … and whenever you are able, for that matter.

 

We look forward to reporting that residents in Western Tidewater supported their local businesses first.