Small Business Saturday Started — Let’s Make All Year Round
Small Business Saturday started across the country and Gene Marks from the Philadelphia Inquirer covered several exciting kick-off events all across Philadelphia, New Jersey and the surrounding areas. There were a wide variety of pop-up shops and special events showcasing all the great products and services in our communities.
Mark gave a brief history and some important small business statistics:
The annual promotion, which was launched by American Express back in 2010 to encourage shopping on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, has grown into a massive event that attracted more than 51 million shoppers nationwide in 2021. Industry observers are forecasting that nearly 6 in 10 holiday shoppers will participate in Small Business Saturday this year, a number that’s predicted to be higher than Black Friday.
Small Business Saturday is particularly important this year. The National Retail Federation is predicting that holiday sales will only increase about 4% (it was 15% in 2021) and that the average consumer will spend about $833, a significant decrease from the $879 per consumer spent last year…Which is why many small businesses in the area are doubling down on the annual event that celebrates them. (Gene Marks, Philadelphia Inquirer)
The Philadelphia Enterprise Center got an early start this year with a pop-up shop on Thursday. According to Alec Larson from The Philadelphia Tribune, the market “focused on highlighting over 30 Black-owned businesses, with a diverse range of products such as clothing, art, jewelry, home décor, candles, and skin & haircare essentials. The market is at 26 S. 52nd St. and will be open from Tuesday to Sunday weekly until it closes Jan. 15, 2023.”
Small businesses drive the economy with great entrepreneur opportunities and employ 46.7% of Americans, but it’s corporations that get all the glory and that needs to change.
Your support can help small businesses grow, scale up and provide better jobs. Starting this holiday season let’s make a conscious effort to support our local businesses all year round.
