It hasn’t taken long for Small Business Saturday to become part of the holiday shopping landscape.
The event, started in 2010, has staked a strong claim to the day after Black Friday. Over 100 million consumers shopped locally on the holiday last year and the Small Business Administration believes that number will grow again this year.
And that’s caught the attention of business owners like Carl Georigi of the newly opened Taverna restaurant who is participating in his first Small Business Saturday this year.
“Being an entrepreneur I embrace the entrepreneurial spirit but it takes two to make that work and the support of the community is really what makes that vision grow for any small business. So to have an event like this where you bring attention to small businesses, whether it’s on a singular day or a follow up of several days beyond that is a fantastic idea,” said Georigi
Large companies like FedEx, as well as the social media giants Facebook and Twitter, are supporting the initiative created by American Express in 2010.
Mike Monagle, owner of the Delaware Running Company in Greenville and Newark, says the large companies’ involvement initially made him skeptical, but giving it a try changed his mind.
“When it first came out I wasn’t sure how it would really support the small local businesses. And after the first year we saw the response, we saw the feedback. So really latched on to it the following two years, this year especially,” Monagle said.
Many small businesses are turning to social media to spread the word and offer special deals. You can find participating small businesses by using the interactive map on the Small Business Saturday website.
