TAMPA, Fla. – As shoppers hit the stores this weekend, many small business owners are hoping for a big day.
- 10th annual Small Business Saturday
- Event encourages people to shop locally
Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of “Small Business Saturday.”
It’s a day to remind shoppers to check out locally owned businesses for their holiday shopping.
This year is especially big for Brent Kraus. He just expanded his men’s clothing shop, Ella Bing Haberdashery, from online to a brick and mortar location in Hyde Park Village.
“Small Business Saturday gives us little guys a chance to compete with the big box stores," Kraus said. "It really does help us out a lot.”
Hyde Park Village offers more than 20 shops that are locally owned, each labeled as such when you walk in the door. It was one of many Bay Area communities and shopping centers encouraging shoppers to stay local.
“I think it’s huge for our community to support one another,” said Misty Akers, owner of The Candle Pour. “It’s also great for our visitors to remember something that’s unique to the area.”
The national effort for Small Business Saturday has now been around for 10 years. According to American Express, for every dollar spent at a small business, 67 cents stays in the local community.
But for many local shops, it’s not just about Saturday but the entire holiday season.
“They say this our Super Bowl. But it also has a lot to do with the whole month of November and December,” Kraus said.
Since 2010, consumers have reported spending more than $100 billion on Small Business Saturday.