Shop Small...Small Business Saturday is November 24th!

 

By now, your e-mail inbox has probably been inundated to the max with Black Friday “special deals.”  If fact, online Black Friday deals are already starting - and it’s only Tuesday! And, some in-store Black Friday deals are starting as early as 8:00 Thanksgiving night at some major retailers! This MAY seem like a good thing on the surface, but the display of corporate and personal greed has really gotten out of hand, and as a result, the holiday season is really starting to lose its joy and true meaning.

I could go on a lengthy tirade about how many things are so very wrong about the crazy Black Friday scenarios, but it’s the beginning of the holiday season and I want to head in a more positive and festive direction.

There is a new and wonderful phenomenon that is sweeping the nation: Small Business Saturday, which this year is being celebrated on Saturday, November 24. While corporate retail giants do play an important role in all of our lives, and so many people do enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" on Black Friday, it's the small, local businesses that create the cozy atmosphere and special environment we all love about our hometowns.

American Express has partnered with small businesses, and as a team we are working together to promote Shop Small. American Express has special offers for its customers that support small businesses, and many small businesses are running a variety of special promotions to show their appreciation for your support. You can easily find out which of your local small businesses are participating by visiting the www.ShopSmall.com website.

At Artful Beads, we are celebrating Small Business Saturday by offering 15% off almost everything in the store, along with fun Make-N-Take projects and having lots of home baked goodies to enjoy while browsing and beading!

Whether it's a hardware store, a food market, an artisan, or a bead shop, all of these local small businesses are special and unique, and they offer services, products, knowledge, and customer care that you will rarely - if ever - find in a corporate giant. It is important that we ALL work together to support and preserve all theses little gems that are tucked away in our communities. If we lose them, we also lose a huge part of who we are.

Please Shop Small, not only on Small Business Saturday, but throughout the entire year.