The day after Thanksgiving begins the holiday shopping season. While Black Friday is typically devoted to big-box shopping, local governments are encouraging to shop small on Saturday. Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 to promote buying local during the Great Recession. Now, it’s a staple every holiday season.

At recent Chapel Hill and Carrboro Town Council meetings, Mayors Pam Hemminger and Lydia Lavelle proclaimed Saturday, November 27 as Small Business Saturday.

Lavelle said 96 percent of all businesses in Carrboro are small businesses. She said these businesses employ more than 2,500 people.

“The Town of Carrboro supports our local business that create jobs, boost our local economy and preserve our communities,” Lavelle said. “I urge the residents of our community to support small businesses and merchants on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year.”

At the Carrboro Town Council meeting, Scott Conary, owner of Carrboro Coffee Roasters and Open Eye Cafe as well as a member of the Carrboro Business Alliance, said Small Business Saturday is increasingly important.

“Every time you make a purchase that’s local you are supporting local jobs,” Conary said. “You’re preserving the local character of our community. Sixty-seven cents of every dollar you spend in Carrboro stays in Carrboro. The bottom line really is when we spend it here, we keep it here.”

Conary said supporting local doesn’t need to end on Small Business Saturday. He said the Carrboro Business Alliance will be bringing back their Carrboro Cheer Gift Guide with more than 60 gift ideas to knock out holiday shopping locally.

“We want to encourage making Giving Tuesday, that’s the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, make it Local Giving Tuesday,” Conary said. “Let’s show our local nonprofits as much local love as we possibly can.”

Tamara Lackey, owner of Coco which was formerly known as Coco Bean Coffee Shop and Cafe, spoke at the Chapel Hill Town Council meeting. She echoed Conary’s comments adding to consider shopping local online for Cyber Monday.

Lackey also thanked the Town of Chapel Hill for its commitment to helping local businesses thrive.

“I want to thank you all for your commitment to development density in downtown and along transit corridors,” Lackey said. “It is locations with lots of workers and residents and foot, bike and car access that give local retailers like me, and this is not an exaggeration after [COVID-19], a fighting chance to make it in today’s fiercely competitive global marketplace.”

To learn more about shopping local businesses this holiday season, click here.

 

Photo via Town of Chapel Hill


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