If you’re avoiding the rush of Black Friday and want some shopping that’s a little more neighborly, tomorrow is Small Business Saturday. It’s a national movement to encourage shoppers to buy local.
There are more than 870 member businesses in LIBA, the Louisville Independent Business Alliance. And a lot of them will have their doors open on Saturday.
Small Business Saturday began in 2010 and has grown dramatically since. Last year, consumers in the U.S. spent more than $16 billion at local businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
LIBA director Jennifer Rubenstein says shopping local offers a variety of benefits.
“It keeps more money circulating in the local economy," she says. "And second, it supports what makes up the character of our community. These businesses are very unique, and they’re a big part of what makes Louisville, Louisville.”
The nonprofit American Independent Business Alliance says $48 of every $100 spent locally stays in the community where it's spent.
“Locally operated businesses across the Greater Louisville region greatly appreciate the Small Business Saturday national movement," GLI President and CEO Kent Oyler said in a news release. "This day highlights the significance of supporting our local small businesses which form the core of our regional economy.”
LIBA is introducing a new shop local gift card this year that's good at more than 50 participating local businesses. And if you’re a Twitter user, the hashtag for Small Business Saturday is #shopsmall.
