Shop Local, Shop Small on Small Business Saturday! By Our Student Pharmacist, Cass Baker.

November 25th, 2020

Small Business Saturday is a nationally recognized shopping day to support your local neighborhood businesses. It falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 28 this year) every year and serves as a contrast to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when holiday shopping is typically focused on larger, nationwide organizations. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact the U.S. economy, it is more critical than ever to shop at local businesses to ensure that their goods and services remain under operation as long as possible.

The U.S Small Business Administration classifies a small business as an organization with fewer than 500 employees. As of 2019, there are 30.7 million small businesses in the U.S., and they account for 99.9% of all businesses in the U.S. Additionally, 98.2% of American businesses have less than 100 employees, and 89% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees. Clearly, the heart of commerce and the economy in the U.S. heavily relies on the success of small businesses.

Unfortunately, the majority of small American businesses are facing immense pressure to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the “Shop Small” movement, 62% of small business owners reported that they would be unable to keep their business open unless their sales reach pre-COVID levels by the end of 2020. This has major implications for job growth, since small businesses create 1.5 million jobs in the U.S. every year.

As the holidays arrive, please stay safe and consider supporting your local businesses whether that’s buying a Christmas tree at a local farm, or just stopping by a cafe to grab a cup of coffee. Your patronage ensures that money stays in your community so that businesses can potentially grow. Additionally, please take the time to thank the local employees who continue to work during the midst of the pandemic.