Small Business Saturday

The average American will spend over $1,000.00 this holiday shopping season. It all starts with Black Friday (the busiest shopping day of the year), and the official beginning of the holiday spending. The sad part is that ‘Black Friday’ sales started the first weekend in November as the pre-Black Friday sales.

In fact, over 160 million shoppers will buy something over the five-day holiday weekend, with many items based on cost and not need. But the entire premise of Black Friday is based on the foundation of selling consumers things they really don’t need from that big box and national chain stores.

Small Business Saturday is an annual holiday slogan meant to call attention to the importance of small businesses in our economy and to encourage support for small companies, especially at the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Many local communities host shopping events and businesses around the country, host sales and specials to encourage local shoppers to stop by. In DeKalb County, there are many unique stores and shops that have items that will be different and more appreciated by the person that receives it. In Sycamore you might find that one of a kind lady’s item at ‘Pink Lizzy’. In DeKalb, there is a treasure of interesting items at ‘Cracker Jax’. In Genoa, there is an opportunity to have dinner with Santa at the ‘Genoa Guest House’.

Some of the best local purchases for Small Business Saturday would be ‘gift certificates’ from some of the many restaurants and liquor establishments (Jonomac, Whiskey Acres, Waterman Winery, Forge, Ellwood’s Steak House, and others). These are gifts everyone will like and will support the local community.

This year, Small Business Saturday 2019 falls on November 30. It always takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so the day after Black Friday and two days before Cyber Monday. It is an all-day event. And many businesses stretch out the entire Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday festivities to offer a long weekend full of specials and sales to grab customers’ attention.

So before you go on that spending spree, think of what you really need or want and is it possible to buy local. Make a realistic list of what you really need as gifts, what would be nice to have and what is really a frill that will end up re-gifted or at next spring’s garage sale. 

The things we buy on Black Friday are almost by definition, things we really don’t need. Only in America do we wait in line and push past others to buy items one day after giving thanks for everything we already have. Remember that big box ad for a 32 inch TV for $129.00 means it is a loss leader with maybe 3 items per store.

So pledge to be a responsible community-minded citizen and support your own community. DeKalb County is defined by the quaintness and uniqueness of stores, restaurants, and venues that continue to survive with your support.