Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26, is a chance to support and promote local businesses

YouTube photo

Small Business Saturday, which comes one day after the madness of Black Friday, is a national opportunity to support and promote local businesses. Scheduled the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 this year, the event is a great opportunity for community news media to do stories about the importance of buying local during the holiday shopping season.

Small businesses can register on the Small Business Saturday website, and shoppers can use the same website to look for small businesses in their area. American Express launched Small Business Saturday in 2010. Last year an estimated 95 million people shopped at small independent businesses on Small Business Saturday, while in 2014 an estimated $14.3 billion was spent at those businesses, according to American Express.