• Survey
  • Book Becky to speak
  • The book: Small Town Rules
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

Now’s the Time to Shop Small

By Glenn Muske

Shop Small logo

Small Business matters on more than just one day.

Since 2010, the Saturday after Thanksgiving has been designated “Small Business Saturday.” It is a day to recognize small businesses and what they bring to a local community. 

You probably know the direct impact of the small businesses in your community. They provide needed goods and services. Everyone needs to be reminded of their contributions and encouraged to shop small whenever I can.

You know the people. The owners take care of you because of the local connection.

Yet providing goods and services is just the beginning of what small businesses offer. Many of them provide employment. They also generate sales tax revenue that helps support local needs such as roads, parks and emergency services.

Research also has found that these small-business owners give back to the community in terms of charitable donations. In addition, some provide people to work at charitable events. Also, check how many posters you see in their windows or on their display boards that advertise such events. For some of the bigger events, their entire front window encourages community spirit.

In addition to dollars and other resources, the small-business owners give their time. Often, you find these small-business owners as local leaders, elected officials, and participants in civic and other organizations. If the town has a volunteer ambulance or fire service, they probably are involved.

The bottom line: They are crucial in developing and maintaining many of the aspects that form the ‘quality of life’ in communities, be that community a small, rural town or an identifiable district within a large city. The owners just respond when asked. They keep things going.

Across the U.S., more than 90 percent of businesses are small. The vast majority of those business have fewer than 20 employees. Many have fewer than 10 or even five employees. Yet they generate a substantial portion of our gross domestic product.

Small businesses are not only sellers in the economic system, but they also are buyers and consumers of goods and services, thus adding more to their total contribution. They typically also are the point of departure for new ventures that may, one day, be a major corporation.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of a community. On Nov 29, stop in at your local small businesses. Make some purchases, but also say thanks for what they do for the community and you as a consumer.

 

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Glenn Muske

Glenn Muske is an independent expert on rural small business, working as GM Consulting – Your partner in achieving small business success. He provides consulting, and writes articles for county extension agents and newspapers across North Dakota. Previously, he was the Rural and Agribusiness Enterprise Development Specialist at the North Dakota State University Extension Service – Center for Community Vitality.
  • Change - December 26, 2018
  • Regular Customers Form Your Base - December 12, 2018
  • Disasters: Is Your Small Business Ready? - December 5, 2018
  • Business Startup: Steps to Remember - November 28, 2018
  • HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM SMALL BIZ SURVIVAL - November 21, 2018
  • Finding a Business Idea - November 14, 2018
  • Does Your Networking Have Punch? - November 7, 2018
  • Build Tomorrow’s Community Business Sector - October 24, 2018
  • Are You Changing? - October 17, 2018
  • Is it really a deal? - October 10, 2018

November 20, 2014 Filed Under: shop local, Small Biz 100 Tagged With: entrepreneurs, rural, shop local, small business, small business saturday

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Comments

  1. Karl Scifres says

    November 20, 2014 at 6:36 pm

    Great article, Glenn. If we don’t support our small businesses, many will dry up and blow away. Good to see you in print.

    • Glenn Muske says

      November 21, 2014 at 8:20 am

      Thanks Karl. Doing what I can to support small businesses and rural communities.

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Shop Local

Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

Best of Small Biz Survival

What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?

How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile

Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.

Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2021 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in