By Sarah Richardson
As Thanksgiving Day concludes and the holiday season officially kicks into high gear, residents across the Greenbrier Valley are turning their attention not only to Black Friday’s bustle and Cyber Monday’s deals, but to Small Business Saturday. Always held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 as a chance for small, local businesses to have a turn in the spotlight at the forefront of the holiday shopping season.
The push to “shop small” isn’t just sentimental; it supports stability within our local economies. While small businesses are generally described as firms with fewer than 500 employees, recent data from the Small Business Association indicated small companies accounted for two-thirds of employment growth across the U.S. over the last quarter century, ultimately generating around 13 million jobs during that time period. The revenue generated by successful, local small businesses strengthens communities because it translates into tax income for local towns, which benefits schools, community organizations, and public safety.
Small business spending is also more likely to stay in the local community, as data from the American Independent Business Alliance indicates 48 percent of each purchase at a local independent business was recirculated locally. By comparison, just 14 percent of purchases at chain stores was recirculated locally. That means more than three times as much money is staying in communities when consumers buy from locally owned businesses compared to chain retailers.
The lifeblood of Lewisburg, White Sulphur Springs, Ronceverte, and everywhere in between isn’t found on some faraway coast or through anonymous online clicks; it’s in the hands of the folks we see at the grocery store, the ones who coach the Little League team, and the ones who’ve poured their savings into a storefront on our historic main streets.
This Saturday, and the rest of this shopping season, every dollar spent at a local gallery, bookstore, coffee shop, or boutique that carries Appalachian-made goods does more than buy a gift. It pays the electric bill for a friend. It buys new inventory for a neighbor. It ensures that the unique character, the flavor, of Greenbrier Valley doesn’t fade into a generic landscape.
As you draft your holiday shopping list, I urge you to lace up your walking shoes, grab a hot drink from your favorite local cafe, and start your journey right here. Let’s make the commitment to keep the holiday cheer (and the dollars) where they belong: at home. Because when you support a small business, you’re not just shopping small; you’re investing in the future of the Greenbrier Valley.
