Shop Small in July is a campaign to rally support for West Virginia’s small businesses before the critical winter holiday shopping season.

The campaign was introduced in 2017 by West Virginia Small Development Center (WV SBDC) and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The monthlong event was created to stir consumers to shop in local businesses and motivate businesses to take advantage of available marketing tools to raise awareness.

“There are 142 days until Nov. 24, the traditional Small Business Saturday kick-off of the small business holiday shopping rush,” said Erika Bailey, WV SBDC state director. “For many small retailers, the last two months of the year account for 20 to 40 percent of their annual sales. Now is not too soon to start planning for something so vital to your business’s success.”4

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and they need our support all year long,” said Karen Friel, director of SBA’s West Virginia District. “This campaign is a great boost for small businesses during the summer months but also a good reminder for small businesses to get their marketing plan ready for the holiday shopping season.”

Throughout July, WV SBDC is asking West Virginians to show their support by shopping, eating, drinking and playing in small businesses. Shoppers can share the moment with a selfie and post it to their favorite social media forum with the hashtag #ShopSmallWV.

The WV SBDC asks businesses and consumers to visit its new webpage, ShopSmallWV.com, to learn more about upcoming initiatives and events leading up to the upcoming holiday shopping season.