With the holidays right around the corner, I'm sure you've made your shopping list and checked it twice. You might've even scoured your favorite retailers or my latest blog post to see if you can score any of the items on your list for a great deal on Black Friday. Although sometimes it's easy to load up your Amazon cart with everything you need and have it on your doorstep in two days, I would encourage you to look into local businesses as an alternative for some of your gifts this year.
The government shut down hit everyone pretty hard this year, but especially small businesses. Many small business owners rely on customers coming in day after day to stay afloat. They don't have stockholders or investors to help support them when hard times come along. They depend on you and me, their friends and neighbors, to see the hard work that goes into their business and choose to shop locally.
Chasing a Dream
Many small businesses in our community start with a dream or the desire to fill the community's need. These small entrepreneurs see a problem that they can solve or the lack of their product or service in the community and open their business as a way to share it with us all. This holiday season, consider supporting a local business and show them that you believe in their dream and see the value that they bring to our community.
I encourage you to shop local year-round, but there's truly no better time than Shop Small Saturday. Each year, the day after Black Friday is Shop Small Saturday, a day devoted to supporting local businesses.
Support a Small Business
So, this Saturday, skip Starbucks and Dunkin and head over to your favorite local coffee shop instead. Ditch the mall, and spend the day shopping at your favorite local boutiques and sporting good stores. Grab lunch at your favorite local diner instead of a frequented fast-food chain. Show the local business owners in our community that you support them.
Enter to Win
In honor of Shop Small Saturday, Carolina Trust is running a giveaway contest from November 27th- November 29th, with items from a few of our favorite local businesses. One lucky winner will receive an express pedicure from Nail Couture & Pedi Spa, a $100 gift card to Johnny D's Waffles & Benedicts, a sweatshirt and mask set by local designer, Danielle Durivage and her brand Iváge, and a $100 gift card to Bree Moore Design & Calligraphy. Click here to enter.
As your community credit union, Carolina Trust is committed to showing its support for local businesses, not just on Small Business Saturday but every day. The community is at the heart of everything we do, and I believe that our community wouldn't be as great as it is without the fantastic local businesses within it. It's easy to get swept up in the convenience of large retail stores in today's world, but we should all remember that local businesses are what this country was founded on and still play a critical part in our communities. So this holiday season, be sure to shop local.
