WASHINGTON — Nov. 24 is the annual Small Business Saturday, a nationwide promotion to encourage shopping at small, independent and locally-owned businesses.
The District has plenty of those. Some of the biggest concentrations of locally-owned businesses — many of them that have been around for decades — are in Georgetown and Adams Morgan.
“Georgetown has an incredible mix of retail and restaurants, and more than 300 of them are small businesses,” Lauren Boston with the Georgetown Business Improvement District told WTOP.
“We have these multigenerational businesses that have been here for more than 80 years along with some exciting new concepts as well. It really is a great mix,” she said.
A healthy walk away is Adams Morgan. Like its historic Georgetown counterpart, Adams Morgan is home to about 240 locally-owned restaurants, bars, retailers and other businesses.
“There is no place in D.C. like Adams Morgan. We have eclectic shops, vibrant streets to stroll, and really dynamic dining options,” Kristen Barden with the Adams Morgan Partnership told WTOP.
Small Business Saturday is sponsored by American Express. In 2011, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of it. The date of the event is deliberately set each year for the Saturday following Thanksgiving, sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
“It provides a perfect counterpoint to the frenetic holiday shopping season. It is an opportunity for shoppers to think local and think about the impact spending local has,” Barden said.
“It sounds cliché, but when you shop small, it really does make a difference,” Boston said.
A list of participating business, discounts and specials on Small Business Saturday in Georgetown and Adams Morgan can be found online, at the Adams Morgan Partnership and at the Georgetown BID.
