WASHINGTON — “Shop Small Business Saturday” isn’t as popular as “Black Friday”
and “Cyber Monday,” but it’s gaining traction.
On Saturday morning in Old Town Alexandria, Shari Bolouri, director of events
with the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, handed out free shopping bags for “Shop
Small Business Saturday.”
The first such event took place in 2010. It usually occurs the Saturday after
Thanksgiving and is supposed to influence patrons to support small, locally
owned businesses.
Tell that to Ashley Fulk, an Oklahoma City native visiting Old Town Alexandria
for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“The small businesses are what keep the community together,” Fulk says.
Joe Merek, who lives in Huntington, agrees: “Small businesses run the county.”
The “Shop Small” initiative is growing, according to American Express. In 2012,
total sales were $5.5 billion nationwide. Last year, national sales grew to $5.7
billion.
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