Across the state, small business owners held sales and specials all day long, focused on bringing customers to local businesses.
In Cobb County, the Smyrna Business Association uses the day to urge neighbors to visit the city’s brick and mortar stores – whether it’s a corner shop or a larger business franchise. This is the second time they have held Shop Smyrna on Saturday, said Sara Sorenson, president of the Smyrna Business Association.
This year, organizers hoped to increase attendance by offering three $ 100 gift cards to be given away to those who visited any of the 16 participating companies and scanned the company’s QR code.
“The goal is to get people to recognize and know our local businesses so that they can spend money in local businesses at the start of the holiday season and throughout the holiday season, and keep that money in the community,” said Sorenson, the one Law firm in Smyrna owns.
The “Shop local” day also takes place before Cyber Monday, an annual day designed to encourage Christmas shoppers to go online.
According to American Express’s Small Business Economic Impact Study 2018, an average of 67 cents of every dollar spent in a small business stays in the local community. In a separate 2018 study, the National Federation of Independent Businesses and American Express found that around 90 percent of consumers felt it was more important than ever to support local retailers.
According to the US Small Business Administration, Americans spent around $ 20 billion on small business on Saturday last year, slightly more than last year.
However, around this time last year, Georgia spending declined about 8.8% from when the pandemic began, according to a Harvard University business tracker. Georgians are spending 22.1% more on Nov. 14 than at the start of the pandemic.
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Employee Kate Dabson (C) works with Katy Nichols and her son Hiden (6) on the decoration of an AR workshop during Small Business Saturday in Smyrna, November 27, 2021. STEVE SCHAEFER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
Photo credit: Steve Schäfer
Photo credit: Steve Schäfer
Katy Nichols, a resident of Smyrna, stopped by A&R Worskshop in Smyrna to make ornaments with her family, who are in town for Thanksgiving. It’s the second time the family has made the trip to the home improvement studio.
“We had a lot of fun with the family,” she says. “It’s great that Smyrna is finding ways to get people to shop at local stores.”
