Small Business Saturday

• I am a SHOPPER: Click here to ENTER TO WIN online for a Gift Card Giveaway (details below), or FIND A SMALL BUSINESS in your area to shop at.
  
• I am a MERCHANT: Get FREE MARKETING MATERIALS and REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS as a participant in the Shop Small directory courtesy of American Express.

Here are some of the highlights of this year’s event, activities occurring at SouthBridge from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.:

• Santa will be present to see who has been naught or nice
• Christmas Carolers bringing joy
• Make and Take Ornament activity for kids
• Free Gift Wrapping (may require proof of purchase)
• Freshly Roasted Chestnuts
• Gift Card Giveaway – register online to be one of the many to win a $25 American Express gift cards (winners will be notified prior to the event)
• Participating merchants providing discounts

Shopping locally is a trend that is gaining in popularity, and it is important to remember that small businesses are also local businesses. Here are some of the top reasons consumers are making the decision to shop small:

• Shopping local boosts the local economy – money spent at Scottsdale businesses stays in the local economy, creating jobs and expanding the City’s tax base.
• Shopping local creates local jobs – small businesses are the largest employers nationally. When you support local shops and services, you are supporting the process of creating local jobs.
• Shopping local supports businesses that care – local businesses are more likely to support community events, schools, charities and sports groups.
• Shopping local builds quality of place – Scottsdale’s friendly and family-oriented atmosphere is created by its residents and businesses. Shopping local keeps shops and services in Scottsdale, increasing quality of life for everyone.
• Shopping local increases our tax base – when you support and invest in local businesses, you are contributing to Scottsdale’s tax base and providing funding for public services. No local businesses means higher taxes for everyone.
• Local businesses invest in Scottsdale – when you support local businesses, you are investing in the future of Scottsdale. Businesses in Scottsdale are committed to the community and its success.
• Supporting local businesses encourages outside investment – research has found that businesses and entrepreneurs look to invest and settle in communities that support their local businesses.
• Local businesses offer choices – over the long term, successful local businesses are able to supply products based on local needs, interests and demands rather than based on national sales strategies.
• Shopping local saves services – private services tend to cluster around complementary shops. As retail merchants disappear, so do services such as hairdressers, banks, restaurants and other businesses.

Shopping local saves you time and money – when you choose to shop at one of Scottsdale’s thousands of local businesses, you are saving fuel, time and money – and keeping your dollars in your local community. On Small Business Saturday, and throughout the year, we encourage you to Shop Small.