THE SOAPBOX

Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.

As the New England Regional Administrator for the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) appointed by President Joe Biden, I work every day alongside staff in your state to support the 1.5 million small businesses in our region of the country. We have been through some very challenging times due to the pandemic but together we have been able to keep businesses open, growing and employees on the payrolls. As we head into the holiday season, it’s a time to think local and shop small. It makes sense on so many levels to travel locally to shop and to invest your hard-earned dollars back into your community.

As mentioned, for two years, the pandemic stripped us of spending time on the quintessential New England experience of shopping our beautiful downtowns, villages, and neighborhoods but this year, we don’t have to. In fact, last year marked a strong return to the traditional holiday shopping season, with a high turnout for Small Business Saturday.

This year, Small Business Saturday will be held on November 26th, marking the 13th celebration of this event. Celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday is a way for consumers to make an impact in their community by supporting independently-owned businesses during the holiday season. The SBA is proud to be a cosponsor of Small Business Saturday, which was founded by American Express in 2010.

Last year, shoppers came together in full force to support their local communities, and Small Business Saturday hit a record high with an estimated $23.3 billion in reported spending at independent retailers and restaurants on the day.

We all have choices for our holiday shopping, thankfully our region of the country offers many small business options to shop and dine.

The choice is yours, and we hope you will consider shopping small whenever possible this holiday season.

Shopping small on Small Business Saturday is a way to show support for the businesses who help keep our communities vibrant. Each year, we encourage independent businesses to leverage Small Business Saturday to help drive more traffic to their businesses.

Alongside the President’s historic economic agenda that will make transformational investments in the middle class and mission of creating an economy that works for all, Small Business Saturday 2022 provides a chance for American consumers to come together and support small businesses of all kinds that have been the cornerstone of communities across our nation for years

I want you to join me in shopping small not only on Small Business Saturday and through this holiday season, but as often as possible. Our local shops and restaurants depend on our continued support.