Small Business Saturday

Small businesses in retail districts across the suburban Baltimore/D.C. region will be offering promotions and other enticements for shoppers who want to buy local for the holidays.

More than a dozen public, private and advocacy organizations, supported by American Express OPEN, the company's small business unit, have teamed up to declare Nov. 26 as Small Business Saturday. (Full dislosure: American Express has signed on as a sponsor of small business-related content on Patch during the holidays.)

The day aims to help small businesses in the area that may suffer on Black Friday.

''I don't do massive volume on Black Friday. The day doesn't impact small business like the big box stores,'' said Mary Martin, owner of Contrary Mary's in Sykesville.

Small businesses in Westminster are offering special promotions for holiday shoppers this weekend, and on Saturday, the community will be kicking off several holiday events.

There will be an electric parade, a Christmas tree lighting, Santa sightings and a host of other festivities.

Downtown Reisterstown is another retail district with unique offerings that “you are not going to find in a shopping mall,” said Glenn Barnes, president of the Reisterstown Improvement Association.

“There are people who love to take drives from Montgomery County, Howard County,” he said. “They love to go to places where they can go to unique shops to find gifts for people.”

And Historic Ellicott City is offering the ultimate treat: free parking.

County Executive Ken Ulman announced this week that parking will be free in the more than 140 metered spots in the Historic District from Nov. 25 to  Jan 2. 

“Ellicott City is a fabulous place to visit and shop anytime of the year,” Ulman said in a statement.  “And if free parking helps, even a small bit, we want to help local small businesses weather this challenging economy.”  

And Main Street's annual Midnight Madness is scheduled for Dec. 2. Restaurants and stores will stay open late and officials will come out to light a Christmas in front of the tourism office.

NEW YORK — Small business owners hoping to reel in holiday shoppers are promoting the second annual Small Business Saturday in New York and 14 other U.S. cities.

The small-business promotion was first announced in 2010 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault.

It takes place the day after Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. It is intended to encourage shoppers to patronize independent local businesses.

Merchants in New York's Tribeca neighborhood are celebrating Small Business Saturday with live music, raffles and demonstrations by businesses including a nail salon.

Promotions are also being held Saturday in 14 other cities including Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami and Detroit.

—Copyright 2011 Associated Press

Small Business Saturday: Small Retailers Fight Back With Deals After Black Friday

Big retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Target may command the headlines on Black Friday, with their $300 laptops and $200 flatscreen TVs and crowds camping out overnight for the best deals. But don't count out the mom-and-pops, who are fighting back with deals of their own on the second-annual Small Business Saturday.

Across the nation, small retailers are armed and ready for what they hope will be their biggest shopping day of the year: Small Business Saturday. Sandwiched between the powerhouse Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday was created by American Express, which offers registered customers a $25 credit if they spend $25 or more on their American Express card at a participating small business on that day. This year, President Obama endorsed Small Business Saturday describing it as a way to "keep our local economies strong and help maintain an American economy that can compete and win in the 21st century."

"Research shows that the holiday season makes up for the bulk of small businesses' yearly sales," says Patricia Norins, an independent consultant and Small Business Saturday shopping expert for American Express. "Right now, retailers are looking for as many ways as possible to drive traffic to their stores." With projections that 90 million consumers will be out shopping this Small Business Saturday, Norins calls this "a huge opportunity."

Norins has talked to small-business owners who are planning everything from balloons and banners to Santas and tree lightings. Many are joining forces to produce shopping maps of participating local businesses or offering cross promotions such as handing out different free cookies at neighboring stores. Norins believes this type of momentum can translate beyond the day to connect customers with local businesses year-round. "Consumers have a huge opportunity to find unique products and personalized customer service," she says.

 "It instills a sense of community, which is important on a local and national level -- more money stays in the community and more jobs are created."

We talked to eight small retailers nationwide to find out how and why they're going above and beyond to attract shoppers this Small Business Saturday.