Black Friday just sounds ominous. It conjures images of people fighting over electronics at big-box stores, although surely many folks will draw satisfaction from getting great deals and taking care of Christmas shopping a month early.
Cyber Monday conjures different images. Traditionalists might consider it too high-tech and be scared away, or simply be unwilling to sit down at their computer or tablet pressing buttons for bargains. Others will love the idea of cashing in on holiday bargains in their pajamas.
If Black Friday or Cyber Monday don't sound appealing, perhaps Small Business Saturday will. And the great part about this type of shopping is that, rather than contributing to the coffers of some faceless behemoth with headquarters in another state or time zone, the money you spend stays local.
Small Business Saturday — observed annually two days after Thanksgiving — encourages patronizing brick-and-mortar businesses that are small and local. These are the businesses that have long been part of the fabric of our communities, but they are also the businesses hurt most by Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There's nothing wrong with shopping at national chains and online retailers, of course, but their market share certainly puts the squeeze on the mom-and-pop shops that used to be so prevalent and continue to be such a big part of Main Streets everywhere.
"Not only is the shopping experience on small business Saturday guaranteed to be more civilized than Black Friday, but it allows Marylanders to support the very community that provides a vast majority of the jobs in our state," Mike O'Halloran, state director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said in an NFIB news release. "Our hope is that more people will not only participate on Saturday but keep small businesses in mind throughout the year. Those operating on Main Street are often staples of their communities that sponsor everything from little league teams to school fundraisers; Saturday is a wonderful opportunity to thank them for their continued support."
It's hard to argue with any of that, even if it is worth mentioning that Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 not by a group of small businesses, but rather by American Express, which trademarked the moniker and now partners with the NFIB.
This year, for the first time, small businesses throughout the county have banded together to hold Carroll County Downtowns Small Business Saturday, an event that actually runs from Saturday, Nov. 26 through Sunday, Dec. 4. It, of course, promotes shopping locally, with 90 small businesses from Hampstead, Mount Airy, New Windsor, Sykesville, Taneytown, Union Bridge and Westminster participating.
It's also a contest, encouraging Carroll residents to check out not only their hometown businesses, but also those of other communities. So consumers can pick up a "passport" at any of the participating businesses, purchase something from at least eight of those businesses to get their passports "stamped," and then turn in the passports at any Carroll County Public Library branch for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to a small business.
So feel free to buy on Black Friday and cyber shop to your mouse's content on Monday. But do keep in mind the small businesses, owned by your friends and neighbors, when you're spending your holiday dollars.
