Small Business Saturday was launched 15 years ago by American Express to highlight local businesses during the busy holiday shopping season.
There are 36 million small businesses in America. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, 80% of these businesses say the holiday season is important for their overall profits this year.
QuickBooks says on average, shoppers plan to do 41% of their holiday shopping at small businesses.
In Carbondale, Scott Throne of Castle Perilous wants shoppers to consider the businesses in their community when they're looking for holiday presents, "If you spend money at Cristuado's, or Priority Sports or Branch Cafe & Market - 40 to 70 percent of it stays in the community providing jobs because we buy a lot of products from other people who live in the community."
In addition to money staying in the community, Thorne says small businesses gives shoppers a chance to find products they might not see in national chains, "A small business reflects the personality and the desires of its owner. If I didn't have an abiding interest in tabletop board games and comic books, the store would not exist."
William Lo of the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce says there's a level of personal attention that you won't get if you do your shopping online, "And they will take your hand and they will... show you everything that you could buy and that you're not going to get that experience. You're not going to get hospitality online."
To help businesses and customers find each other area Chambers of Commerce are putting together baskets to showcase the products available in their community. The chambers share the baskets on Shop Southern Illinois page on Facebook. Carbondale's basket will be visible beginning November 30th.
