As I bounced around the this morning, wiping the sleep from my eyes and burrowing down against a Chicago morning, I noticed a growing love for Small Business Saturday. After yesterday morning's absurdity in Wal-marts across the country (not the least of which was the mace-ing in LA), smart shoppers are turning to online stores for Christmas shopping. As someone said on Facebook yesterday, Black Friday undoes all of the goodwill I feel on Thanksgiving.
So what's the antidote for crossing off the Christmas list at the expense of your sanity, dignity, and basic self-decency? Small Business Saturday....where store owners are also the creators and, of course, everyone knows your name. This weekend I challenge you to spend just as much time surfing handmade goods (either online or in your local stores) as the toy aisle at Target. And, when it's all said and done, if you are not more relaxed, more confident in your gifts, and more satisfied in supporting a small business, then I'll buy you a Coke...from the cafe down the street, of course.
Yes, we made a point of buying a used musical instrument (a ride cymbal for the largest drum set ever owned by a not-yet-5-yr-old) from our local friendly retailer. They had donuts and coffee for shoppers, and everyone was in a wonderful mood.
ReplyDeleteI love the Small Business Saturday thing going on!!
ReplyDeleteMall? what mall? not setting foot in one for at least another week. If I can't find something neat at a small retainer ... then I will try the mall.
ReplyDeleteHope Chicago is fun!
I love the new focus on small businesses. I did my small business shopping on Friday rather than Saturday, and the ones I visited were also doing well. That really made my day much more than fighting the crowds at the "big stores." Hope you enjoyed your SBS! <3
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I'm buying from big businesses this year are socks for Ryan, pajama pants for Ryan, and supplies for making my gifts. (Okay, and stuff to put said gifts into.)
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a blast galavanting around Chicago and that I wasn't too late with the rec! Julius Meinl is a MUST see.
Amen to all this. I definitely plan to suport some local small businesses, especially after news reports over the weekend. I still can't believe that any of that stuff went down, it's just insane!
ReplyDeleteI love this.
ReplyDeleteWe are having buy local initiative too -
and I just think its such great idea.