Small Business Saturday falls on Nov. 30 this year. The event was created to raise awareness of how important it is to support small businesses not only during the holiday season but year-round.
Did you know, small business enterprises employ a whopping 49.2% of the private workforce in West Virginia?
Our small businesses count on you, especially during the upcoming holiday season. The tenth annual Shop Small Saturday on Nov. 30 is your chance to show your local community support. Here’s how:
Drink local
West Virginia has tapped into the growing microbrewer and wineries industries. Hawk Knob Appalachian Hard Cider and Mead is the state’s first cidery. The business offers crafted dry aged meads and traditional dry ciders, made from local farmed and produced ingredients. The Lewisburg brewer plans to support customers on Small Business Saturday Nov. 30 by offering a 15% off ciders and meads in the tasting room.
Eat local
Get at the root of small, local food producers by visiting your area farmers market. While many markets hibernate through winter, a few such as the Morgantown Farmer Market, the Bridgeport Farmers Market and the Fairlea Farmers Market move indoors.
Savor the sweet taste of small business support when you visit your local cake bakers and chocolate makers. Stand up for local food businesses by sitting down for a meal in a local diner. Explore www.wvsbdc.com and treat yourself to the story of how innovative millennial Nicole Coeburn became the owner of the historic Blue Spoon Café in Bluefield — with a dash of advice from the Bluefield Preservation Society and the West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC).
Fish Hawk Acres wraps a restaurant, café, market and catering services into one locally owned enterprise. The success of the Buckhannon business won the title of the Small Business Administration’s 2019 Rural Owned Small Business of the Year.
Play local
Your support is serious business for small companies – and can be big fun at the same time. Have a ball at Woody’s Bowling Center in Buckhannon, a second-generation bowling spot that got a vital do-over from enterprising new owners. Grab a seat and a box of popcorn to enjoy the entertainments on stage and silver screen at the historic Star Theatre in Berkeley Springs. If you’re game for solving adventure puzzles, lead your team into — and hopefully, out of — the Psychopath Escape Room.
Shop local
Discover unique gifts available from local West Virginia enterprises. Explore the crafted wood furniture and ornaments of Bear Wood Company, the culinary products lines of J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works and the works of West Virginia artists featured in shops such as Tamarack in Beckley.
The National Retail Federation reports that holiday sales represent 20% of annual retail sales each year. Where you spend your holiday dollars can affect whether a local business faces the new year with a profit or a loss.
Spread the spirit of Shop Small Saturday on social media, too! Share and like posts from your favorite small businesses, tag friends in post comments or leave an online review. You can also participate in WVSBDC’s social media posts, such as this one, by tagging West Virginia small businesses in the comments and sharing onto your profile. Be sure to follow and like us on Facebook and Twitter – just search WVSBDC.
