Walsh Encourages Local Residents to Remember Local Business When Holiday Shopping

JOLIET, Ill. – As the holiday shopping season officially kicks off this weekend, state Rep. Larry Walsh, D-Elwood, is encouraging local residents to frequent locally owned small businesses as part of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 25.

“As residents begin shopping for loved ones this holiday season, it’s important to remember the role locally owned small businesses play in our community,” Walsh said. “It’s been shown that money spent at small businesses stay locally and help create even more good-paying jobs.”

Walsh is working to provide small business owners the opportunity to compete with powerful, multi-billion dollar corporations in promoting their businesses and ensuring that local dollars remain in the community. Earlier this year, Walsh voted to require state agencies and departments to prioritize American-made and Illinois-made products when making purchases, which would help use our tax dollars to create jobs locally instead of padding the profits of out-of-state and foreign corporations.

A day that was first established in 2010, Small Business Saturday is an annual event to encourage holiday shoppers to patronize small, local businesses. Small Business Saturday succeeds Black Friday, and calls on residents to support these businesses through the course of their holiday shopping.

According to the American Independent Business Alliance, every dollar spent at a small business can bring $3.50 into the local economy, which is why Walsh is encouraging residents to shop locally rather than supporting powerful corporations.

“While the large box stores have the ability to advertise, small businesses often have to rely on word of mouth in order to get shoppers through their doors,” Walsh said. “I hope every holiday shopper will spend some time in small businesses this Saturday and throughout this holiday season to see what’s available in our own backyard.”