Mussman Encourages Community to Shop Locally on Small Business Saturday

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is encouraging shoppers to participate in Small Business Saturday to support community businesses and help stimulate the local economy.

“Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity for shoppers to support our local business that keep our towns unique,” Mussman said. “Locally-owned small businesses are the cornerstone of a strong economy: the more we invest in our local small businesses, the more we invest in our own community.”

Small Business Saturday is an iconic shopping holiday held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which falls on Saturday, Nov. 30 this year. The holiday is intended to act as a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in order to encourage shoppers to visit brick and mortar businesses that are small and local.

Shopping local is increasingly highlighted as a great way to support local communities. A Civic Economics study in Grand Rapids, Michigan showed if a consumer were to spend $100 at a local small business, roughly $68 of that money stays in your local economy. But if the same consumer spent the same $100 at a large corporation, only $43 of that money would stay in the local economy.

“As I continue to visit businesses throughout the community, it’s clear that they are struggling to compete with big box stores,” Mussman said. “By shopping small, we are helping to build stronger communities and a stronger Illinois. I hope this holiday season and throughout the rest of the year, consumers remember to support small businesses.”