For years, small businesses have been left out of both Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Now, for the first time, mom-and-pop shops have a day of their own. This year “Small Business Saturday” will be sandwiched between the year’s two biggest shopping days. Boston will take part in the American Express national initiative designed to spur business for small merchants on Saturday.
“It’s a really good message for someone like American Express to send,” said Gary Briggs, who owns Aunt Sadie’s in the South End. “I’m sure all the chain stores are yelling at them for this idea. It’s nice to see them step up to plate and put a lot of advertising dollars behind something like this.”
Boston will promote the nationwide local shopping campaign through its Main Streets districts and at a special Nov. 27 celebration at the Roslindale Village tree-lighting event at 3 p.m.
Lucy Warsh, spokeswoman for Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development, said Small Business Saturday is a unique way to highlight and support small businesses on a national stage.
“A campaign like this gives some of the marketing power to small businesses,” Warsh said. “We thought it was a great idea and we hope it becomes a tradition.”
