a chance to boost your community by shopping local

On By Littum

SEATTLE — As the frenzy of Black Friday winds down, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) ​​encourages customers to save some energy and money for Small Business Saturday.

This lesser-known but significant event encourages consumers to explore and support small, local and independent businesses.

Cameron Nakashima of the BBB explained: “Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 by American Express and it encourages us to celebrate local businesses at a time when many of us are more focused on national chains. So far it has had a great economic significance for small businesses and for their local communities.”

According to American Expressfor every dollar spent on a small business in the United States, approximately 68 cents are reinvested back into the local economy. BBB is keen to promote this initiative as many of the businesses they work with and accredit are small local shops that deserve recognition and support.

To get the most out of Small Business Saturday, BBB suggests finding events and deals in your area through the Small Business Saturday website or by visiting your local chamber of commerce or merchant association.

“Invite your friends and family. Unlike Black Friday, this isn’t a blitz — so plan to take your time in the stores and make it ‘a whole thing’ and invite a friend or family member to join in,” Nakashima said.

In addition, BBB encourages customers to not only shop small, but also “eat small” by visiting independently owned restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops. While on the go, customers should look for the BBB seal in store windows as a sign of trust.

For those who prefer online shopping BBB offers tips for supporting local businesses digitally. Shoppers can use location filters in search engines like Google or Bing by entering “(business type) near me” to find nearby results. On platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Etsy, filters can narrow results to a certain radius from home.

Nakashima also recommended using BBB.org to search for local businesses and review their reputation.