Celebrate Small Business Saturday On Saturday, Nov. 26
Marilyn Powell, Angela Smith, Nancy Irvine and Frances Caton enjoyed shopping and each others company during Small Business Saturday on 2021. (File Image).
April Ellis
Herald Staff
The Friday after Thanksgiving is “Black Friday,” where people flock to their favorite mega-stores sometimes having to claw and clamor to get a deal of a lifetime. The chaos of Black Friday may be less apparent in Harrodsburg, but what about our small businesses? The Mercer Chamber of Commerce has worked to give shoppers another choice, Small Business Saturday, on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Small Business Saturday is now a national holiday. The Shop Small movement was inspired by American Express in 2010. It is the local answer to Black Friday. The Saturday following Thanksgiving, local businesses offer discounts and promotions to keep holiday shoppers—and their money—within the community.
The Mercer Chamber of Commerce has been championing this event for more than a decade and is the official neighborhood champions and part of the Shop Small Coalition.
Jill Cutler, Mercer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and committee member for Small Business Saturday, is excited for this year’s plans.
“We have been working hard to highlight our members on our Facebook page who will be open on Small Business Saturday,” Cutler said. “It will also be published in the Harrodsburg Herald. We want the community to be aware of all of our great small businesses. It is one of the biggest events we do.”
Cutler said the Small Business Saturday committee is helping to orchestrate all kinds of fun for the event, including pop-up shops, prizes and food trucks. In return, the community is being encouraged to shop in all places from Salvisa to Bright Leaf and everywhere in between. At the end of the day will be a tree lighting of the Christmas Forest at Old Fort Harrod State Park with the Claus family.
Shopping local is important to the overall community. It is the small business owners who support our schools and non-profit organizations. Shopping here at home also provides additional jobs.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Chamber office at 101 South Main Street to greet shoppers and children and shops will be open various hours throughout the day. Local businesses still have time to get involved.
“I hope you are encouraged to go out on Nov. 26 and support the local businesses,” Cutler said. “Small Business Saturday is a great way to show our locals how much we appreciate them this season.”
To add a business on the Small Business Saturday listing, email Cutler at info@mercerchamber.com. Businesses who aren’t Chamber members are invited to participate.
