Holiday shoppers are being encouraged once again this year to support small, local businesses. Small Business Saturday is important for a number of reasons.
The American Express company came up with the idea of Small Business Saturday in 2010. It sends millions of shoppers to small businesses across the country.
In Kansas City this year, several organizations are collaborating to encourage the trend. The KC Buy Local Initiative, Choose KC, KC Cash Mob, KC Source Link and Local Ruckus work in different ways to promote local business.
Casey Simmons co-owns the store STUFF in Brookside. She says small and independent businesses are important building blocks in the community.
“The small businesses in your community generally are going to be the ones who are supporting your community, the organizations, the charities, the growth, and are going to hold the line on the world becoming so homogenized.”
Experts say about two-thirds of the profits from local businesses stay in the community, while the community benefits from national retailers much less.
