THE BEGINNING American Express cares deeply about thriving communities and believes small businesses are at the core of every successful neighborhood. That's why — in the midst of the recession in 2010 — we created Small Business Saturday® on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to Shop Small and bring more holiday shopping to small businesses.
LOCAL SUPPORT In 2013, more than 1,400 individuals and organizations sign up as Neighborhood Champions to rally and support their local communities with events and activities on Small Business Saturday — and that number continues to grow. By 2018, there were more than 7,500 Neighborhood Champions across all 50 states. They're not alone. Beginning in 2011, business associations, nonprofit trade groups, municipalities, and public officials started to unite, forming a Small Business Saturday Coalition to encourage everyone to Shop Small. And nearly 100 corporations lend their official support to the movement.
MAKING AN IMPACT You might not realize it, but every time you take a yoga class at your neighborhood spot or buy a gift from the local artist down the street, you're shopping small and making a difference.
In fact, for every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S., approximately 67 cents stays in the local community.1 So when you Shop Small on Small Business Saturday—and all year long—it can help add up to a big impact. 1Estimate from data on businesses with under 100 employees, as reported in Amex-commissioned 2018 Small Business Economic Impact Study, amex.co/another-reason-shop-small.
SMALL ADDS UP Over the years, Small Business Saturday spending has now reached a reported estimate of $103 billion since the day began in 2010 — that's $103 billion over 9 days alone.2
