Whatever your plans this season, a noteworthy celebration is almost upon us. Shop Small Saturday, on November 26 this year, is an opportunity to rally behind and support your favorite local businesses.
If you need some extra encouragement, just remember that according to the Small Business Administration (SBA), 1.9 million employees – or 48.3%- in the State of Michigan work for small businesses. Collectively, small businesses are essential to our state’s economy. Each small business helps to create diversity within the business community, and altogether they comprise over 98 percent of Michigan’s businesses. In addition to the state economy, the success of small businesses supports your family, friends, and neighbors. It can also be a more environmentally friendly option.
Many communities are putting on local events to maximize Shop Small Saturday. Interested in participating? Here is a list of some resources:
- Shop Small Oakland County – A list of communities participating in Shop Small Saturday events in Oakland County and information on entering a “Local Gem Sweepstake”
- Shop Local Macomb – Enter a “Shop Local Macomb contest” and help promote local spending in Macomb County
- American Express Business Locator – Search for small businesses anywhere in the country
- Shop Small Detroit – Gift ideas from small businesses, marketing and sales resources for small businesses, and a map of Brick-and-Mortar Businesses by category including a list of online businesses
Shop Local – Southeast Michigan
Quite a bit has changed since our first post about Shop Small Saturday in 2018, and this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate recent regional collaboration efforts to bolster local economies.
Communities in Southeast Michigan have been working together to promote local spending. The Shop Local series started in 2020 with one video and one graphic to encourage supporting small businesses during a difficult time. Since then, SEMCOG has worked with communities to produce a dozen additional videos with over ten more in the works.
The Shop Local series is aimed at promoting local entertainment and shopping opportunities throughout Southeast Michigan. None of these videos would have been possible without local leaders stepping up to work with SEMCOG to display unique places, highlight favorite local businesses, and encourage residents to support the community. Check out the 2022 videos below:
Shop Local – Canton
Shop Local – Chesterfield Township
Shop Local – Grosse Pointe
Shop Local – Wyandotte
Shop Local – Saline
Shop Local – South Lyon
Shop Local – Orion and Oxford
Shop Local – Lyon Township
Shop Local – Mount Clemens
Shop Local – Oak Park
All these videos have been filmed and edited by Jon Clark, SEMCOG Multimedia Specialist II, with guidance and support from local communities and downtown development authorities. To learn more about this series, visit our Shop Local website.
Workshop series to highlight local economic development stories
In addition to Shop Local and all the Shop Small Saturday events taking place, Southeast Michigan’s local governments and non-profit organizations are collaborating to implement revitalization programs for downtowns and other commercial districts. SEMCOG and Main Street Oakland County are hosting the first of a SEMCOG-led series, Main Street Approach to Commercial District Revitalization Workshop. These events will feature conversations on successes, challenges, and knowledge gained on downtown/commercial district vitality. For more information on this series, contact Sarah Traxler, SEMCOG Economic Development Coordinator who started working with SEMCOG in August.
This upcoming Shop Small Saturday is a fun celebration, and there are many ways to get involved throughout the year. We are excited about the continued development of local initiatives and regional collaboration. Thank you to all who have participated in local and regional initiatives to enhance community and economic success, and happy (local) shopping!
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