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Organizations encourage consumers to support local businesses on November 25
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Schenectady, NY (Nov. 21, 2017) – Two local business organizations are working together for the fourth straight year to drive community awareness of Small Business Saturday and to kick off the holiday shopping season for Schenectady’s independent businesses. This year, the big day is Saturday, November 25. The Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation (DSIC) and Chamber of Schenectady County, an affiliate of the Capital Region Chamber, held a press conference with elected officials and business owners on Tuesday, November 21 at City Hall to announce participants and activities for Small Business Saturday in Schenectady and to encourage the community to shop small.
Said Jim Salengo, Executive Director of the DSIC, “Year after year, our local businesses are definitely seeing the positive influence of Small Business Saturday. We invite shoppers to come out on November 25 – and throughout the entire holiday season—to discover the many unique treasures and one-of-a-kind experiences offered by Schenectady’s fantastic independent businesses.”
Said Mark Eagan, CEO of the Capital Region Chamber, “Small Business Saturday puts a spotlight on the importance of shopping locally when possible. The businesses participating in our Small Business Saturday Schenectady partnership will have items on hand to celebrate with their customers.”
Said Gary McCarthy, Mayor of Schenectady, “Small Business Saturday stresses the importance of local businesses on our City’s overall success. Schenectady has always had a tremendous sense of community, so I encourage everyone to come out and support the many independent businesses that make Schenectady a wonderful place to live, work and visit.”
Said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, “Small Business Saturday is the perfect time to rediscover the small businesses in your community. As we kick off the holiday shopping season, I encourage you to explore the many small businesses in our area that invest in our community and support our local economy.” Assemblyman Santabarbara added, “When we support small businesses, everyone wins. You not only get the quality products you’re looking for and the personal service you deserve, you also support the local jobs that make our community thrive.”
In 2010, American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help independent businesses with their most pressing need – getting more customers. The single day has grown into a powerful movement, and more people are taking part than ever before. According to American Express, in 2016 more than 6,700 small businesses and organizations signed up to be Neighborhood Champions, a 63% increase from approximately 4,100 in 2015. In addition, an estimated 112 million people went out to shop at small independent businesses on this day in 2016, marking a 13 percent increase from 2015. Total spending among U.S. consumers who shopped at independent brick-and-mortar stores on Small Business Saturday in 2016 reached $15.4 billion.
Dozens of local businesses in Schenectady have created in-store specials, drawings, giveaways and more specifically for the Small Business Saturday Schenectady promotion. For more information on Small Business Saturday and local businesses in Schenectady, visit www.shopsmall.com, www.downtownschenectady.org and www.capitalregionchamber.com.
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