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It's Shop Local Saturday. Here's why that matters to local businesses
The Huntington Store in San Marino, decked out for the holidays.
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Courtesy The Huntington Store
)
Topline:
Sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Black Friday and Cyber Monday is: Small Business Saturday. Here's why that's such a big deal to local merchants.
Why now: Small Business Saturday is now in its 15th year. It was started by American Express as a way to encourage local shopping — by using your credit card, of course.
Why it matters: Shrewd marketing aside, Small Business Saturday and the #shoplocal trend have become crucial for small businesses that struggle in the shadow of big box stores and have to compete with the likes of Amazon. According to the National Retail Federation, holiday shoppers are about 1/4 of the way through their planned shopping. So this weekend can be a make or break indicator for local merchants.
Where should you shop? Glad you asked. The LAist holiday gift guide showcases over a hundred places where you can shop locally: We've got gift ideas for kids, gardeners, foodies and pets (and pet parents...) and much more. We like to say that our gift guide is by L.A., and for L.A. , and we also have a guide to some of our favorite local shops.
Plus, there’s just something special about shopping in person this time of the year. All the stores are decked out for the holidays. The magical twinkling lights. Mariah Carey blaring non-stop...
Find it all at LAist.com/GiftGuide.
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