One of the reasons Wichita is a must-visit Midwest city and regional shopping destination is the appeal of many fun, funky and one-of-a-kind independent retailers – the kind Visit Wichita hopes you’ll shop at on Saturday, Nov. 24: Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday is an initiative for holiday shoppers to shop local at brick and mortar stores in their communities. American Express first sponsored it in 2010 on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This puts the holiday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The initiative helps bring awareness to locally-owned businesses by helping get foot traffic through the door with deals and discounts similar to its big box older brothers. Small Business Saturday is important to Wichita because it drives shoppers into homegrown shops, which in turn promotes growth in Wichita and contributes to the revitalization and vibrancy of downtown.
“Small Business Saturday is not only an important day for local retailers, but also to the Wichita community. Purchasing gifts for the holidays from small businesses adds more to our local culture and to the individuality of our city,” said Stacy Ward Lattin, co-owner of Hopping Gnome Brewing Company. “The ‘support-your-local-anything movement puts the focus on spending money locally, which in turn, really makes a difference to a small business and keeps the doors open for Wichita’s many unique shops.”
Whether you're looking for holiday gift items or something for yourself, Wichita's many eclectic shopping districts will offer deals and discounts and affordable shopping options for all budgets.
Small Business Saturday By the Numbers:
- In 2017, 108 million consumers reported shopping at locally-owned businesses, generating about $12 billion
- 90% of businesses say Small Business Saturday has a positive impact on their community
- In 2017, more than 7,200 neighborhoods across the country participated in Small Business Saturday
- All 50 states have communities that participate
Small Business Saturday in Wichita will be celebrated on Nov. 24, 2018. A full list of participants and more information can be found at www.visitwichita.com/shop-small.
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About Visit Wichita
Visit Wichita markets the Greater Wichita area and advocates for the city as a destination, increasing travel and tourism as a key economic driver for the city, county, region and state. Visit Wichita is led by president and CEO Susie Santo, and in 2017 travel and tourism contributed more than $1.1 billion in economic impact to the greater Wichita area.