Valley Junction Encourages 'Shop Small' On Saturday

WEST DES MOINES, IA — Weekend holiday shopping will continue after the Black Friday deals are over with a number of local shops participating in Small Business Saturday. This is the eighth year for the effort to recognize the businesses that make a community unique and original and support holiday shopping at the local level.

More than 6,700 events and activities were planned nationwide last year as part of Small Business Saturday, according to American Express, which started the campaign in 2010. The credit company recognizes everything from dining and retailers to service providers and independent operators in its Shop Small guides you can search by city.

Locally, the Valley Junction business district in West Des Moines will participate in Small Business Saturday by giving away goodie bags filled with prizes and gift certificates. The first 500 adult shoppers to stop at Historic City Hall, 137 Fifth St., beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday will receive a bag. There are a number of other promotions planned in Valley Junction, where most stores will have extended hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

• Cooking demonstrations and food samples by Mo's Rubs and author Brooke Williams will read from her book "The Leftover" at J. Thompson's Books, 117 Fifth St.
• Drawing for either a telescoping flag pole or metal planter at Martin's Flag Co., 135 Fifth St.
• Family portrait packages with Santa for $150 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Scarcello Photography,114 Fifth St. Children receive a token to redeem for a toy in Santa's toy shop and cocoa at a nearby cafe compliments of Santa. Session includes an online gallery from which you can download your images, share online or print yourself.

According to American Express, there are 266,382 small businesses in Iowa. In 2014, an estimated 6,126 jobs were created statewide by small businesses and 48.7 percent of the state's workforce was employed by a small business.

Small Business Saturday momentum had spread to every state by its third year and "Neighborhood Champions" were formed in 2013. Those groups and individuals rally their communities with special events and promotions like that in Valley Junction in West Des Moines.

Last year, 112 million people shopped at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which resulted in an estimated $15.4 billion in sales, American Express reported.

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