Small Business Saturday 2020: Help Them Stay Afloat In Odenton

ODENTON, MD — Small businesses have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, making Small Business Saturday in 2020 more vital than ever. This year, the all-local shopping event falls on Nov. 28 including in Odenton.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in Odenton are facing unprecedented challenges due to coronavirus-related restrictions and shutdowns.

The list of Small Business Saturday participants continues to grow, despite the pandemic. Here are the businesses that have signed up so far:

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• The Crab Galley
• Station Cleaners
• Expressway Pit Beef
• Odenton Veterinary Hospital
• JJV Contracting
• Allogram
• Mid Atlantic Systems
• LKC Construction
• Maryland Register
• Friendly Liquors
• Eccentrics The Salon
• Buck Murphys
• Amore Nail Spa
• Textures
• Tom Wilson
• Hong Kong Gourmet
• Thrive Performance & Fitness
• Varcomac
• Synergy Martial Arts
• Perry's Restaurant
• Wheels Skating Center
• Sundance Auto Wash
• Doll Wax Salon
• Baltimore Coffee & Tea
• Hunan Odenton
• The Place Bar & Lounge
• The Place
• Premier Auto Rental & S
• Cue Dudes
• Schoolmart Techline Education
• Enoch Chan Productions & Photo
• Kiddie Academy Of Odenton
• Salon U - Zaki
• Studio 205 Beauty Lounge
• Gasch Printing
• The Hideaway
• Allgood Fitness
• Three Brothers Pizza
• Hunan L'Rose
• The Law Office Of Steven M Sindler
• C&T Building Services
• Silver Nail
• Trident Rifles
• O'brien Hvac Services LLC
• Odenton Liquors
• Complete Comfort
• ezStorage
• Xcel Power Washing Service
• Weyers Floor Service
• Rinconcito Mexicano
• Echelon At Odenton Road
• Bark Busters
• L&W Recycling
• Diverse Concepts
• Dyz Plumbing
• RPS
• Fichtner Services Central
• Luckys Deli & Market
• The New Edge Learning Center
• Chesapeake Sprinkler Company
• G & T Wood Products
• Hogue Enterprises
• Parks Martial Arts Usa
• Ultimate Flooring
• English Auto
• Long Fence
• B & G Service
• Atlas Stone Fabricators
• Odenton Sports Center
• Manny & Sons Auto Repair
• Greenway Bowl
• Holding Hands Daycare Center
• Hkpo
• Community Auto Repairs
• Top Nails
• Your Wood Post Sign Company
• The Point At Seven Oaks
• Appointment Care
• The All American Steakhouse
• Odenton Self Storage
• Self Storage Zone
• Moss Property Management
• Footprints To Success Learning Center
• C & C Cycle
• Seven Oaks Beauty Supply
• Nails Today
• Hana Japanese Cuisine
• Hops & Vines
• Hawaiin Tanning Salon
• TG Automotive
• Mid Atlantic Welding & Fabrication
• Laser Cut Property Services DMV LLV
• Piney Orchard Community Association
• Brother Tires 2
• Watchful Eye Daycare
• Jennifer Wilbanks
• Nv Salon & Makeup Studio
• Creative Trix
• Village Cleaners

Did we miss anyone in Odenton? Tell us in the comments or send an email to jacob.baumgart@patch.com and we’ll add it to the list.

Temporary closures, capacity restrictions, decreased demand for products and services and delays due to supply-chain issues have led to unprecedented challenges for small-business owners.

But the “Shop Small” movement continues amid these hardships.

“This holiday season looks a little different, but we can still share joy,” American Express, which established Small Business Saturday in 2010, said in a statement. “Shop small and support your favorite small businesses — both in store and online — all holiday season long.”

Sixty-two percent of small businesses in the United States need to see sales income return to the same rate it was pre-pandemic before the end of the year to stay in business, according to American Express.

These businesses, many family-owned, were already fighting for survival against malls, big box stores and online retailers before the pandemic.

“Small businesses have an immeasurable effect on the quality of life in neighborhoods by providing necessary resources and supporting a local ecosystem that includes charitable organizations, schools and churches,” said Caroline Connors, executive director of the Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association, an organization that supports small businesses on the South Side of Chicago.

Since 2010, local business supporters have spent more than $100 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.

A Shop Small Consumer Impact survey from American Express before the pandemic found that 73 percent of people think empty storefronts are a national issue, and 84 percent agree the increase in empty storefronts and the closing of small, independently owned businesses negatively affect their local communities.

The survey showed that when consumers are aware of the impact of spending their dollars locally, 75 percent said they would be more likely to purchase a product or service from small, independently owned businesses.

For every dollar spent at a U.S. small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community, according to American Express. This helps independent shops and restaurants keep their doors open and meet pay for their workers — your neighbors.

That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to American Express.

“With so many small businesses hit hard in 2020, it’s more important than ever to shop locally this holiday season to ensure they are able to continue operating in 2021,” Connors said.

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.