Small Business Saturday 2019: Participating Businesses In Acton

ACTON, MA — You may not think about it much, but independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in Acton are fighting for survival against malls, big box stores and online retailers.

Small Business Saturday, held annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, was created to give them a boost and help level the field of competition. This year, the 10th anniversary of the "Shop Small" movement, the all-local shopping event falls on Nov. 30.

Here's a list of the some businesses that have signed up so far:

• Colonial Spirits, 87 Great Rd
• Acton Wine & Spirit Co, 305 Main St
• Rapscallion Table & Tap, 5 Strawberry Hill Rd
• Bueno Y Sano, 263 Main St
• Filho's Great Road, 59 Great Rd
• Sorrento's Pizzerias, 251 Main St
• Tst* Blackbird Cafe, 342 Great Rd
• Kitchen Outfitters, 342 Great Road
• Tc Landos Sub Pizzeria, 297 Main St
• Benjarong Restaurant, 214 Main St
• Atlantic Sea Grill & Fish, 77 Great Rd Rte 2a
• Acton Chrysler Dodge Jeep, 196 Great Rd
• Acton Auto Supply, 157 Great Road
• Quill & Press, 285 Main St
• Goulds Clothing Of Acton, 260 Great Rd
• 338109 Loyal Companion, 444 Great Road
• Spicepepper Garden, 36 Great Rd
• El Huipil Restaurant, 273 Great Road
• Moran Leasing Rentals, 198 Great Rd
• Pedal Power Bike & Ski, 176 Great Rd
• Learning Express Toys, 250 Great Road
• Colonial Chevrolet, 171 Great Rd
• Michaels Shoe, 262 Great Rd
• Ginger Court, 344 Great Rd Unit 16
• The Dive, 37 Newtown
• Circle Furniture Outlet, 19 Craig Rd
• Colorworks 1 Acton, 425 Great Rd
• Unique Nails, 295 Main St
• The Holy Grail, 166 Great Rd

And tons more listed on the American Express website.

Did we miss anyone in Acton? Tell us in the comments or send an email to samantha.mercado@patch.com and we'll add it to the list.

The list of Small Business Saturday participants is growing, so before you head out to shop. "Shop Small" events include not only sales on things you won't find at the mall or other shopping venues, but also events that bring the community together.

American Express established Small Business Saturday in 2010 to help local businesses reeling from the Great Recession. The U.S. Senate passed a resolution a year later encouraging businesses in all 50 states to participate in what has morphed into a nationwide "shop small" movement.
This year, the stakes are even higher for small businesses. Rising rents and shifting consumer behavior are causing many small business owners to shutter their shops, according to American Express.

A Shop Small Consumer Impact survey from American Express 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 affects their local communities.

"We recognize the hardships faced by small business owners today and want to inspire people to take notice and Shop Small to support their communities on Small Business Saturday and beyond," Elizabeth Rutledge, chief marketing officer at American Express, said in a news release. "Retail is changing, but local shops are the fabric of our communities, helping them to thrive in the future is part of our brand ethos and backing promise."

Since 2010, local business supporters have spent $103 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.

But that's only part of the story. For every dollar spent at a U.S. small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community — and it helps independent shops and restaurants keep their doors open and meet pay 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.

The American Express 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.

Shopping small isn't just a Thanksgiving weekend retail event, but a year-long movement, according to American Express, which says it is launching a marketing campaign to make consumers more aware of the impact they can have on their communities when they support local businesses.

"We believe in backing small businesses because we know they strengthen the communities where we live and work," Anna Marrs, president of Global Commercial Services at American Express, said in the news release.