Small Business Saturday 2020: Help Them In Marblehead

MARBLEHEAD, MA — 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 Marblehead.

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

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

Here is a map of the participating businesses in Marblehead.

Patch's free Local Business Information Center.

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.

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.