Needham Encourages Residents To Support Small Businesses

NEEDHAM, MA — Needham is joining American Express in its 11th annual Small Business Saturday, encouraging residents to do their holiday shopping locally this season and share their experiences on social media to show support for the many local shops in Town.

This year’s Small Business Saturday, which will take place on November 28th during Thanksgiving weekend, is an important part of the holiday season for small merchants as they work to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, an estimated 110 million people participated in Small Business Saturday, and sales hit a record high with an estimated $19.6 billion in reported spending, according to American Express.

To mobilize the power of social media heading into this year’s Small Business Saturday and all holiday season long, shoppers are invited to Shop Small at their favorite small merchants – both in-store and online – and share their support on social media. Simply tag the small merchants that you shop at on social media and share what you love about them – from a favorite product to the great service they provide – it can really go a long way to support a small business this holiday season.

“We’re heading into the homestretch of what has been a very challenging year for all of us, particularly for the local retailers who help drive our local economy and who support our Town in so many ways,” said Select Board member Marianne Cooley. “Let’s do our part in supporting them during this critical part of the year. We encourage everyone to shop local this season so that the retailers we know and love will still be here for many years to come.”

“We hope that Needham residents will make the extra effort to support the small, independent retailers on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season,” said Hilary Chandler, owner of Tin Rabbit Décor in Needham Center. “We are hoping for really strong year-end sales to carry us through what is always a traditionally slower period during the first quarter. Now more than ever, holiday sales are critical to our long-term survival.”

In addition to Small Business Saturday, local retailers in Needham are staying open late on Thursdays to help customers do their holiday shopping. Many restaurants are offering deals on Thursday evenings as well. Learn more here. Retailers are also offering curbside pickup and appointments for private shopping to accommodate shoppers.