Small Business Saturday: Help Them Stay Afloat In Long Valley

LONG VALLEY, NJ — 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 Long Valley.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like in Long Valley 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’s some of the businesses that have signed up so far according to the American Express database:

• Chesapeake Tavern, 1 W Mill Rd
• Bourbon Street Wine & Spirits, 425 County Road 513, Ste 4
• The Window Group, 19 Middlesworth Farm Rd
• The Coffee Potter, 24 Schooleys Moutain Road
• Pezzo Pizza II, 62 E Mill Rd. Suite C1
• Valley Restaurant & Pub, 59 E Mill Rd, Unit 208
• Red Lantern, 9 W Mill Rd
• Long Valley Pub & Brewery, 1 Fairmount Rd
• Omg Burgers & Brew, 141 Schooleys Mountain Rd
• Ltc Scripts, 62 E Mill Rd Ste B1
• Meadowbrook Day Camp, 73 E Valley Brook Rd
• Long Valley Animal Hospital, 59 E Mill Rd Unit 2-1012
• Valley Cleaners, 62 E Mill Rd Ste 6
• Pulled Fork Bbq, 38 E Mill Road
• Long Valley Bagel, 6 W Mill Rd
• Pinky Nail & Spa, 62 East Mill Rd Ste C2
• Purespace, 40 E Mill Road
• The Village Salon At, 10 Schooleys Mountain Rd
• Homework Helpers Of Long Valley, 18 Schooleys Mountain Dr
• Long Valley Auto Bod, 19 Fairview Avenue
• Valley Center Automotive, 4 E Mill Rd
• Balance Face & Body Wellness, 67 East Mill Rd
• Neighbour House Bed & Breakfast, 143 W Mill Rd
• Long Valley Auto Works, 3 Fairview Avenue
• La Rienda, 5 W Mill Rd
• Vale Pizza, 67 E Mill Rd
• Garden State Groundskeeping, 59 East Mill Road
• Frazier Industrial Company, 91 Fairview Avenue
• Musconetcong Vlly, 59 East Mill Rd
• Syence Skin Care Lab, 99 W Mill Rd,Building 22
• Eric J Kaiser Counsellor, 41 E Mill Rd
• US Military Loans, 59 E Mill Rd,Unit 305
• Twisted Steel Welding, 38 Rock Rd
• Valley Professional Center, 59 E Mill Rd
• Valley Shepherd Creamery, 50 Fairmount Rd
• Hoffman Supply, 35 East Mill Road
• Long Valley Animal Hospital, 59 East Mill Road Unit 1
• Asian Gourmet, 67 East Mill Road Ste 6
• Exceptional Choice, 2 Rock Rd

Is the database incomplete? Tell us in the comments or send an email to russ.crespolini@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.

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