Glen Ellyn businesses to participate in Small Business Saturday

GLEN ELLYN – As the executive director of the Alliance of Downtown Glen Ellyn, Carol White tries to get people to shop locally every day.

So she sees Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28 as an extension of the alliance's efforts.

"I think we all need to be reminded how important it is to shop local and reinvest in their community," White said. "A majority of our downtown businesses realize the importance of reminding people to shop at small businesses and will have some sort of fun treat or promotion on that Saturday."

Local businesses across the country are hoping shoppers will think to buy local this year as restaurants, stores and other services celebrate the sixth annual Small Business Saturday.

Started by American Express in 2010, the day encourages consumers to do their shopping at local businesses. It is held each year the Saturday after Thanksgiving – or, more accurately, the day after the infamous Black Friday, where large retailers often put large swathes of inventory on steep discount.

According to American Express's website, Small Business Saturday's popularity has grown each year, with an estimated $14.3 billion spent at small, independent businesses in 2014. American Express even provides local shops the ability to create their own promotional materials for the day and has a nationwide map of participating businesses.

White said she has seen the success of the "shop local" campaigns of both the alliance and Small Business Saturday.

"The alliance tries very hard to promote the same message that Small Business Saturday promotes," White said. "We do that through everything we do every day. Our mission is to drive sales into downtown businesses, and to do that, we have to remind everybody that our downtown is beautiful to drive through, but you need to stop and spend your money there to make a difference and keep it nice."

She hopes shoppers will fill the downtown all weekend. The Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce's Holiday Walk will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 27, the day before Small Business Saturday.

Marcel's Culinary Experience, 490 N. Main St. in downtown Glen Ellyn, and its newly opened sister shop, Marché, 496 N. Main St., are among those downtown businesses that will be participating in Small Business Saturday.

Marché is a gourmet specialty shop featuring fine cheeses, charcuterie and specialty food.

"We've got all kinds of different promotions," owner Jill Foucré said. "We will be doing demonstrations and sampling food. Those are things we will be doing all weekend."

She anticipates both stores will be busy.

"For us, it's shop local every day," Foucré said. "We just have a great community here that supports our local merchants. We feel really well supported by them every day."

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Know more

For information on Small Business Saturday and participating businesses, visit americanexpress.com.