Small Business Saturday 2018: Participants In Annapolis Region

ANNAPOLIS, MD — You may not realize it, but independently owned boutiques, gift shops and mom-and-pop hardware stores struggle mightily to compete against malls, big box stores and online retailers. Small Business Saturday, held annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, was created to give these smaller enterprises a boost, and in Annapolis, many locally owned businesses are participating in the Nov. 24 event.

Supporters involved in the day include the Downtown Annapolis Partnership, the Central Maryland Chamber in Odenton, and the West Annapolis Business Affiliation.

Small Business Saturday has become an annual event for downtown Annapolis business districts, says the downtown partnership. "Have fun and shop in Downtown Annapolis at your favorite small business. Enjoy the special hometown service and the unique selection you find from your locally owned retailer," the group says on its website.

There is free parking for shoppers all day on Nov. 24 at the Calvert Street Parking Garage, 19 St. Johns Street, and $4 parking until 4 p.m. at the Whitmore Parking Garage at 25 Clay Street.

Small Business Saturday events include not only sales on things you won’t find at the mall or other places, but events that bring the community together. Some shops are offering a free gift with a purchase on Nov. 24, and a limited edition holiday ornament will be ready for purchase. Click Here to sse the limited edition holiday ornament.

Tell Us: Did we miss any Small Business Saturday events in Annapolis or Anne Arundel County? Tell us about them in the comments, or better yet, post them directly on Patch.

These stores, resaurants and venues are taking part in Small Business Saturday:

• Blue Crab Antiques Inc.
• Alpaca International - clothing boutique
• The Annapolis Pottery - pottery store and studio
• Back Creek Books - specialty book shop
• Blanca Flor Silver Jewelry - sterling silver jewelry and gifts
• Graul's Market - grocery store
• HERE. a pop-up shop - pop up gift boutique
• Historic Annapolis Museum Store - gift store
• HOBO - leather bags and wallets
• Irish Traditions - Irish clothing and gift boutique
• Lilac Bijoux - clothing boutique
• The Lucky Knot - clothing boutique
• Maria's Picture Place & Gift Shop - gallery, picture framing & gift shop
• Maryland Federation of Art - gallery
• Mr. Scherfel - men's clothing boutique
• The Pink Crab - clothing boutique
• RASA juice shop - vegan, gluten-free food and juice shop
• Sheehy Lexus - car dealership
• The Spice & Tea Exchange - seasoning and tea shop
• TTR Sotheby's International Realty - real estate services
• Tyler Bo - clothing boutique
• Woodcraft Artisans - home decor
• Zachary's Jewelers - fine and custom jewelry

• Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre - outdoor theatre
• Annapolis Symphony Orchestra - performing arts organization
• Mission Escape Rooms - interactive escape room experience

• Buddy's Crabs & Ribs - seafood and ribs
• Caliente Grill - Latino cuisine
• Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen - Italian cuisine
• Chesapeake Brewing Company - local craft beer and food
• Chick and Ruth's Delly - deli and bakery
• Federal House Bar & Grille - bar and grille
• Galway Bay Irish Restaurant - Irish pub
• Kilwins - ice cream and chocolate shop
• Level A Small Plates Lounge - cocktails and tapas style cuisine
• Light House Bistro - social enterprise restaurant
• Middleton Tavern - Chesapeake cuisine
• Miss Shirley's Cafe - Southern style breakfast and lunch
• Mission BBQ - barbeque restaurant
• O'brien's Steakhouse - Chesapeake cuisine
• Rams Head Tavern - American tavern fare
• Reynolds Tavern - teahouse and pub
• Stan and Joe's Saloon - American pub fare
• Starbucks - coffeehouse

• Annapolis Waterfront Hotel - hotel and conference/ballrooms
• Georgian House - bed & breakfast
• Historic Inns of Annapolis - multiple historic inns and conference rooms

• Schooner Woodwind - Annapolis sailing cruises
• Urban Eventours - transportation services and tours
• Watermark - boat tours and charters

Pasadena

• Wear It Again, Sam

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. Last year, some 7,200 local businesses in all 50 states participated.

What’s happened during the history of Small Business Saturday has helped independent retailers and restaurants keep their doors open. Their customers have spent an estimated $85 billion during the first eight Small Business Saturday events, according to American Express.

“Shopping small has a significant and positive effect on local communities, and we hope Small Business Saturday will help to amplify that effect during the crucial holiday shopping season,” Elizabeth Rutledge, chief marketing officer at American Express, said in a statement. “When we spend local, small businesses thrive. And when small businesses thrive, we all thrive.”

A new study commissioned by American Express shows that U.S. small businesses contribute $4.8 trillion to the GDP, equivalent to that of Japan, which has the third-largest economy in the world. The Small Business Economic Impact Study takes a county-level look at the economic benefits of shopping locally and how vital small businesses are to communities.

Among the findings:

• An average of two-thirds of every dollar spent at small businesses in the United States stays in the community.
• Every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as a result of employee spending and businesses purchasing local goods and services.
• In addition to small businesses directly employing members of the community, spending by those small businesses and their employees in the area also supports jobs. In fact, the study found, for every 10 jobs at a small business, another seven are supported in the local community.

This year, 97 percent of consumers surveyed by American Express and its partner, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said they think Small Business Saturday has improved their communities. Another 91 percent think it’s more important than ever to support small businesses this holiday season, and 83 percent plan to do at least some of their holiday shopping at independently owned retailers or restaurants, either in person or online.

As shopping habits further shift from brick-and-mortar stores to online marketplaces, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they’ll seek out small, independently owned retailers while they’re perusing the internet. Among them, 59 percent say they’ll shop online on Small Business Saturday, and 40 percent said they plan to shop on a small retailer’s website on Cyber Monday, observed on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Retailers that buy in bulk may be able offer a lower price — or not — but there’s more at stake for independent businesses.

“For small business owners, their business is not just a business,” American Express says. “To them, it is an extension of who they are. Giving the local businesses within your community a chance is crucial to not only their survival, but to give them an opportunity to win you over as a customer.”

Image via American Express