Small Business Saturday - Fort Thomas, Kentucky

Small businesses do a lot to help our community, and, on Nov. 28, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we’ll have an opportunity to thank them.

That’s because Nov. 28 is Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Black Friday.

Black Friday, of course, is when families to wake early, sit in traffic, compete with other drivers for decent parking spots, jostle with crowds and stand in line to buy things probably no one asked for or really wants.

Small Business Saturday is the opposite of that. Small Business Saturday is when you shop at small, locally-owned businesses for things you simply can’t find at the mall, and instead of dealing with temporary workers who don’t know the merchandise, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner who cares very much about making you happy so you’ll come back time and again throughout the year.

The campaign to “shop small” on the Saturday after Thanksgiving started in 2010 as an effort to give small businesses—many struggling to get out of the red after a long recession—a much needed shot in the arm.

Since then, it has become a powerful movement to give back to the brick-and-mortar establishments that line our Main Streets and keep our communities vibrant.

In Fort Thomas and Northern Kentucky, we talked to some local leaders and business owners about what Small Business Saturday means to their businesses:

Trey Grayson, President and CEO Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce:

Trey Grayson. 

"For many local businesses, especially in the retail sector, the holidays are not just the "most wonderful time of the year". They are also the most critical time of the year when it comes to ensuring a profitable year. That's why it's important to help them out during this season by shopping locally, especially but not exclusively, on Small Business Saturday."

Drew Schwegman, Owner, Northern Kentucky Action Coach:

Drew Schwegman. 

"Based on statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau (2012), small businesses employ more of the nation's private workforce (56.1 million) than the enterprise sector (51.6 million). Small businesses are truly the economic engine of our country, and supporting these businesses is vital for our long term prosperity. As a business coach who works with small to medium sized businesses I see the challenges facing our local businesses on a daily basis. Usually those challenges revolve around time, team and/or money, and that's why I set aside a few hours each month to provide strategic planning sessions at no charge for those business owners that are serious about growing their businesses. 

We need these businesses to succeed so more people can go to work, make their contribution and improve our communities at every level."

Small Business Saturday Offer: 60-minute strategy session with the coach. Valued at $395.

"During this session we will cover all the areas your business needs to focus on for growth - marketing, sales, administrative, operations and more. You will leave with proven strategies you can implement immediately to help grow your business. To take advantage of this offer email Coach Drew NOW at drewschwegman@actioncoach.com These sessions will go fast and are on a first come, first booked basis."

Dr. Parrish G. Monk, Director of the Art House in Fort Thomas:

Parrish Monk. FTM file. 

"When you support local businesses you are supporting the community's well-being, the local economy,  and the distinctive character that one-of-a kind businesses add to the community.  It's like planting and nurturing the seed of a fruiting tree."

Small Business Saturday Offer: We will have generous discounts plus we are giving away Membership Discount Cards to our first 100 guests. These cards can be used as many times as they want and they  are valid until December 2016. The cards give the bearer 10% off of  their entire purchase.

Ken Bowman, Owner, Bowman's Framing

Ken Bowman. FTM file. 

"When local businesses do well, the community does well. It is very important to support the locals first whenever possible. They work very hard to compete in an increasingly impersonal online driven, big box environment and might just disappear if not supported. Multiple studies prove that most of the local dollars spent, stay local. For me, it's been a 26 year fight to stay relevant and we work very hard to keep our customers happy."

Small Business Saturday Offer: Bowman's Framing will offer a 15% discount on Small Business Saturday on all orders placed that day. We are open from 9 - 2 on Saturdays.

Dr. Josiah Young, Opticare Vision Centers

Dr. Josiah Young

"Sometimes when you shop local you can find really unique gifts that you don't get at the big box stores. Plus you are supporting a local business, which means you are also supporting our community. This makes gift giving even more personal and rewarding."

Small Business Saturday Offer: Opticare Newport is having a 50% off sunglasses sale on small business Saturday. All Polaroid sunglasses will be 50% off on Saturday. These sunglasses provide superior optics, glare and reflection free vision, and 100% UVA and UVB protection. They also come with thinner and lighter polycarbonate lenses with scratch guard.

These are the sunglasses that I wear because l found that my vision was much clearer in these than some other well known sunglasses. You can try them on for yourself and immediately notice the difference.