Today is Small Business Saturday^®, an event started in 2010 in the midst of that recession, to encourage shoppers to support all the small businesses in their community.

According to American Express, which is credited with starting the Small Business Saturday^® movement, more than 67 cents of each dollar spent at local small businesses stays in the community.

On the Big Island, most of our businesses are small businesses.  With the island’s economy–as is the economy of the state and the country–the people on the island have an opportunity to help restore our economy by shopping local, and shopping small, as much as possible during this holiday season.

Understanding many are concerned about getting out in possible crowds during this COVID-19 pandemic, many stores give additional shopping options:  you can often go to their websites and they will ship to you or deliver your purchases directly to you in your car, curbside.

Image below courtesy Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce; attached image courtesy the American Express Small Business Saturday program.