Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Small Business Saturday - Locals, PLEASE COMMENT!



For those of you who can't wait until Friday to run out and get those Black Friday bargains, here is a helpful link.
Black Friday Opening Hours

As for me, I hate it! As retailers push the Black Friday envelope in a fiendish plot to destroy Thanksgiving and meaningful human interaction, I feel the need to push back. So, I am drawing my line in the sand. I will not participate. I will not participate in the ravenous consumer orgy that now begins at 6pm on Thanksgiving. I do not want to contribute to the competitive and mean-spirited drive to get the best deal on some gadget cranked out in China. I do not want to contribute to a system that turns a family holiday into a day of drudgery and misery for those who work retail.

What's the fallback plan for Friday?
I am not completely sure, but I have several tentative plans:
I want to start the day by spending a quiet morning with my beautiful wife. As I work on the list of that for which I am thankful, she is right at the top, and I want her to know that.
I would like to hike in a canyon, bake sugar cookies, have lunch with friends and family, walk the dogs in a local park, put up Christmas lights, and start working on a few handmade gifts.

And, if I absolutely have to go out and buy something for somebody, I am going to hold out for Small Business Saturday.

It's a great way to support local businesses. One study shows $45 of every $100 spent at small, local businesses stays in the local economy. National chains only keep local $13 of every $100 spent.

Skip Black Friday - Small Business Saturday (It's an older article, but it still makes a great point.)

So, those of you who live here on the South Plains, do you have any local small businesses you'd recommend for Small Business Saturday? Gift shops? Local artists? Specialty food sellers? Local stores that offer great customer service? Please share your favorites in the comments section, so others can support those brave souls who go head-to-head with the retail giants that surround and overwhelm us!

May all your Fridays be anything but black!

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