WAYNE, NJ— Saturday, Nov. 30, is a crucial day for independently owned local businesses in Wayne Township. It’s Small Business Saturday, the kickoff to “shop small” events that emphasize the power of dollars spent in local communities.
Founded by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday is sandwiched between the major Black Friday retail shopping holiday, which tends to favor national brands, and Cyber Monday, an online shopping event that this year takes place on Dec. 2.
The following local businesses are among those participating in this year’s event:
- Bosland’s Flower Shop, 1600 Ratzer Road, Wayne
- Chocolate Treasures, 90 Mountain View Boulevard, Wayne
- Frick and Frack Gift Boutique, 1470 Route 23 North, Wayne
- Guacamole – A Taste of Mexico, 1055 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne
- H K Styles, 141 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pequannock
- Lakeside Restaurant and Bar, 56 Lake Drive West, Wayne
- Max’s Deli, 1484 Route 23 North
- Packanack Bakery, 1488 Route 23 North, Wayne
- UnderOak Farm
- Zeppelin Hobbies, 1530 Route 23 North, Wayne.
Click here to see the full list.
Since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending an estimated $163 billion at small businesses across all 12 Small Business Saturdays combined.
There are 979,085 small businesses in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 state profiles.
An estimated 1.7 million people in the state work at businesses with fewer than 500 employees, from restaurants and retail stores to law firms and tech companies.
Local businesses depend on increased sales in the last few months of the year to help them reach their revenue goals, and you’ll find plenty of in-store cheer and holiday happenings that will make the shopping experience fun.
Locally owned businesses recirculate a far greater percentage of revenue locally compared to absentee-owned businesses, according to the American Independent Business Alliance. Independents return about 48 percent of their revenues back into the local economy, compared to 14 percent returned to the local economy by chains.
Small businesses are typically defined by the federal government as those with fewer than 500 employees.
They are responsible for two of every three jobs over the past 25 years. Even a partial collapse of small businesses could weaken the overall U.S. economy, according to the Labor Department.
