Nestled between the infamous Black Friday and the I’d-rather-stay-home Cyber Monday sales, there exists a newer post-Thanksgiving shopping day: Small Business Saturday.

Originally an American Express campaign, the first-ever Small Business Saturday was in 2010. Since then, it’s exploded into a nationally-recognized shopping holiday that netted small businesses a whopping $16.2 billion last year (up from $5.5 billion in 2012).

That money goes directly back into the local community, to people you know and see around town. In a place like Newburyport, it fortifies the diverse fabric of one-of-a-kind boutiques, home-grown restaurants, and top-quality salons and spas (like yours truly).

Our very own Greater Newburyport Chamber Of Commerce is a 2016 Neighborhood Champion through the continuing American Express #ShopSmall initiative. You can search local businesses on the Chamber website, or use this map on shopsmall.com to find other Newburyport businesses that are participating in Small Business Saturday.

So mark your calendars November 26, and get ready to Shop Small with us. Thanks for your support!