Small Business Saturday (SBS) is a “holiday” of sorts that celebrates shopping small and brings recognition of supporting local to the masses. Think of it as the way local and small shops are now being represented during the holidays.
It takes place every Saturday after Thanksgiving, much like like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Started in 2010 by American Express, the first SBS was held on Saturday, Nov. 27 to encourage people across the country to support small, local businesses. In 2011, the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution of support for Small Business Saturday. This day is LEGIT, guys!
This year’s SBS was EPIC for me to say the least, and today I wanted to share my experience. My hope is to spread the message of Small Business Saturday for those who aren’t aware, or encourage those who may not act to do so. Lastly, I want to hear your SBS stories as well!
Britt’s 2016 Small Business Saturday Adventure
I had been following my Instagram pretty tightly the week of Thanksgiving to keep up with my favorite local makers and shops to see how they’d be celebrating Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Then, I took my shopping list for myself and those receiving gifts from me and created a separate list of small businesses that satisfied my shopping list (or that I had just been wanting to explore more of). Now, I’m a crazy list lady and uber organized, so you may not be as anal and meticulous as me but – point being – I planned like Black Friday craziness, except for local shops!
Here in Kansas City, a certain group of nine local makers and shops banded together to create a little “passport” tour for this year’s SBS. All you had to do was pick up a passport at any location, stop at four or more locations within the group, support them with a purchase, receive a stamp in your “passport,” and then be one of the first 15 people to turn this in to the last stop to get a free local swag bag – say what?! If I wasn’t crazy excited for SBS already, this just turned that up by 10!
Shop Indie KC Small Business Saturday passport participants:
- Hand & Land (Leawood) – natural home, body and apothecary goods.
- Golden & Pine (Brookside) – handcrafted and ethical home goods and decor.
- Unbakery & Juicery (Brookside) – fresh pressed juices, elixirs, tonics and raw treats.
- Midcoast Modern (Crossroads) – a handmade and design-centric gift shop.
- Tyler Kingston (West Side) – reclaimed wood furniture, products and vintage/antique native finds.
- Urban Provisions (East Bottoms) – a modern general store with hand picked goods.
- Maker Goods (Westport) – a local maker and her storefront for shop supplies.
- True Style Glass (Union Hill) – glass pipe shop and gallery.
- Cherry Pit Collective (Union Hill) – a group/collection of different local artists/makers and their studios.
Mitch and I made it to five out of the nine stops (missed Hand & Land, Urban Provisions, True Style Glass and Maker Goods) and I can truly say – this was SUCH a blast! Not only did I get to check several things off my list, but this got me to go out and finally explore some shops I hadn’t made my way out to yet. Plus, to top everything off, most of these places had such cheer and celebration with additional shop flair for the occasion.
For instance, Midcoast Modern had free gift wrapping and handed out “Shop Small” crowns. Tyler Kingston was giving out free mini “Midwest” pennants if you spent over $25. They featured local maker Fox Trot Supply Co. at their shop creating handmade custom leather belts right then and there for you to buy at a special price. Tyler Kingston also had local Meta Coffee Roasting serving up hot cups of Joe. Cherry Pit Collective (who was driving the show) created the hand drawn passports and put together your free swag bag for those lucky first 15. Lastly, we were given “Shop Small” reusable totes at some of the stops instead of the typical shopping bag – how cool!
Even if there hadn’t been any extra “pizazz” happening though, the energy of everyone out at these shops was so fantastic and lovely to take in and be a part of. I could really feel the community booming and coming together.
Needless to say, Mitch and I scored quite the haul.
The Goods
Please note that some items are currently hidden as they are gifts – I will reveal once the holidays are over. 🙂
- Tyler Kingston
- Native pattern wool throw pillow (left)
- “Run Wild” buffalo print (bottom left)
- Two free “Midwest” mini felt pennants (bottom middle)
- Antique gold geometric desk topper with little “test tubes” with greenery (bottom right)
- Little geometric figure in the shape of a house (not pictured)
- Midcoast Modern
- Homemade Gin Kit (center)
- Save the Drama for Your Llama print by Kristin Smith Creative (center left)
- Golden & Pine
- Handmade llama ornament (center right)
- Unbakery & Juicery
- H2O No.2 beverage – contains activated charcoal, chlorophyll, lime, alkaline water and turmeric (center far right)
- Cherry Pit Collective
- Fringe with Benefits miniature woven wall piece (bottom right, next to Midwest pennants)
- FREE SWAG BAG (Whiskey + Bone bag) filled with
- “Midwest is Best” glass from Midcoast Modern
- Marbled coasters from Maker Goods
- Adorable little mitten printed Christmas card
- “Midwest is Best” keychain from Tyler Kingston
- Blip Roasters sticker
- “Shop Small” balloon
Last but not least – of course I also took advantage of goings that were happening online and throughout the weekend outside of Small Business Saturday. I snagged two art prints from one of my favorite local artists, Cat Coquillette from her Society6 shop. I also stopped by Madewell on the Plaza to grab a small batch handmade soy candle from Lake Candles who was having up a pop up there that Sunday. (I got the Midwest Magnolia scent – in love!)
How did you all spend your Small Business Saturday? Any cool happenings that I missed out on? What all did you guys get from your local faves?