SBA Indiana Promotes Small Business Saturday with #ShopSmall Walking Tours of Indiana Small Towns

INDIANAPOLIS—The holiday shopping season is here and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Indiana District Office and small business partners from state and local organizations are grabbing their walking shoes and heading to Jasper’s Town Square November 15 as part of their third annual Small Business Saturday (SBS) #ShopSmall Walking tours. U.S. Senator Mike Braun will join them. SBA Indiana District Director Stacey Poynter says the #ShopSmall Walking tours are a way to highlight the great small business districts located throughout the state and encourage consumers to support local economies by shopping small and shopping local during the holiday season.

“Small businesses are the engine of Indiana’s economy and are responsible for creating over 33 thousand net new jobs last year,” Poynter said. “Shopping small during the holiday season—and throughout the year–allows consumers to make a tremendous impact by supporting small business owners creating jobs in their own neighborhood. By shopping local and shopping small, consumers are investing in the success of their community’s future.”

“Downtown Jasper continues to expand on its abilities to offer shopping and dining opportunities for our local residents as well as those visiting,” said Jasper Mayor Dean Vonderheide.  “Downtown you will find business and restaurants that inspire their patrons to look at and experience new and exciting things as well as being able to enjoy the foods, beverages, and shopping experiences that they have enjoyed their entire lives.  Downtown Jasper has boutiques/gifts, chocolates, home furnishings, hardware, restaurants, and clothing of all types available for those that shop here locally.”

SBA Indiana #ShopSmall Walking Tours take place prior to Small Business Saturday during the second and third week of November This year’s schedule includes tours of Main Street in Madison, Jasper Town Square and downtown New Albany. The public is invited. Tours kick off at 9am with networking and a press conference followed by stops in several small businesses to chat with owners and check out the unique gift ideas and activities each town has to offer. Launch locations and dates are as follows:

Small Business Saturday is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year marks the tenth annual celebration of Small Business Saturday (SBS) on November 30, and the second year the SBA has partnered with American Express promoting SBS events. Last year, shoppers spent a record $17.8 billion at local establishments on Small Business Saturday. American Express also reports that 42% of the consumers surveyed said they shopped small with family and friends on that day, and 83% said they encouraged others to also shop or dine small in support of their local businesses. For more information on where you can shop small near you check out American Express’ online map at www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/howtoparticipate .