Take the pledge! Shop Small this Saturday!

Hey friends!  I am bringing you something different today on this humpday before Thanksgiving. While most everyone will spend their after turkey time preparing for Black Friday, I am not.  I am spending my Friday with Pure Barre, creative spins on leftovers and college football putting up my Christmas decorations.  But I will be celebrating the kickoff of Christmas shopping season this Saturday with Small Business Saturday!

Download this badge and take the pledge!

I love to shop local and do it as often as I can. I am so lucky to live in a city with a committed following of several small, local businesses.  We have Magazine Street, Metairie Road, Freret Street and Downtown Covington and other perfect small and local business areas, and they are chock full of great gifts and staples.  Our local arts and entertainment tabloid, the Gambit, also puts out a shopping guide that is all local small businesses!

In addition, I always shop at my Louisiana family owned grocery store, Rouses, and when I can, pick up fresh and local produce from my local small business food co-op, Hollygrove Market. Just look at the typical haul I've gotten for $25 each!

Local and small, with big flavor!

So why support small local businesses?  For me, it just feels good.  I like keeping money in my community and warding off chains.   I wanted to renew my commitment to this recently after some events in our country, especially to businesses that are minority or woman owned.  I love making my friend Kristen's jambalaya rice mix and showing off a wonderful woman owned small business!

Who doesn't love breakfast tacos served with tolerance!?

But maybe you need stats to support your decision.  I've got your stats!

Small businesses make up:
99.7% of U.S. employer firms
98% of all firms exporting goods
55% of all jobs and 66% of all new jobs since the 1970s
54% of all sales in the U.S.
30-50% of all commercial space
43% of all high-tech employment
33% of the U.S.’s exports value

You get the picture. In short, the U.S. economy would be nowhere close to where it is today without small business. (Source)

So join me, take the pledge to try and shop small on Saturday. It even has a Facebook Group! I will be hitting up Magazine Street with my friends and checking out our favorites, especially  Nola Couture, Fairy and Miss Smarty Pants, and I will be snapping and instagramming with the hashtags #smallbizsat and #shopsmall.  Support your local economy, your neighbors and friends, and get some unique cool stuff!

And maybe we will get this yummy salad at local small business St. James Cheese Company!

This post was inspired by Fundera, but they didn't need to entice me because this is so near and dear to my heart! Fundera is a resource for small business owners and they help business owners find small business loans to help fund seasonal workers and increased inventory during the holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!  I hope you have a wonderful time with the people you spend it with!  See you back on Monday!  In the meantime, if you aren't already, please follow me on Snapchat and Instagram for all my fun foodie happenings!  Username is Missyquiggs.

Happy Holidays!

Missy