Shop Small Saturday
Holiday shoppers encouraged to patronize local merchants
Marge Hodge checks out some of the Christmas merchandise at Burrville Antiques on Market Street during the recent Christmas Open House event in Historic Downtown Clinton. (photo:G Chambers Williams III )
Clinton’s Shop Small Saturday is promoted this year by the Historic Downtown Clinton organization. But it is among similar events nationwide, called Small Business Saturday, celebrated on Thanksgiving weekend.
Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010, and has officially been co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration since 2011.
It’s described as “a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities,” according to the SBA website.
“Small Business Saturday has become an important part of small businesses’ busiest shopping season,” the SBA says.
Spending among U.S. consumers who shopped at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday reached an estimated $17.9 billion in 2022, according to the Consumer Insights Survey commissioned by American Express.
The Shop Small Saturday event in Clinton will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with downtown businesses open and ready for Christmas shoppers as an alternative to the big box stores and their Black Friday promotions.
Other area Christmas events scheduled this season include:
Rocky Top tree lighting, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, followed by the Christmas parade at 7 p.m. in downtown Rocky Top.
Clinton Christmas parade at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.
Holiday Market in downtown Clinton from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. It includes the brick-and-mortar stores, along with street vendors, food trucks and more.
Also that Saturday, Dec. 9, from 1-4 p.m., the downtown merchants will sponsor the Cookie Crawl, featuring free cookies and other refreshments in the stores, along with visits from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and The Grinch.
Oak Ridge Christmas parade at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec.9.