Robert Bentley encourages support of Alabama small businesses on Saturday

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Gov. Bentley poses for a selfie with staff members at Chef's Table Restaurant in Oneonta, May 16, 2014. [Photo Credit: Governor's Office | Jamie Martin]

Tis the season for holiday shopping.

From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, retailers across the country are geared up for the busiest shopping weekend of the year. And this year, Governor Robert Bentley is encouraging Alabamians to shop local to support Small Business Saturday.

On Monday, Bentley signed a proclamation formally declaring November 26th as Small Business Saturday in Alabama. Already a national initiative, Small Business Saturday is designed to celebrate and support the often-overlooked sector of the economy, encouraging consumers to patronize small, local, brick-and-mortar stores.

“Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity for Alabamians to support local businesses on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving,” Bentley said. “Small businesses are the engines of job growth and a vital part of a stimulated economy. By recognizing Small Business Saturday, we can choose to support the small businesses that contribute to our economy and our communities. As we begin the holiday shopping season, I encourage Alabamians to shop at local small businesses throughout Alabama.”

According to the latest state profile from the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 382,524 small businesses in Alabama, accounting for 96.7% of Alabama businesses. Small businesses employ 47.7% of the state’s private sector workforce.

“Small business represents 99.7 percent of all U.S. employers, and they provide jobs for 58 million Americans,” Rosemary Elebash, State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business chairs theAlabama Small Business Commission and Advisory Committee said. “For many local retail businesses, the holiday shopping season is a make-or-break time, and Americans who want to support their communities and the economy should remember to shop small.”

 

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