It's the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season and this year small businesses are relying on holiday sales to help generate new business.
Local small businesses are looking to make their end-of-year goals as Small Business Saturday kicks off Nov. 30. Vanessa Szwejbka, communications associate for the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, said over 200 small businesses, including shops, salons, restaurants and more, meaning there is something local for everyone.
"Small businesses offer really unique gifts, and customer experience opportunities that you just don't get anymore -- people that really are very knowledgeable in the products that they're selling," Szwejbka said.
With Black Friday kicking off holiday deals, Szwejbka said keeping the small, local businesses in mind can help local economies and business owners. She said many small local businesses rely on holiday sales to keep them afloat for another year.
"We all live where we live because we love our community and if you love your community, you should support local businesses and small businesses and Small Business Saturday because, really, they're part of your community," Szwejbka said. "The money that you spend at these businesses goes right back into the community. Local and small business owners tend to help each other."
This year marks the 15th year of Small Business Saturday which began in 2010 by American Express.
