CARBONDALE - Nov. 29, 2013. As ambassador to Illinois Main Street, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon is encouraging Illinois residents to participate in Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30 and shop local for holiday gifts.
"With communities starting to rebuild from the recent tornadoes and severe storms, it is even more important to focus on our local economies," Simon said. "Buying locally keeps money in our communities and helps our economies grow."
Small Business Saturday organizers tout the day as a way to celebrate small businesses in force, create more jobs and stimulate the economy. According to the Small Business Association, Illinois small businesses represent 98.3 percent of all employers, employ almost 48 percent of the private-sector labor force and employ over two million workers.
Last year on Small Business Saturday, Simon shopped at The Bookworm, an independent, locally-owned business in Carbondale, and she plans to pick up some locally-made Clay Lick Creek Pottery at shops in Makanda this holiday season. Shoppers should check out their Illinois Main Street shopping districts for special events, Simon said.
To learn more about Small Business Saturday, find participating small businesses, receive advice on how to prepare for the holiday season, market your small business, and much more, please visit http://www.sba.gov/about-sba/
