Volusia County Council Issues Small Business Saturday Proclamation

The holiday season is in full swing, and Saturday, Nov. 25, was the day dedicated to encouraging consumers to shop and support small businesses. Founded by American Express in 2010 and officially cosponsored by the Small Business Administration since 2011, Small Business Saturday has become an important part of small businesses’ busiest shopping season.
To recognize the importance of supporting our local small business community, which stands at more than 16,000 privately owned small business establishments employing more than 140,000 individuals, the Volusia County Council proclaimed November 25, 2023, as Small Business Saturday during its Nov. 21 meeting.
According to a Small Business Economic Impact Study conducted by American Express, the importance of local shopping is evident because 67% of every dollar spent on small businesses stays in the local communities. Companies with fewer than 500 employees (which equates to 90% of the businesses in Volusia County) account for 44% of U.S. economic activity. And for every 10 jobs at a small business, another seven are supported in the local community.
Last week, American Express reported U.S. consumers spent an estimated $17 billion at independent retailers and restaurants during this year’s dedicated shopping day and since 2010, total reported spending during Small Business Saturday has reached an estimated $201 billion.
While the day has come and gone, we can continue to support and create awareness of our neighborhood mom and pop shops, restaurants, and service providers this holiday season and throughout the year. Share your local shopping experiences on social media and use hashtags such as #ShopSmall and #ShopLocal.
Are you a small business owner? Find resources to support your small business needs by visiting VolusiaBusinessResources.com or contacting the Volusia County Division of Economic Development at 386-248-8048 or vced@volusia.org.
