Small Business Saturday activities kick off Friday
11/6/2014
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PARMA, Ohio -- Small Business Saturday has become something of a local big deal in Parma. Mayor Tim DeGeeter and Parma City Council would have it no other way. In the past two years, City leaders have taken extra steps to educate residents about the Saturday after Thanksgiving - the day after Black Friday – and to encourage them to participate.
On Friday, Mayor DeGeeter, along with Chamber of Commerce President Dave Nedrich and members of City Council, will kick off activities leading to Small Business Saturday, which falls on Nov. 29 this year. The group will begin at 1 p.m. at Rudy’s Strudel (5580 Ridge Road), where the first 2014 Small Business Saturday poster will be placed in a window. After Rudy’s, the group will travel to Breads & Beyond Bakery (5578 State Road) at approximately 1:30-1:45 p.m., to La Bakery Boutique (5721 State Road) at about 2 p.m. and finally, to Gentile’s (5626 Broadview Road) at about 2:30 p.m.
Leading up to Nov. 29, posters that urge “Support Small Business – Shop Small Here” will be distributed by city council members to independent businesses in their ward.
“I think we did a good job last year of raising awareness about the day itself and about what Parma has to offer a local shopper,” Mayor DeGeeter said. “At little cost, we can have a big impact on our local small business economy. Parma is the perfect place to shop small – we have a lot of different kinds of small businesses … everything from European bakeries to comic book stores.”
Added Nedrich: “This is an excellent opportunity for people to learn more about what Parma offers in the way of small business. The Parma Area Chamber of Commerce is more than happy to participate in Small Business Saturday activities. We are looking forward to shopping small.”
Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010 and is celebrated every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Parma City Council passed a resolution in support of Small Business Saturday at a Council meeting on Monday.