Neighbor News
Shop Small in Downtown Lakeland on Nov. 26
Dozens of Downtown Lakeland businesses are participating in Small Business Saturday.
A popular holiday tradition among small businesses returns Nov. 26: Small Business Saturday.
Many Downtown Lakeland businesses are hosting events between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and offering sales and giveaways as part of this post-Thanksgiving shopping tradition geared toward supporting small, locally-owned businesses.
Downtown Lakeland’s small businesses pride themselves on offering an array of unique gifts to help you tell your friends and loved ones, “You’re special,” instead of “blue light special.”
Find out what's happening in Lakelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Facts about Small Businesses in America from the U.S. Small Business Administration:
- Small businesses outnumber big businesses 1,000 to 1. There are 28 million small businesses in the U.S.
- Small businesses account for 54 percent of all sales.
- The 600,000 plus franchised small businesses in the U.S. account for 40 percent of all retail sales and provide jobs for 8 million people.
- The small business sector in America occupies 30-50 percent of all commercial space, an estimated 20-34 billion square feet.
- The number of small businesses in the United States has increased 49% since 1982.
- Since 1990, as big business eliminated 4 million jobs, small businesses added 8 million new jobs.
Many local shops will offer their own personalized discounts and specials. Some stores are offering a 5 percent discount to customers who pay cash. For a complete list of participating businesses downtown, along with their specials, visit the News section at www.downtownlakelandfl.com.
