Shop Small Campaign Begins in Silver Spring

From Montgomery Community Media

Local and federal government officials visited a Silver Spring grocery store Monday to remind Montgomery County residents to shop local and to shop small during the holiday season.

On Nov. 24, Maria Contreras-Sweet, the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet, visited Americana Grocery Store in Silver Spring to encourage people to shop at local businesses on Nov. 29, which is also known as Small Business Saturday.

“We picked a community grocery store because we thought it was so important to remind Americans all across country that when we think of small businesses, small businesses come in so many different forms,” Contreras-Sweet said.

The initiative is a national campaign dedicated to support local businesses and to strengthen the economy.

According to Contreras-Sweet, the SBA directs 23 percent of federal spending to invest in local businesses. Joe Rodriguez, the owner of Americana Grocery store, received a $100,000 loan from the SBA 30 years ago and was able to open the family’s first grocery store.

“It’s my firm belief that, in this country, opportunities are like low fruit you can just pick up off the tree. So, all you have to do basically is work hard and try to get it,” Rodriguez said.

The grocery also has stores in Hyattsville and Bladensburg.

According to a county official, there are 33,000 small businesses in Montgomery County.