Small Business Saturday 2019: Participating Norristown Businesses

NORRISTOWN, PA — You may not think about it much, but independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop hardware stores, restaurants and the like are fighting for survival against malls, big box stores and online retailers.

Small Business Saturday, held annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, was created to give them a boost and help level the field of competition. This year, the 10th anniversary of the “Shop Small” movement, the all-local shopping event falls on Nov. 30.

Here’s a list of the businesses that have signed up so far in Norristown:

• Taqueria La Michocana
• Joseph Genuardi Florist
• Remo Restaurant Equipment
• Sessano Cafe
• Cafe Fraif
• Norristown Thriftway
• Hair Outlet
• Trejo American and Mexican Cuisine
• Hangley Aronchick Segal and Pudl
• Spillane
• Taste of the Islands
• Las Palmas Del Sur
• Cince do Mayo Supermarket
• Cycle Stop
• 220 W. Main Street Market
• Puebla Restaurant
• Solomon Berschler Schatz legal services
• Rancho Restaurante Domin
• Lacon's Pharmacy
• Myers Drug Store Myoderm Medical
• Am-Tech Automtovie Services
• Testa and Pagnanelli Op
• Dirt Busters
• El Molcajete
• Mexican Market
• Art and Marks Auto
• Tricor Industries
• Als Auto Sales and Service
• Los Potrillos Taqueria
• Isaak and Steves Pizza
• Goodie Girls Cake Shoppe
• Component Enterprises
• Delish Soul Food Kitchen
• Latino Food Market
• Smith and Solomon Driver Training
• Amatex
• Natalys Restaurant
• Pennsylvania Auto Tag
• El Combo Loco
• Morrow Tompkins Truebl
• B and T Brothers Mini Market
• Almaz Cafe
• Leeds Law Op
• Lou's Auto Repair
• Martinez Auto Sales
• Passion Hair and Beau
• Garita-Rojas
• Mcginness Prosthetics
• Ams Law Pc Tr
• New Image Dominican Barber Shop
• JJ and Sons
• 88 Cafe and Pub
• Norfab
• Vico's Auto Body Shop
• Richard E Cohen Esquire
• The Law Office of Lisa
• Pharmacy of Norristown
• Mcbrien and Montalto Pc
• Knv
• Delaware Valley Fish Co.
• Norristown Deli and Grocery
• Norristown Tire Solutions
• Norristown Auto Truck Sales
• Basil D Beck
• Morello Towing
• Novedades Marisol
• Morabito Baking Co.
• Philly Mobile
• The Law Offices of Barry Mille
• Jemg
• Norristown Furniture Market
• Gnb Auto
• Norristown Food Market
• Lupitas Mexican Market
• El Sanchez Auto Repair
• Gazen and John PC
• Hair Salon Sol
• El Paraiso Restaurant
• Happy Dollar and Discount
• Montgomery Deli and Grocery
• Philly Pretzel Factory
• Los Barajas Market
• Jannah's Kitchen
• Del Valle Landscaping
• Cinco de Mayo
• Mcmahon Lentz Thompson
• Scoops Ice Cream
• F and P Lawn Barbers
• Calvin Phipps Jr. Electrical Work

Did we miss any local spots that are partaking? Tell us in the comments or send an email to justin.heinze@patch.com and we’ll add it to the list.

The list of Small Business Saturday participants is growing. “Shop Small” events include not only sales on things you won’t find at the mall or other shopping venues, but also events that bring the community together.

American Express established Small Business Saturday in 2010 to help local businesses reeling from the Great Recession. The U.S. Senate passed a resolution a year later encouraging businesses in all 50 states to participate in what has morphed into a nationwide “shop small” movement.

This year, the stakes are even higher for small businesses. Rising rents and shifting consumer behavior are causing many small business owners to shutter their shops, according to American Express.

A Shop Small Consumer Impact survey from American Express found that 73 percent of people think empty storefronts are a national issue, and 84 percent agree the increase in empty storefronts and the closing of small, independently owned businesses negatively affects their local communities.

“We recognize the hardships faced by small business owners today and want to inspire people to take notice and Shop Small to support their communities on Small Business Saturday and beyond,” Elizabeth Rutledge, chief marketing officer at American Express, said in a news release. “Retail is changing, but local shops are the fabric of our communities, helping them to thrive in the future is part of our brand ethos and backing promise.”

Since 2010, local business supporters have spent $103 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.

But that’s only part of the story. For every dollar spent at a U.S. small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community — and it helps independent shops and restaurants keep their doors open and meet pay their workers, your neighbors.

That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to American Express.

The American Express survey showed that when consumers are aware of the impact of spending their dollars locally, 75 percent said they would be more likely to purchase a product or service from small, independently owned businesses.

Shopping small isn’t just a Thanksgiving weekend retail event, but a year-long movement, according to American Express, which says it is launching a marketing campaign to make consumers more aware of the impact they can have on their communities when they support local businesses.

“We believe in backing small businesses because we know they strengthen the communities where we live and work,” Anna Marrs, president of Global Commercial Services at American Express, said in the news release.