Business & Tech

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday: Events In Alexandria

Want to avoid the holiday rush at the mall? Alexandria's small businesses have plenty going on for the holiday season kickoff.

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Emily Leayman, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

Looking to avoid the malls and find unique gifts for Christmas? This year, Alexandria's holiday shopping kickoff will be bigger than ever. More than 50 independently-owned businesses around Old Town Alexandria and Del Ray will take part in Black Friday (Nov. 23) and Small Business Saturday (Nov. 24).

Businesses offer deals for an alternative Black Friday experience; at least 10 will open at 6 a.m., including Bellacara, The Shoe Hive, The Hive, fibre space, Red Barn, Penny Post and Pacers. On Small Business Saturday, shoppers will come across the Elf Prize Patrol, holiday music pop-up performances and in-store activities. The fun continues for history buffs during Museum Store Sunday on Nov. 25.

Businesses confirmed to participate for both Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are:

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See the full directories of Black Friday and Small Business Saturday businesses.

Other Events

Alexandria Tree Lighting Ceremony: Market Square, 301 King Street
Nov. 23, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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Elf Prize Patrol: Around Old Town and Del Ray
Nov. 24, expanded this year from Old Town to include Del Ray

Pop-Up Musical Performances: around Alexandria
Nov. 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., includes caroling by The Alexandria Singers, a performance by the Alexandria Citizens Band and holiday tunes and cheer by DJ Josh Goldman

Holiday Pop-Up Series at Hotel Indigo Alexandria: 220 South Union Street
Various weekends including Nov. 24-25 featuring local artisans

Pop-Up Holiday Happenings on Upper King Street: Park area at North Fayette Street and King Street
Saturday starting on Nov. 24 through Dec. 22. Shoppers are invited to take a break and enjoy activities like free massages, a braid bar, cookie making, toy making and more.

Photos with Santa at Hooray for Books: 1555 King Street
Various Saturdays including Nov. 24

Did we miss any Small Business Saturday events in Alexandria? Send an email to Emily.Leayman@patch.com or better yet, post them directly on Patch.

MORE: Busy Christmas Season Ahead In Alexandria: Your Can't Miss Events

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. Last year, some 7,200 local businesses in all 50 states participated.

A new study commissioned by American Express shows that U.S. small businesses contribute $4.8 trillion to the GDP, equivalent to that of Japan, which has the third-largest economy in the world. The Small Business Economic Impact Study takes a county-level look at the economic benefits of shopping locally and how vital small businesses are to communities.

Among the findings:

  • An average of two-thirds of every dollar spent at small businesses in the United States stays in the community.
  • Every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as a result of employee spending and businesses purchasing local goods and services.
  • In addition to small businesses directly employing members of the community, spending by those small businesses and their employees in the area also supports jobs. In fact, the study found, for every 10 jobs at a small business, another seven are supported in the local community.

Image via K. Summerer/Visit Alexandria

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