March 29, 2024
Annapolis, US 54 F

Small Business Saturday returns to Annapolis on November 25th

Small Business Saturday on November 25th gives you the opportunity to show your love for the businesses that make Annapolis unique. This nationwide event is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The day gives shoppers a less stressful way to shop after the Black Friday rush. The downtown Annapolis business area is a perfect place to go, take a stroll through historic streets and shop until you are ready to step into one of the many great restaurants in town. Most people arriving in downtown Annapolis start their shopping in the popular Main Street and City Dock area. Be sure to also explore the boutiques on Maryland Avenue and the galleries and shops along West Street in the Annapolis Arts District.
The idea behind Small Business Saturday is two part. First is to draw attention to all the great businesses that give your hometown its unique flavor. Without them we would all be living in Any Town USA. While many of these small businesses do not have the same large marketing budget as the big national chains they do manage to stand out by offering quality and niche products, personalized service and are able to customize the business to meet the needs of the community. You are also more likely to find locally made items, farm to table offerings and local beverages including coffees, craft beer and wines when shopping and dining at local establishments. This gives the local community twice the payback. It’s easy in this area to support locally owned businesses and you can find some in every business district in Annapolis. There is a national Small Business Saturday website www.smallbusinesssaturday.com to help you locate small businesses in your community.
The second benefit of Small Business Saturday is educating people that when you shop at a locally owned business a higher percentage of the money you spend is reinvested back into the community. There is no out of state or out of country corporate headquarters to send all the profits back to. This increases the chances that the profits are spent in the community in which the business owner lives and has their business. The locally owned business is also more likely to support your community as well as sponsoring community non-profits, little leagues, community projects and school PTA’s. This makes the local economy and community stronger for everyone.
One of the areas biggest concentrations of locally owned retailers and restaurants in the Annapolis area is in downtown Annapolis. The merchants there have stocked up for the holidays and are decorating the town for everyone to enjoy. Erik Evans, the Executive Director of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership and the Annapolis Arts District says “this marketing event on November 25th will kick off the Holiday season for most small businesses. In downtown Annapolis this is followed by the Grand Illumination of the downtown Christmas tree the following evening.” Other big Holiday shopping events in downtown Annapolis include Midnight Madness on December 7th,14th and 21st.
There are many free parking options this holiday season in Annapolis.  Free three hour parking between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day in downtown Annapolis is available at all metered parking spaces. The State Parking Garage at 19 St Johns Street is free every weekday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. Many merchants and restaurants in downtown Annapolis also participate in the Park and Shop program that offers free hourly parking vouchers when you make a purchase and park in city-owned parking garages. The free circulator bus is perfect to help get you and your packages back to your car or to check out the galleries and shops on West Street. The Circulator runs along West Street, Main Street, Compromise Street and Duke of Gloucester Street.
For more information on downtown Annapolis visit www.DowntownAnnapolisPartnership.org
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