From the Advocate

by Elmy Bermejo

November 2026

Make Small Business Saturday Part of Your Holiday Shopping Plans

Every year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving gets a little lost between two big shopping days. Black Friday has the doorbusters, and Cyber Monday has the inbox full of deals. For me, the one in the middle matters most. This year Small Business Saturday falls on November 28, and I hope you will spend part of it with the businesses that make your community feel like home.

American Express launched Small Business Saturday in 2010, and the U.S. Small Business Administration has cosponsored it every year since 2011. It lands in the busiest shopping season of the year. The idea behind it is to shop with small businesses in your community and recognize everything they contribute to it.

Small business runs in my family, so I know this season from the other side of the counter. I know how much a busy holiday stretch can mean to a family business, and how hard a slow one can be.

We often call small businesses the backbone of our state economy, and with 4.3 million of them in California, it is easy to see why. But they are also the heartbeat of our local communities.

They are the bakery that starts your morning and the barber who already knows how you like it. They are the hardware store with the one part you need, the restaurant where your family celebrates special occasions, and the boutique where you find gifts you can’t get anywhere else. Their owners are often the first to sponsor the youth soccer team, donate to the school fundraiser, or check on a neighbor after a hard week.

And they employ our neighbors. Small businesses in California employ 7.6 million people, close to half of all employees in the state. When you buy from a local shop, you help keep its doors open and its people working.

That’s what we mean when we say shopping small strengthens us all. Each purchase is small on its own, but when a whole community decides to spend a Saturday close to home, you can feel the difference on Main Street.

There are lots of ways to join in. Take a walk through your local shopping district, grab a coffee, and finally stop into that store you always mean to visit. If you can’t get out this year, plenty of local businesses sell online, so you can still be part of the fun from home. Tuck a gift card from your favorite restaurant or salon into someone’s stocking. And when you find a place you love, tell a friend or leave a review. It costs nothing, and it really helps the next customer find them.

To California’s small business owners, thank you for everything you give to your communities, this season and all year long. We know the holidays can be your busiest stretch, with long days and a lot riding on them. When you are ready to look ahead, whether that means planning for the new year or taking the next step to grow, our SCALE partners across the state are there to help with business advising and training. Visit CalOSBA.ca.gov to find a partner near you.

So, this November 28, and all through the holiday season, let’s show our local businesses some love, and show up for them the way they show up for us every day.