KFDA to Celebrate ‘Small Business Saturday’ on Nov. 30
/Supporting locally owned small businesses
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Klamath Falls Downtown Association (KFDA) announces that, as a member of the American Express® Neighborhood Champion Program, it will be celebrating the nationwide Small Business Saturday on November 30 with a multitude of events, promotions and sales in Downtown Klamath Falls.
Small Business Saturday and the “Shop Small” movement is a nationwide effort backed by American Express to encourage holiday shoppers to support small, locally-owned shops that are the foundation of local economies and promote thriving communities.
Small Business Saturday happens every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and reminds shoppers to continue to support small businesses after Black Friday through the holiday shopping season, and throughout the year. KFDA’s celebration of Small Business Saturday is a way to spotlight small businesses and the impact they have on communities.
An average two-thirds of every dollar ($0.67) spent at a small business in the U.S. stays in that local community. That means shopping small could help bring things like better schools, smoother roads, and new jobs to neighborhoods across the country.
In recognition of the nationwide event, Klamath Falls Mayor Carol Westfall recently signed a proclamation declaring November 30, 2019 as “Small Business Saturday” in the City of Klamath Falls [see below].
To add to this year’s celebration, KFDA will have a booth at Sugarman’s Corner in Downtown Klamath Falls to provide information about Downtown and other activities related to Small Business Saturday. In addition, Liz Nelson – owner of Downtown small business Painted Pieces, has organized a Downtown “Shop Hop” to showcase participating Downtown shops. More than a dozen Downtown businesses will be participating with special sales, promotions, and giveaways, and have joined forces to raffle off a 7-day trip during the celebration.
KFDA is proud to partner with two other local Neighborhood Champions, Klamath County Chamber of Commerce and the Klamath Community College Small Business Development Center (KCC SBDC) to promote the movement in Klamath County and support the many small businesses that make up our local economy. In 2018, there were 7,500 Neighborhood Champions across the country. To help businesses make the most of Small Business Saturday, Neighborhood Champions provide posters, banners, stickers and digital collateral to small businesses, as well as Shop Small tote bags to shoppers.
Kat Rutledge, Director of the KCC SBDC, put in perspective the importance of small businesses in communities like Klamath Falls: “Small businesses are an often-overlooked component of local economies. In Klamath County 99.3% of our businesses are small! Even though we celebrate these locally-owned businesses every day, Small Business Saturday reminds local shoppers to put them at the top of their list of holiday shopping stops. If we could re-capture just 5% of our retail spending in a year here, we could create 400-500 jobs. Small Business Saturday could be a great start!”
With the convenience of big box stores and online shopping, shoppers often overlook the quality, availability and price of similar products right in their own communities. Small Business Saturday serves as an opportunity for local small businesses to shine by bringing customers into their business who might otherwise purchase their product online or outside the area. Klamath County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Heather Tramp said, “Small businesses are the heart of our community and Small Business Saturday is great way to celebrate their contributions. I encourage people to get out and visit local shops. I believe you’ll be surprised at the great offerings we have in the Klamath Basin.”
Another aspect of Small Business Saturday is the opportunity to showcase new businesses and new offerings from existing businesses. “There are so many unique shops in our Downtown, and this year alone there are several new shops and eateries that have opened,” said Darin Rutledge, Executive Director of KFDA. “And a good number of our Downtown merchants go out of their way to feature products made by other small businesses, many of which are also locally-owned. I encourage shoppers around the region to take this opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the retail landscape in Downtown Klamath Falls.”
Visit KFDA’s Facebook page for up-to-the-minute information leading up to the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2341560042824952/
KFDA provides its events and programs largely through sponsorships and annual contributions from its members, and recognizes the following “Champion” and “Promoter” level sponsors for their generous ongoing support: Pacific Power, KCEDA, Oregon Tech, KLAD 92.5 FM, Fisher Nicholson Realty, Jordan Cove LNG, Klamath Insurance Center, NIS Labs, Holiday Market, Amerititle, Discover Klamath, Thai Orchid, and Rodeos Pizza & Saladeria.
Proclamation
Whereas, the City of Klamath Falls, Oregon celebrates our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community; according to the United States Small Business Administration, there are 30.7 million small businesses in the United States, they represent 99.7 percent of all firms with paid employees in the United States, and are responsible for 64.9 percent of net new jobs created from 2000 to 2018;
Whereas, small businesses employ 47.3 percent of the employees in the private sector in the United States;
Whereas, 94% of consumers in the United States value the contributions small businesses make within their community;
Whereas, 96% of consumers who plan to shop on Small Business Saturday® said the day inspires them to go to small, independently-owned retailers or restaurants that they have not been to before, or would not have otherwise tried;
Whereas, 92% of companies planning promotions on Small Business Saturday said the day helps their business stand out during the busy holiday shopping season;
Whereas, 59% of small business owners said Small Business Saturday contributes significantly to their holiday sales each year;
Whereas, the City of Klamath Falls, Oregon supports our local businesses that create jobs, boost our local economy, and preserves our communities;
Whereas, advocacy groups, as well as public and private organizations, across the country have endorsed the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday®; and
Therefore, I, Mayor Carol Westfall, Mayor of the City of Klamath Falls, do hereby proclaim, November 30, 2019, as: SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY®
And urge the residents of our community, outlying communities, and communities across the country, to support Small Businesses and merchants on Small Business Saturday® and throughout the year!
Carol Westfall
Mayor of Klamath Falls, OR
Press release provided from the Klamath Falls Downtown Association.