Shop Locally in Bethlehem on Small Business Saturday

Today is Small Business Saturday. It is a day for everyone to support the small businesses that their community thrives on.

American Express founded the day in 2010 to help small businesses get exposure during the holiday season, when they might be otherwise overlooked. With retailers buzzing around the holidays, it is important to support local small businesses that rely on their neighbors in order to continue prospering and building the local economy in Bethlehem.

"My goal is to get everyone in the Lehigh Valley to change their thinking," said Victoria Shparber, owner of the Black Forest Deli on Union Boulevard in Bethlehem, and the founder of Shop Local Lehigh Valley, a group of merchants that has formed in the past year.

The first project of the fledgling group was for them to collectively buy time on electronic billboards on Route 22 and Route 378. For the next four weeks, 20 locally based businesses are all that is in the advertising rotation for three Adams billboards, Shparber said.

"If you can go to a local restaurant, why go to an Applebee's or a Panera?" Shparber asked. "When you patronize a local business, the money stays here. When you go to a chain, who knows where it goes?"

Check out the Shop Local Lehigh Valley Facebook page.

Last year, 100 million people nationwide participated in Small Business Saturday by shopping at locally owned stores to help boost the economy and their communities.

Among the small businesses participating in Small Business Saturday in Bethlehem:

• Party Time Outlet
• Hometown Heroes
• Mac's Hobby Hall
• Enright's Fabric Warehouse
• Aykroyd Hardware
• Action Wheels Bike Shop
• Accents From Head to Toe
• Inspired By You
• The Lesson Center

For a complete list of participating businesses, follow this link: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/ 

You can also “like” Small Business Saturday on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/shopsmall.

Everyone has locally owned businesses in their community, and shopping on Small Business Saturday is the perfect way to give back to the businesses you know and love in your community.

TELL US: What small businesses do you patronize in your town and what makes them great? Share in the comments below.