With the holidays quickly approaching, more and more people are heading out the door or online to get their shopping done. Instead of heading to your nearest chain store, change things up a bit and shop a local small business. Small Business Saturday, sponsored by American Express, encourages shoppers to get away from the big business stores in exchange for a local shop. Small business can range from fruit stands to clothing shops to toy stores. There are 28 million small businesses alone in the United States. All of these places are great to stop by when you’re in the market for holiday gifts.

Small business are leaders in keeping local money in the community. When you shop small, you’re not only support the small business owners, but also the area you live in. Keeping funds local helps better the community by increasing the amount of money that can be spent on community up-keeping and projects. These businesses have generated 60-80% of all new jobs since 1995. Small business are often supported by their community and in turn give back to the community. It’s a win-win situation for all!

These business often carry one of a kind items that you can’t get anywhere else. Unique trinkets make the best gifts as they’re the most memorable. Knowing that you have an item that no one else will ever have is also a great feeling. Local cafes and bakeries serve as feature points of a town and are known as the place where community members can get together. Often these shops have the freshest local food with a taste that can’t be beat.

Many small business have now gone viral. With websites such as Pinterest and Etsy, small business owners are able to sell their products worldwide. You can even ship your one of a kind gift to family somewhere else in the country. When you buy from these shops remember that you’re supporting someone that works hard each and every day to provide for themselves and their family. In fact, 70% of all small businesses are owned by one person! Without your support, many of these businesses would struggle.

These businesses help keep jobs in the community. Of the working population, over 50% work in a small business. So, instead of heading out to the mall, check out the small businesses around your neighborhood that will benefit from your purchases. You’ll feel better knowing that the gift you bought not only brought joy to the receiver but to the business owner you purchased it from as well.