When the local high school needs money for new band uniforms, who do they call? When the PTA needs items for a silent auction, or a local youth sports team needs a sponsor, who do they call?
In communities across the state and across the country, they typically call the owner of a small business.
In the case of Shannon Grover, owner of The Lakewood Bookstore in Lakewood, Wash., in addition to giving away countless books to community members and community causes, Grover makes the top floor of her business available to the community at no charge.
“Bookstores are about creating and maintaining communities,” Grover said, so along with the more than 10,000 titles lining the shelves of her 1,647 sq ft bookstore, she made space for community members to gather and relax. That includes students looking for a quiet place to study or play board games, adults who need a quiet meeting space or anyone looking for a cozy place to settle in with a good book.
“It’s a third space,” said Grover, who opened her bookstore in February 2024. “It’s a place for people to gather that is away from work or home, where people can connect and build community.”
On Saturday, Nov. 30, shoppers have an opportunity to pay it forward or pay it back by shopping local at the small businesses that support their communities in myriad ways, including providing jobs, generating sales tax revenue and giving of cash, time or goods to support local nonprofits or other community groups.
“The holidays really are a wonderful time of the year to shop local,” said Sheryl McGrath, state director of the Washington SBDC. “Small Business Saturday is an important reminder of all the ways that small businesses support our communities, including providing jobs, generating sales tax revenue and making countless contributions of their time, talents and treasure.” McGrath, a former small business owner, said she always enjoyed supporting the needs of her community. “I could never turn down the opportunity to support my local neighborhood,” she said.
According to SCORE, 75 percent of small businesses contribute at least 6 percent of their profits to charity every year.
Small Business Saturday, which is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is supported by a large coalition of businesses, economic development agencies and small business advocates, including the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC). American Express is a major sponsor of a variety of promotions, events and celebrations being held across the country. To find a list of participating businesses in your area, click here and use the map feature.
The Washington SBDC provides no-cost, one-on-one, confidential advising to small business owners who want to start, grow or transition their business. The Washington SBDC is hosted by Washington State University and receives major support from the SBA. Washington SBDCs also receive support from local community colleges, economic development groups and civic or business groups.
For more information about the Washington SBDC, go to www.wsbdc.org.
MEDIA NOTE: If you are looking for a small business owner to profile in advance of Small Business Saturday, your local SBDC business advisor is a great resource for finding people who are contributing to their communities in truly remarkable ways. You can find the advisor in your area at www.wsbdc.org
