Local chambers of commerce ready to celebrate Small Business Saturday

Local businesses are gearing up for the holiday season and Small Business Saturday. Chambers of Commerce in the area have been promoting their campaigns to support these businesses in an effort to keep money within the community this year.

“We always encourage people to shop local and support our small businesses,” CEO of the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce Jessica Viera said. “The more money that we can keep circulating through our local businesses, the stronger our local economy is and the better Wasilla and the Mat-Su Valley are.”

The Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce hosted their “Support Local November” campaign this month. Throughout November, customers were encouraged to visit local businesses and participate in a scavenger hunt. Each business had a special task to perform and record on a downloadable app provided by the Chamber. Each completed task was awarded with points that would allow customers to be entered for prizes.

Participating businesses included The Children’s Place, Krazy Moose Subs, Black Birch Books and more. A full list of businesses can be found at: https://business.wasillachamber.org/events/details/support-local-november-22955

The Chamber also hosted a series of pop-up events that would provide the community with a chance to engage with local businesses. Attendees could acquire a passport and collect stamps from vendors to go towards prizes as they pursued the shops.

Viera encouraged members of the community to continue to support their local businesses because of the importance those businesses have with the local economy.

“It’s super important to our local economy that we support businesses of all sizes, from large to small, but especially our small businesses,” Viera said. “In aggregate, our small businesses are the largest employers in the state. They employ the most people, they keep our money circulating in our local economy. It’s not going to some headquarters out of state. It’s helping support local employees and people here in our city.”

The Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce hosted their “Shop Palmer” campaign for the eighth year in a row. This promotion of small businesses has been a hit every year, Executive Director at the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce Kelley Shoemake explained. From November 20-December 18, customers that shop at participating stores and restaurants will acquire a card they can stamp for every $10 spent. For every complete card of $100 spent, customers will be entered for weekly prizes. The Chamber received nearly 5000 cards last year.

Participating businesses include Aethereal Coffee, Palmer Alehouse, Vagabond Blues Coffeehouse, Turkey Red, Backcountry Bike and Ski and more. A full list can be found on the Chamber’s website at: https://www.palmerchamber.org/participating-businesses

Shoemake encourages customers to look to their local businesses on Small Business Saturday for the rest of their shopping this winter. By doing so, they are also supporting their friends, their family and their neighbors.

“Small business Saturday is a nationally recognized day,” Shoemake said. “It strengthens the economy. When you spend local, it stays local. It helps support our jobs here and our services. Small Business Saturday also brings [the] attention back and the importance of supporting your local businesses because those people that own those small businesses are part of your community. They live here, they work here.”