By Jeff Burdett

Before the trick-or-treaters even make it back home, big-box stores flood mailboxes and inboxes with Black Friday ads.

But the big box stores aren’t the only place to find a good bargain. Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday, offers shoppers an opportunity to find great quality items at a competitive price and invest in their community.

Small Business Saturday has become a great way to kick off the holiday season. What began 15 years ago as a way to promote small businesses recovering from the Great Recession, has blossomed into one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Last year, shoppers spent roughly $22 billion at their local businesses.

The holiday season is a time to celebrate and express gratitude.

On Small Business Saturday and every day of the year, shopping small plays a big role in supporting our communities. In Texas, small businesses are the beating heart of our economy, accounting for more than 99 percent of businesses in the state and employing 5.1 million working Texans, according to the Small Business Administration.

When you stop in at your favorite coffee shop, locally owned boutique, or family-run hardware store, your dollars go further. Nearly 68 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays within the community where it’s spent and creates another 50 cents in local business activity.

This holiday season don’t forget to shop small. Our local businesses keep our communities strong and our economy growing. When Main Street prospers, we all prosper.

Jeff Burdett is the State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business in Texas.