Town of Fairfield to Celebrate 11th Annual Small Business Saturday® with Shoppers’ Welcome Station on Sherman Green
First Selectwoman Encourages Residents to Shop Local
First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick announced today that, as a member of the American Express® Neighborhood Champions Program, the Town of Fairfield will take part in Small Business Saturday on November 28th, and encourages all residents to “shop local” and support local businesses this holiday season and beyond.
In celebration of Small Business Saturday, the Town and Fairfield Chamber of Commerce will host a “welcome station” on Sherman Green from 10AM until 2PM, at which shoppers can receive a complimentary “Shop Small” shopping bag, courtesy of American Express, as well as valuable coupons to local stores and other free goodies, while supplies last. All business participants and attendees are expected to follow public health guidelines and wear masks and practice social distancing, and stores will have capacity limits in effect.
First Selectwoman Kupchick remarked, “Small Business Saturday is a terrific opportunity to help kick off the holiday season by remembering the small businesses that help make Fairfield special. I encourage everyone in our community to ‘Shop Small’ throughout the year, but especially during this most challenging year.”
Small Business Saturday started in 2010 as a way to celebrate and support small businesses. Since the program’s inception, consumers have reported spending an estimated $120 billion at independent retailers and restaurants across all Small Business Saturdays combined, according to American Express. The Town of Fairfield has participated as a Neighborhood Champion for the past five years in an effort to help spotlight small businesses and the positive impact they have on communities like Fairfield.
The Town has again partnered this year with the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) and over eighty-five business and community groups across North America as part of its “Shop Indie Local” campaign. The Shop Indie Local Campaign seeks to celebrate locally owned businesses and to inspire positive action by shifting spending from chain stores and online giants to these businesses.
Fairfield Economic Development Director Mark Barnhart, remarked, “2020 has been a very difficult year for all of us, but especially for our local restaurants and merchants that help make Fairfield what it is. When you support independent Fairfield businesses, you invest in your community, and the money you spend largely stays within the local area and is reinvested here.”
In addition to promoting Small Business Saturday, and to help elevate support of the “Shop Local” theme, the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Town, recently announced an exciting new initiative called the Fairfield Community e-Gift Card.
Exclusive to Fairfield businesses only, this is the first digital gift card program which can be redeemed at over 65 participating Fairfield restaurants, merchants, retailers and service providers, all in the Town of Fairfield! Residents are encouraged to participate by purchasing an e-Gift Card, not only during the upcoming holiday season, but also throughout the upcoming year. This is one way for residents to demonstrate Local Love.
Fairfield Chamber of Commerce President Beverly Balaz added, “We are delighted to be partnering with the Town of Fairfield on both of these initiatives. It’s vitally important that we work together to support the local independent merchants that make Fairfield unique. Let’s all put our $$ where our heart is.”
For more information on Small Business Saturday and how to get involved please visit ShopSmall.com.
For more information on the new Fairfield Community e-Gift Card program, please visit:
FairfieldCTChamber.com/GIFTCARDS.
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