Small Business Saturday: Shop Locally This Weekend!

Held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday is a holiday shopping tradition and nationwide movement with the goal of supporting the small businesses that make our community strong.   In 2022, shoppers showed up to help small business owners generate an estimated $17.9 billion on Small Business Saturday!

On Monday, November 20th, 2023, Mayor Juan González proclaimed Saturday, November 25, 2023 as Small Business Saturday in San Leandro. Receiving the proclamation was Ruben De Anda, owner of Guadalajara Shopping Center. De Anda was accompanied by his granddaughter. The shopping center has been in business for over 30 years and is currently home to businesses Taqueria Guadalajara, Neveria Guadalajara Ice Cream Shop, Guadalajara Market, Megafit Club, Happy Salon, and Salud Natural.

Based on a survey conducted in 2022 by American Express, if every Gen Z and Millennial shopper spent $10 at a small business on Small Business Saturday, it would support $2 billion in local economic activity throughout the US.  The study also found that $0.68 of every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S. stays in the local community and that every dollar spent at small businesses creates an additional $0.48 in local business activity as a result of employees and local businesses purchasing local goods and services (Source: americanexpress.com)

In California, small businesses are essential to the economic prosperity of any community, considering there are 4.2 million small businesses, which constitutes 99.8% of all California businesses. 2022 data from the Office of Advocacy’s Small Business Profiles reports that an impressive 47.9% of all California employees work for a small business.

Small Business Saturday is also an ideal opportunity to take advantage of the Keeping it Local San Leandro gift card program. Take advantage of free gifts as you purchase gift cards redeemable at local businesses for your loved ones, teachers, coworkers, or yourself! To date, over $24,000 in gift cards has been purchased, of which nearly $19,000 has already been redeemed.

Current participating businesses are:

21st-Amendment Brewery Taproom
Anytime Fitness
As Kneaded Bakery
B*Dazzled Dancers
Be Well Juice Company
Books Inc.
Budget Blinds of San Leandro
codeAtorium
The Cooler
CrossFit San Leandro
Doral’s Auto Repair
Emil Villa’s Hickory Pit
Estudillo Produce & Deli
Fifth Wheel Cafe
Hanoi Chicken Noodle
It’s a Grind Coffee House
Joe’s Pho (both locations)
Koolfi Creamery & Cafe
Le Soleil Vietnamese Noodles & Grill
Nikitas Beauty Bar
Pallen’s Martial Arts
Sabino’s Coffee Shop
Slice House
Sons of Liberty Alehouse
Square One Yoga
Tio’s Mediterranean Grill
Zocalo Coffeehouse