Amex marks 15 years of Small Business Saturday with Shop & Stroll market in Charleston

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — American Express’ Shop And Stroll pop up market took over Market Street Saturday allowing small businesses to shine as shoppers enjoyed the festive atmosphere. From artisans to foodies, American Express put small Lowcountry businesses center stage.

They held their first ever Shop And Stroll holiday market as the holiday shopping season begins. American Express says shopping small is a way of investing in your local community, and making sure that the neighborhood you love continues to be great. They say Small Business Saturday was born after the financial crisis of 2008 and has been impacting communities ever since.

“American Express founded small business Saturday in 2010 and was really designed to bring people into the doors of small businesses when they needed it most” Executive Vice President Of Global Advertising At American Express, Jess Ling said. “We’re so excited to be celebrating 15 years of Small Business SaturdayWe’re in Charleston for the first time, and it’s because in South Carolina, 99% of the businesses are small” she said.

She says downtown Charleston was the perfect, vibrant community for American Express to “show up in a big way.”

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In a study published by American Express, 84% of small business owners said that Small Business Saturday is a key day of businesses during the holiday season. The “2024 American Express Shop Small Impact Study” found that Small Business Saturday is a catalyst for launching and promoting small businesses.

In addition to driving people to shop small, for every purchase an American Express card member makes on Small Business Saturday, American Express donates $1 to hurricane relief efforts to help support small businesses who are impacted by the hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Jamel Richardson, Lead for Operations and Marketing at Lilies of Charleston shared that with each purchase of their unique barbeque sauce, hot sauce or signature “Gullah Pop” a donation is made to the International African American Museum in Charleston as well as the Penn Center in Beaufort.

Richardson says it’s their way of honoring the history and culture that their small business thrives in.

Many small businesses, food trucks, live music, complimentary gift wrapping and interactive stations lined Market Street during the holiday pop-up. Customers say they Shop Small to make an impact locally. Shoppers Alyssa and Erin said “there’s just so many good things that are made in Charleston.”

The shoppers say when they shop small they know they are buying something authentic and that is made with a labor of love.

Small business owners hope you choose to support their labor of love, and encourage you to shop small and shop with a purpose.

“The importance of shopping small is really about shopping with intention” Hart Hagerty, founder and designer of Hart Jewelry said. “We love making super custom personalized pieces with a lot of meaning and that to us is like the antidote to mass consumption and we hope that our customers can also put as much thought and intention about whether they want to get a necklace or bracelet for themselves or for a loved one that it’s going to feel really personal and really speak to that to the recipient’s story” Hagerty shared.

American Express officials hope their Shop and Stroll event as well as the special performance by Noah Kahan at the historic Riveria Theater helped to draw holiday shoppers downtown to shop small.