Small Business Saturday 2024 In Reston See Sales, Deals

RESTON, VA — Saturday, Nov. 30, is a crucial day for independently owned local businesses in Reston. It’s Small Business Saturday, the kickoff to “shop small” events that emphasize the power of dollars spent in local communities.

Founded by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday is sandwiched between the major Black Friday retail shopping holiday, which tends to favor national brands, and Cyber Monday, an online shopping event that this year takes place on Dec. 2.

The following local businesses are participating in this year’s event:

• Barry Harley Photography, 12110 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 600, Reston
• Ombaked CBD Boutique, 11414 Washington Plaza West, Reston
• Pokehub, 11990 Market St., Suite C, Reston
• Wiygul Automotive Clinic, 11728 Sunset Hills Road, Reston
• Reston Town Center Massage, 760 Reston Parkway 112, Reston
• Just Cats Clinic, 11401 North Shore Drive, Reston
• Simply Elegant Catering, 11600 Sunrise Valley Drive, Floor 2, Reston
• Taste of Istanbul, 1862 Explorer St., Reston
• Saao Thai & Sushi, 11730 Plaza America Drive, Suite 105, Reston
• Elden Street Tea Shop, 1609-A Washington Plaza N, Reston

Since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending an estimated $163 billion at small businesses across all 12 Small Business Saturdays combined.

There are 854,172 of small businesses in Virginia, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 state profiles.

Here are some other interesting statistics:

• Small businesses account for 99.6 percent of Virginia businesses.
• There are 1.5 million small business employees, accounting for 46 percent of Virginia employees.
• Women make up 47.3 percent of workers and owned 45 percent of the businesses in Virginia.
• Veterans make up 8.5 percent of workers and owned 8.2 percent of businesses in Virginia.
• Between 1997 and 2021, Virginia small business employment grew by 17.1 percent between 1997 and 2021, which exceeded the national small business employment growth rate.

Local businesses depend on increased sales in the last few months of the year to help them reach their revenue goals, and you’ll find plenty of in-store cheer and holiday happenings that will make the shopping experience fun.

Locally owned businesses recirculate a far greater percentage of revenue locally compared to absentee-owned businesses, according to the American Independent Business Alliance. Independents return about 48 percent of their revenues back into the local economy, compared to 14 percent returned to the local economy by chains.

Small businesses are typically defined by the federal government as those with fewer than 500 employees.

They are responsible for two of every three jobs over the past 25 years. Even a partial collapse of small businesses could weaken the overall U.S. economy, according to the Labor Department.