Small Business Saturday 2024 In Toms River: See Sales, Deals

TOMS RIVER, ST — Saturday, Nov. 30, is a crucial day for independently owned local businesses in Toms River. 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 among those participating in this year’s event:

• La Scala Italian Pastry Shop, 687 Michael Drive, Toms River
• Neon Meow, 43 Redwood Drive, Toms River
• Shelbi’s Sugar Lips, 888 Molde Court, Toms River
• Kingstone Printing, 637 Duchess Drive, Toms River
• Bethlehem Gifts, 571 Loxley Drive, Toms River
• Shabby Chic Stephanie Designs, 960 Goose Creek Road, Toms River
• Dragon River Dyes, 981 Stafford Drive, Toms River
• Simply Sun Tanning, 635 Bay Ave., Suite 202, Toms River
• East Meets West, Ocean County Mall, 1201 Hooper Ave., Toms River
• Crafts by Marianne, 208 Dayton Ave., Toms River

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 979,085 small businesses in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 state profiles. Those businesses employ 1.7 million people across the state.

Ocean County has the highest percentage of small businesses, according to the federal Small Business Administration, with nearly 75 percent of the county’s falling into the small business definition with fewer than 500 employees, the SBA says.

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.