Southern Wisconsin Towns Celebrate and Honor Our Local Businesses with Shop Small Saturday

November 26th this year is that much needed counter weight to "Black Friday," that big box media blitz, and videos of shoppers behaving badly we endure during the holiday season. From Grants Pass Oregon to Vermillion Ohio towns across the U.S. recognize small businesses are the community glue, the essential economic heft of the their entire existence. 

In 2010, credit card company, American Express created Small Business Saturday® to encourage people to do their holiday shopping at small businesses the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Shopping locally is more prescient than ever as mom-and-pop shops slowly recover from the economic uncertainty of a global pandemic. In 2019, small business sales in Wisconsin were down 17 percent in the first full year of the pandemic.

Here are just a few Small Business Saturday worth a day trip.

In downtown Stoughton businesses along Main Street from the Yahara River to City Hall will open the doors to .holiday shoppers. The day long event is organized by the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce. From 10 Am to Noon the Chamber will provide free downtown maps, reusable shopping bags, and list of great shops and restaurants from the City Hall parking lot until the shopping bags are all gone.

ShopSmall is the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce's clarion call to gift seekers or those seeking to walk off a few of those Thanksgiving calories. The event takes place all day along downtown Cambridge's Main Street.

Downtown Middleton Business Association (DMBA) celebrates Middleton's Small Business Saturday with Middleton with horse and wagon rides, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and participate in the DMBA Business Scavenger Hunt.

And another day trip worthy downtown Monroe is celebrating "Shop Small" all around the town's Historic Courthouse Square. This town has charm and small, locally owned businesses surrounding the square show a diversity in the entrepreneurial spirit, like destination worthy, Burington Shoes and the nationally celebrated, Zodica Perfumery.

Wisconsin DOT's 511

For up to the minute winter driving conditions in southern Wisconsin visit the Wisconsin DOT's 511 Wisconsin or call 511 or (866) 511-9472.