A confession: I secretly take out Small Business Saturday loans.
I’ve been dedicated to getting as many holiday gifts as I can at local thrift stores for over 20 years. Make it my special day: Go to those cute little shops where not only can you find something special for your gift, but you can almost always get to know the shop owner. It’s amazing and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I had to be the one who started it all, right?
I’m not entirely wrong, because Small Business Saturday was created by all Bay Staters. In 2010, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, in partnership with American Express, the National Foundation for Historic Preservation and Roslindale Village Main Street officially launched what is now an annual event celebrated in all 50 states.
This year, Small Business Saturday takes place on November 30 (the day after Black Friday and the Saturday before Cyber Monday, as is now tradition). If you haven’t committed to shopping local for the holidays before, give it a try this year. And even if you only do some of your shopping this way, you’ll walk away a winner, having helped local businesses thrive and treating yourself to a nice day at one of the Bay State’s cozy and fun little malls .
Consider these for your Small Business Saturday:
City View – Roslindale Square: Where it all began and where you can still enjoy a classic downtown neighborhood, enjoy great food, and yes, find gifts that definitely won’t be a dupe.
Roslindale (https://www.roslindale.net) is quaint, walkable and has great parking. You can settle in for a full day, since the neighborhood goes all out for the holidays, with Small Shop Bingo, a game you play while you shop that enters you to win great prizes, street and indoor shows from local music. and dance groups, and at dusk, a tree lighting with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
They even put out a gift guide to help you plan your adventures and shopping.
North of Boston – Newburyport: Newburyport is a town worth visiting every day. Sparkling water, classic New England architecture, great dining spots and many unique shops make it a destination worth seeing.
The city center is beautiful, quirky and fun.
Small Business Saturday means that over 150 shops and restaurants that line the city’s waterfront will offer special discounts and special experiences.
Arrive early, park your car and let the day wind down: You can refuel at Buttermilk Baking Company and then let your feet guide you. The city’s waterfront walking and biking trail – the Clipper City Rail Trail – is worth a meander – and will take you to various shopping spots as well as some historical landmarks that introduce you to the area.
To prepare, you can download an app that guides you through everything you might want and need at https://newburyport.com. Best advice? Make it a full day, including dinner.
There are other great choices north of Boston like Rockport, Ipswich and Salem. You can choose one or mix and match for a perfect shopping outing.
Down the Cape: The Cape towns are known for their salty air, clam shacks and lighthouses, but there are also great bars for a day of shopping. On Small Business Saturday consider a day along Hyannis’ Main Street, where you’ll find locally owned shops, great food and plenty of history to take in all the while. Arrive and park for the day—as a tourist town they have lots—and then walk up Main and back down again, popping into clothing boutiques, art galleries, creative goods shops, and more.
Continue walking past the shopping area towards the ferries for a fun look at the artist shacks along the waterfront as well as a beautiful walking trail.
Also in Chatham you’ll find a perfect park and all-day shop, and of course, beloved Provincetown, as always, offers shopping deals, a festive atmosphere and lots of fun.
Bonus: Little to no bridge traffic this time of year makes for a smooth ride there and back. You can find all kinds of information at https://www.capecodchamber.org.
And while it’s not on the Cape, downtown Plymouth, with its blocks and blocks of locally operated shops and restaurants, is a quick jaunt off the highway and worth a full day in itself. More about what it has to offer at https://seeplymouth.com
