College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn proclaimed the Saturday following Thanksgiving this year as Small Business Saturday in the city during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
“The city of College Park, Maryland, supports our local businesses that create jobs, boost our local economy and preserve our neighborhoods,” Wojahn said.
Small Business Saturday — a national campaign American Express started in 2010 — coincides with Black Friday and Cyber Monday and encourages consumers to shop at small and local businesses.
The city of College Park is home to more than 150 independently-owned restaurants and shops, said Wojahn, who urged residents Tuesday to take advantage of the businesses on Nov. 26.
“I encourage everyone to take selfies when you go to your small businesses on Small Business Saturday and post those with the hashtag [#SmallBusinessSaturday],” he said.
In 2015, 95 million people nationwide shopped at local businesses on Small Business Saturday, according to the American Express website. The U.S. Small Business Administration reported that small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all businesses with employees in the United States.
