Community Corner
City of Fairfax Pledges Support for Small Business Saturday
The City issued a proclamation pledging to support local businesses and encouraging locals to do the same.
City of Fairfax Mayor Scott Silverthorne signed a proclamation earlier this month encouraging locals to support local independent businesses this coming Saturday, Nov. 30, for Small Business Saturday.
According to the proclamation, small businesses not only provide much of the country's stock of new jobs each year, but general support among citizens for locally-owned businesses is growing.
The proclamation indicates:
- Small businesses create two-thirds of the net new jobs, generate half of private gross domestic product, and employ half of the employees in the private sector in the United States.
- Eighty-nine percent of consumers in the U.S. agree that small businesses contribute positively by supplying jobs and generating tax revenue.
- Eighty-six percent of consumers in the U.S. have small businesses in their community that the consumers would miss if the business closed.
- Ninety-three percent of consumers in the U.S. are willing to pledge support for a "buy local" movement.
Therefore, along with the City's new economic development director, Nicole Hange, and Doug Church from the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, the two entities have pledged to support local businesses this Saturday for Small Business Saturday, as well as all year long, and encourage other local citizens to do the same.
On Monday, Hange and Church visited one of Fairfax City's newest businesses to show their support for the proclamation—Cameron's Coffee and Chocolates on Fairfax Boulevard.
Cameron's Coffee and Chocolates is not only growing in popularity as a new local business, but also has a mission that is very dear to many people's hearts—at least half of the shop's staff are adults with intellectual disabilities.
The shop has pledged its commitment to employing adults with intellectual disabilities alongside able-bodied adults. The shop is named after employee Cameron Graham, and was founded by her parents.
READ: New Coffee and Chocolate Shop in Fairfax City Has One Very Special Twist
"The city is full of small businesses that offer unique services and products. One such business is Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates," the city said in a statement this week. "The City of Fairfax and the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce encourage shoppers to support local small businesses this holiday season by shopping at such stores on Small Business Saturday, November 30. Small-businesses shoppers can stay close to home and support their favorite small, local businesses on what is considered the busiest shopping weekend of the year."
The City and Chamber encourage shoppers to look around their favorite neighborhood shopping centers like Old Town Fairfax, the Fair City Mall and others, and get familiar with the stores around them as they make up their shopping lists this season.
In addition, the City encourages local merchants to visit American Express' Small Business Saturday website to find ways to attract and encourage local shoppers to their stores, including signage, social media and word-of-mouth.
Patch also runs a special website dedicated to tips for small business owners, called Small Business Patch.
TELL US - What is your favorite local small business? Will you be shopping local this Saturday for Small Business Saturday? Tell us in the comments below.
FOLLOW FAIRFAX CITY PATCH FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS!
Facebook | Twitter | Daily & Breaking News E-mail UpdatesFind out what's happening in Fairfax Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here
