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Maryland Celebrates Small Business Saturday

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Small Business Saturday is a national day designated to promote our smaller neighborhood stores.

Tracey Leong explains how our Baltimore leaders joined the effort.

This is the sixth annual Small Business Saturday---an event that keeps growing each year.

Shop Small is the theme driving consumers to local businesses a day after the madness of Black Friday and before the online craze of Cyber Monday. Small Business Saturday encourages shoppers to step away from the retail chains.

"It gives the people an opportunity to see what's right in their neighborhood," said Betty Clark.

Clark owns Too Chic Boutique, a small clothing store in Pigtown's Main Street.

"Find some unique things they're not necessarily going to find in the shopping mall," Clark said.

Many shops in the area are participating in this holiday, hoping to get consumers to spend locally year-round.

"Be able to get the great benefit of the publicity is really important for our businesses," said Pigtown Main Street Executive Director Ben Hyman.

Since these stores rely on the word-of-mouth marketing technique and social media, Small Business Saturday boosts their visibility.

"Critical opportunity to showcase all of the wonderful, locally-owned small businesses right here in Baltimore City, in Pigtown," Hyman said.

Local and state leaders are also participating to show their support.

"It's an opportunity to patronize the local folk who live in your community, who live in Baltimore, who invest in their neighborhoods, and we need more of that," said Maryland State Senator Catherine Pugh.

Analysts predict consumers will spend more than $14.5 billion nationwide on this Small Business Saturday.

American Express founded Small Business Saturday in 2010.

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