This holiday season, don’t forget the little guys. By which we mean: small businesses. Sure, you could snatch up new iPhones for everyone on your list (look at you, big spender) or buy a bunch of robot vacuums (why are those even a thing?) on deep Black Friday discount from Amazon. But by doing your holiday shopping at small businesses, you’re ensuring that the retail industry doesn’t devolve into big-box stores that all offer the same crap.
Small businesses specialize in the “wow” factor of gift-giving. When you buy from a burgeoning shop, you’re guaranteed to give a unique, meaningful gift that often comes with a story attached. Even better, your purchases support real, honest-to-goodness, hardworking people who are invested in their communities and believe in producing quality products you’ll want to tell your friends about.
In honor of Small Business Saturday (Nov. 28 this year), we’ve hand-picked 10 sweet small businesses that deserve your holiday dollars. Many of them are offering free shipping or other discounts to spur on your shopping spree. Spend away, knowing that your gift will be appreciated not just by the recipient but by the shop owner as well.