Shop Locally in Kirkwood on Small Business Saturday on Nov. 24

Small Business Saturday is on Nov. 24 this year, two days after Thanksgiving. It is a day for everyone to support the small businesses that their community thrives on.

American Express founded the day in 2010 to help small businesses get exposure during the holiday season, when they might be otherwise overlooked. With retailers buzzing around the holidays, it is important to support local small businesses that rely on their neighbors in order to continue prospering and building the local economy in Kirkwood.

"Downtown Kirkwood has been championing concept (of shopping local) for four years, but it's really gotten to be a much larger thing when American Express got involved and put some of their media money behind it," said Donna Poe, executive director of the Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District.

Poe notes ongoing yearly activities that promote locally owned and operated businesses in the special shopping district like the Fall Festival of Local Flavor.

To promote shopping local this Saturday, the Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District is doing prize drawings at the Kirkwood Train Station. Prizes include $50 Downtown Kirkwood gift certificates, Kirkwood coffee mugs, Kirkwood Farmers' Market T-shirts, Kirkwood Parks Department items and a train station box from the Bug Store.

The Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District will collect entries throughout Saturday, pull entries and notify winners Monday.

"The idea of the drawing is for the items to be all things Kirkwood," Poe said.

Last year, 100 million people nationwide participated in Small Business Saturday by shopping at locally owned stores to help boost the economy and their communities.

One hundred Kirkwood businesses are participating in Small Business Saturday. See which businesses are participating by clicking this link.

You can also “like” Small Business Saturday on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/shopsmall.

Everyone has locally owned businesses in their community, and shopping on Small Business Saturday is the perfect way to give back to the businesses you know and love in your community.

TELL US: What small businesses do you patronize in your town and what makes them great? Share in the comments below.